
Ever experienced that moment of clarity – that absolute moment of certainty? That this is it! You were born for this, you were meant for this, you’ve met your purpose in life! It is that one moment when everything in the world aligns meaningfully and you see this gorgeous play of stars taking you back and forth in time. Yet, the heightened awareness of the present is overwhelming!
Where am I coming from? What nonsense did I just spout? Well, this is with reference to that sense of knowing – that absolute conviction sans logic or reasoning. It is a hit that knocks your breath right out of you.
I still am not making much sense so let me state examples – and purely my own and completely unedited. Because this is important!
I experienced two such moments of complete lucidity. The first was when I went cliff-jumping a few years back. I was looking forward to the adrenaline rush, the out-of-body experience and the high-on-life feeling (okay – there was also a little bit of nervousness!)
But the moment my foot left the edge, the micro moments that followed were a stark contrast. No rush. No race. Just an irresistible silent calm inside me. I was totally in control of my body and tuned in to the wind rushing through my hair. It was beyond imagination, beyond any “rush” I had felt. It was almost like watching my life in third person – except I was at both places at once. It felt like for that tiny frame of time, I had traveled beyond life; unknowingly ventured onto a forbidden path meant for the higher spiritual realms. I knew the answers or rather the assurance of my life.
And then the ice-cold water enveloped me in a warm embrace after which a lot of spluttering happened.
The other time was not so profound; nevertheless a moment when every single line of destiny united to present me that one fact. I was astounded as I tearfully glanced at the purple lamp I had received as a surprise gift. There were tremors racing through my body at that unexpectedly intimate moment, all roaring out an answer. If only I had the courage to look into his eyes then… Apparently the unknown question was there.
I never found any reasoning behind such experiences. Some say it is spiritual; some say it is your imagination; while some brush it off as plain adrenaline rush. I don’t know. It can happen as you drive or when you take a dump; in the throes of an intense orgasm or while cramped over an excel sheet. Or like me, through a backward adrenaline rush or by sniffing someone.
The crash that happened later was bad! It felt like sinking into the deepest and coldest trench. The withdrawal symptoms hit hard. Life lost all color for a while. Yet, it was worth it – this glorious form of transcendence! Those illuminating answers needed no logic or derivation. They were just there – timeless.
I am sorry if this didn’t make any sense. Blame Linda and her prompt to use “VIS” in this order which made me come up with the thought of vision – those two visions that thoroughly unsettled and enraptured me. More Stream of Un-Consciousness anyone? 🙂
Have you ever had such moments of lucidity? Maybe when you saw your new home or went skinny dipping or said the words “I do”! Tell tell!!
Oh, yes! This makes perfect sense to me….you captured it perfectly! I have felt this…..a few times along the way……the biggest example I can think of when I felt that third-person moment was when I got married. It’s happened again since then..it’s not always good though….I had a moment of absolute clarity that something irrevocable was about to happen the moment I realized I had no time to stop to avoid a crash in my vehicle. Just that single moment of clarity and then it was gone….enveloped in pain and twisted metal. Yes, I do know exactly where you’re at with this post….both sides of it…except…you’re never going find me cliff jumping! OMG! Heights….definitely not my thing!
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Thank you so much for your understanding words!! And I am sorry one of your moments was that inevitable sense of pain. I am glad you are better now.
And try cliff jumping 😀
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Ohhh, no. No, no, and no. Cliff jumping and me are not meant to meet. I will come and watch you though!
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This made complete sense; even before you shared the two moments!!
Vipassana was one such experience for me personally & would believe it is spiritual!! 🙂
Loved the flow..
P.S.: You don’t need to be sorry!! In fact, Thank You for the beautiful expressions!! 🙂
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Thanks a lot Rushabh 🙂 Vipassana is something I am yet to experience. Perhaps one day 🙂
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Great reflections ,and views.l have experienced these moments .Regards.Jalal
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Thanks for dropping in, Jalal!
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You welcome .
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This is such an interesting post! You’re describing “the ultimate observer.” I think that when we are in “the moment” that we are more in tune with our true selves.
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The ultimate observer is a good way of putting it 🙂 Thanks Tonya!
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Well that certainly was vague! Haha. Glad you were able to get it out there though.
I’ve had life-changing moments of clarity like this, and I’ve had moments of clarity (not life-changing but just as much of a rush) when I come across the perfect answer that allows me to move on with a piece of fiction. They’re almost as if they come from another place, aren’t they? Fascinating.
Thanks for sharing this and thus, inspiring thought! 😀
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A piece of fiction. It happens to me with poetry – when a line fits so well that you feel giddy 🙂 I am happy you could connect here, Linda.
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I found a lot of sense in what you wrote. I know that feeling you speak of it – its like stepping out of time and away from the all the things that usually bring us down or tie us to the daily grind – for a brief moment we step outside of that and experience a pure, perfect reality – maybe it’s a glimpse of the soul.
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Stepping out of time for a glimpse of the soul. That is certainly a perfect way to describe these experiences. Thank