(Note: I will continue to politely “like” certain fellow spiritual and philosophical blogs, even though one sees that what is written in them is usually rather erroneous and off-beam.)
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Recognition is an inherent extension of thought/thinking. One sees through (and “as”) the screen of the known. Recognizing things involves limited, symbolic patterns of fragmentation. This fragmentation is never whole (though it may claim to be whole). Most people see according to how they were taught to see. This “seeing” is an extension of the old ways and patterns. It is limited and fragmentary.
To perceive without merely relying on these old patterns of limitation involves holistic seeing. It exists beyond all the practiced patterns, techniques, religious methods, and political and societal structures. Few see this way. Most cling to the known and are frightened of the unknown. It is like loving the shadows and fearing the light.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Nice post 🌅🌅
One hopes so, Satyam. 😉
Very cool Tom! 😎
Thank you, M.T.! Take care. 😊
You’re very welcome Tom! #GoodWorks ❤️
hmmm Tom – not sure I agree here “Recognizing things involves limited, symbolic patterns of fragmentation”.My dogs know exactly how to get my attention by staring hard at me until I look up and ask them what they want…. this recognition is not fragmentary… it is more about the power and depth of relationship to pierce illusion – To recognize is to be in relationship with a beloved from my point of view.Maybe you mean something else? BTHW I never say I like something if I don’t – in fact I object to ‘liking’ on principle – what does it mean to like something? If you like or dislike or disagree then say why – enter into relationship like we routinely do! Sometimes we disagree but does it matter? No, we can respect each other’s positions!
Well, Sara, your dogs may be very intelligent but what they were doing was still full of motivation (as patterns involving cause and effect); that is fragmentary, with a self centered goal in mind, which is not holistic.
To recognize may be relationship but it is oftentimes a rather limited one… based on mental images and patterns. One image can “feel” a relationship with an image of someone else… but oftentimes that is a relationship between two images (which may not be much of a relationship at all). When you look at nature, surely you are not just looking with (and “as”) labels and learned images.
I’m not too fond of “liking” and i was just referring to those stars that we can click on for blogs. I respect people trying to help (and i often click on the “like star”, indicating that i am appreciative of them at least trying to be helpful) but oftentimes they try to guide people (with too much conditioning), with mechanical, and immature methods (that can do more harm than good). Very rarely i write in the comments of their blogs explaining why i think their writing was limited or erroneous but i usually don’t have the time nor the inclination to do that. Really, these blog comments are best not used to criticize people within their own blogs (which is just polite consideration and kindness). But some crass people just don’t seem to get that.
TO ME HOLISTIC IS A BOTH AND SELF/OTHER AND ANIMALS LIVE IN THE NOW – TOTALLY PRESENT TO WHAT IS – I DON’T OFTEN OFTEN SEE THIS WITH HUMANS – IF EVER. I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION WITH RESPECT TOO LIKE – I JUST MAKE A CHOICE NOT TO MOST OF THE TIME – NOT ALWAYS THOUGH DUE TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S CIRCUMSTANCES – EACH OF US HAS PREFERENCES AND THAT OF COURSE IS HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE – EXCUSE BIG WRITING – EYES ARE BAD….
SORRY ABOUT YOUR EYES, SARA. YES, MANY ANIMALS LIVE IN A KIND OF NOW, BUT THAT NOW IS OFTEN OF A VERY LIMITED (RESTRICTED) NATURE THAT ALLOWS FOR CONFLICT, GROSS LIMITATION, FRGARMENTATION, AND VIOLENCE TO HAPPEN. I WAS VIOLENTLY BITTEN BY BIG DOGS IN THE PAST… AND TO HELL WITH THEIR NOW; AND I’VE SEEN PLENTY OF ANIMALS BULLY AND KILL OTHER ANIMALS EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN’T NEED TO.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE MAY NOT BE ANYTHING GLAMOROUS OR WONDERFUL ABOUT MERELY EXISTING IN THE NOW (FOR ANY OF US). EXISTING EXCLUSIVELY IN THE NOW MAY MAKE ONE TIMEBOUND AND VERY LIMITED.
You know I think the negative comments about animal attributes might be more of a bias than anything else. Humans are brutal; animals for the most part are concerned with survival and yes they do kill for food but few for pleasure – Unfortunately cats are a prime example of killing for pleasure – and mean dogs are often animals that have been raised by people who FEAR, have a tremendous need for POWER over or need CONTROL Of course there are always some…. I am so sorry that you had such a terrible experience of being bitten by a dog – I was bitten by pit bull and ever since then have been afraid of all of them – so I know how you feel.
This is a beautiful capture here Tom – the wasp (hornet?) certainly recognizes and takes notice of this Coneflower.
Yes, Linda, even animals (like insects) can recognize. 😊 This recognition can be very helpful (even for us humans). For instance, if you are walking in nature, it is beneficial to recognize a dangerous bear and try to avoid disturbing it. So recognition certainly has an important place. All i am suggesting is that, when we are safe in our backyards, for instance, can we just look without all of the layers of recognition and perceive beyond all the learned labels and fragmentary images?
Nature is amazing Tom … I am constantly amazed and enamored with what I see (minus the destruction by humans that I see damaging my beloved nature nook). I hope we can do that Tom – I wish we could have an open mind to absorb new things and not just settle for the same-old, same-old images and we’re accustomed to. Take off the blinders, look and observe and let it sink in.
Yes, Linda… nature is truly amazing and precious in so many ways! And, yes, too many people merely see nature through secondhand lables and images that they were taught. But that is not looking freshly beyond the contamination… so they get used to things, they get bored with things, and they get indifferent.
To look without the past accumulations interferring is a whole other story (with the emphasis on “whole”).
Very cold and snowy here now!
ditto
Truth and “Reality” in my opinion, is akin to the dance between the Sun and Moon, Earth, of course, representing our non-static perception and self-awareness of that which we observe and experience. The only thing I have ever found that has a multimillion-year case study in consistency… Is our Moon, which I personify as truth, this not to say that one cannot be convinced of something untrue, like it is made cheese or something ridiculous, but rather the cyclical nature of our strange and mysteriously unique spherical neighborhood. Great piece! Keep em comin’
Thanks, Realitologist. 😊
To point to the moon requires a finger, but he who takes the finger for the moon is a fool.
Short, sweet, and to the point! Love the capture of the wasp. 🙂
Nice to read! Thanks, Layla! 😊
And the wasp didn’t sting me!