2012.12.06 07:00 - Accepting that the view always changes

The Guardian for this meeting was Storm Nordwind. The comments are by Storm Nordwind.

Bleu Oleander: hiya Storm :)
Storm Nordwind: Good morning Bleu!
Bleu Oleander: how are u?
Storm Nordwind: Well thank you. And you?
Bleu Oleander: pretty good thanks
Storm Nordwind: Any noteworthy events that have been happening here of late?
Bleu Oleander: hmmm
--BELL--
Bleu Oleander: in rl i'm going to see Bruce Springsteen tonight :)
Bleu Oleander: working on my Clarity project
Storm Nordwind: Oh cool. The old trooper is still on the road then? (Springsteen, I mean, not you! ;)
Bleu Oleander: haha!
Bleu Oleander: yes, heard the concert goes 4 hours!
Bleu Oleander: has been getting great reveiws
Storm Nordwind: I shall watch the Broncos game instead I expect ;)
Bleu Oleander: :)
Storm Nordwind: I think I'm too old for concerts now ;)
Bleu Oleander: ha! I'll find out tonight if I am too!
Storm Nordwind chuckles

Developing the theme of clarity

Storm Nordwind: How has the week's theme been developing?
Bleu Oleander: heard some interesting conversations
Bleu Oleander: seems many are thinking about clarity
Storm Nordwind smiles
Bleu Oleander: challenging for some
Storm Nordwind: Oh?
Storm Nordwind: Welcome Sophia! :)
Bleu Oleander: hi Sophia :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: Hi Storm, Hi Bleu :)
Bleu Oleander: so will be interesting to see what everyone does for their projects
Storm Nordwind nods

What is clarity?

Storm Nordwind: So what is clarity? Is it an attribute and, if so, of what? Is it the presence of something? Or the absence of something?
Bleu Oleander: hmmm interesting questions Storm
Bleu Oleander: is it in the mind? subjective?
Bleu Oleander: is it a quality of a relationship?
SophiaSharon Larnia: something that was said earlier, and I can't remember by whom.. said something like clarity is dependent on an subject... Ive been thinking of that the last few days, in a peripheral kind of way
Storm Nordwind: The air in Colorado is stunningly clear. I can look out of my window and nearly always see for more than 60 miles. Except when there are forest fires. Or when I shut the blinds. Or I close my eyes. Or I just look in the opposite direction. :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: (that is the most unclear sentence Ive ever written hmm)
Bleu Oleander: :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: (I just got home from work and am a little tired)
Bleu Oleander: difficult to talk about clarity in a clear way?
SophiaSharon Larnia: sure

What gets in the way?

SophiaSharon Larnia: so Storm, it's always clear, even under all of that?
--BELL--
Storm Nordwind: Here, something always gets in the way to spoil clarity. Smoke. Window blinds. Dirty windows. My eyelids. My attention. My biases. Without those obstructions, known or unknown, what would I see?
Bleu Oleander: clarity of perception
Bleu Oleander: perhaps even one's prior experiences get in the way?
Storm Nordwind: Yes
Bleu Oleander: hi Wyven :)
Wyven Resident: hello
SophiaSharon Larnia: hi Wyven
Wyven Resident: hi
Storm Nordwind: If your experiences make you what you are, and create filters and expectations for you as well as abilities, then "you are what you perceive".
Bleu Oleander: can you position yourself, change perspectives and gain clarity?
Bleu Oleander: can you add structure to better receive clarity?
Storm Nordwind: There are two things (at least) ... or so it appears to me.
Storm Nordwind: You can learn to see, to recognize, to perceive. And you can learn to recognize obstructions and how to remove them.
Bleu Oleander: how does one learn that? perhaps takes time and patience :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: would you like to join us, Wyven?
Storm Nordwind: I suspect most people 'muddle through', though doubtless it can be learned and perhaps even taught.
SophiaSharon Larnia: I think that something like 'clarity' can't be forced.
SophiaSharon Larnia: to try to wish it into being is almost counterproductive
Storm Nordwind: Wyven - I know you have been here before. You are welcome to take a seat if you wish :)
Storm Nordwind: Like "trying to relax" Sophia? ;)
Bleu Oleander: :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: :) something like that
Bleu Oleander: have to get to work .. take care all :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: saying that makes me wonder why I am here then. LOL
SophiaSharon Larnia: bye Bleu :) nice to see you
Storm Nordwind: Bye for now Bleu :)
Bleu Oleander: nice to see you all
Bleu Oleander: bye bye
SophiaSharon Larnia: I think i understand the concept of wu wei more now that I had before
SophiaSharon Larnia: I thought I understood it before ;p
Storm Nordwind smiles
Storm Nordwind: I wonder if the "concept" of wu wei, or at least conceptualizing it, leads one away from being it. :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: its in the context, maybe
SophiaSharon Larnia: brb
SophiaSharon Larnia: back

Walking away to see something

Storm Nordwind: Perhaps sometimes we need to walk away from something - so we can look back and see it properly, before returning to it.
--BELL--
SophiaSharon Larnia: oh that absolutely helps

Clarity by keeping your eye on something still

SophiaSharon Larnia: the clarity is on keeping your eye on something still
Storm Nordwind: Only still?
SophiaSharon Larnia: when you are distracted
SophiaSharon Larnia: :) maybe I should be in bed -- theres a reason why it got difficult to come here like I had before :D
Storm Nordwind grins
SophiaSharon Larnia: yes, a ballet dancer or gymnast 'spots' by keeping their eye on one point so they don't lose their balance when spinning or tumbling
SophiaSharon Larnia: and thats being mindful

Clarity by accepting that the view always changes

Storm Nordwind: Ah... As a counter-example, I would offer a parent's often lack of clarity when viewing their offspring. So often the temptation is to fix the child in time, and to treat them according to that image, and not to treat them as a constantly evolving and not-fixed person.
SophiaSharon Larnia: thinking
SophiaSharon Larnia: addressing the adult mind in the child, like that?
Storm Nordwind: Well that's one temptation too!
SophiaSharon Larnia: oh, i think I understand what you are saying...
Storm Nordwind: Children - like anyone else - can be a constant source of wonder and surprise - a delight and challenge on every meeting
Storm Nordwind: But perhaps let it be a fresh challenge on every meeting
SophiaSharon Larnia: so accepting that the view always changes
Storm Nordwind: Yes. And then you aspire at least to clarity of what they are rather than what they have been.
SophiaSharon Larnia: My sister's son is now eating from a plate with prompting... I looked at her last night and asked her 'when did that happen'? She said on Thanksgiving.... so changes so fast heh
Storm Nordwind: yes! :)
--BELL--
SophiaSharon Larnia: hi Riddle :)
Storm Nordwind: Hi Riddle!
Riddle Sideways: Hi Sophia, Storm, Wyven
Riddle Sideways: sorry late,
SophiaSharon Larnia: thanks Storm, now I remember why I come here :D
Riddle Sideways: has Clarity arrived?
Storm Nordwind smiles
SophiaSharon Larnia: heh
SophiaSharon Larnia: clarity of my actions at the moment maybe!
SophiaSharon Larnia: and thats enough for me
Storm Nordwind: It's often possible to lose the "why" in the bustle of every day.
Riddle Sideways: so many Whys, so little time
SophiaSharon Larnia: YyYyYyyyyyy
Storm Nordwind: ars longa, vita brevis

Evolution

SophiaSharon Larnia: the question why seems ingrained in humanity, pushing exploration and discovery
SophiaSharon Larnia: without why, would I just sit around all day?
Storm Nordwind: For some. Some others can manage without why and make do with how.
Storm Nordwind: "The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question 'How can we eat?' the second by the question 'Why do we eat?' and the third by the question 'Where shall we have lunch?"
SophiaSharon Larnia: smiles
SophiaSharon Larnia: I thought it had something to do with renewable energy :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: have to sleeeeep, so nice to see you all
Storm Nordwind: Sleep well! Bye for now :)
SophiaSharon Larnia: bye for now!
Riddle Sideways: bye now also
Storm Nordwind: Bye Riddle!
Storm Nordwind: Would you excuse me Wyven. I have some work to do! :)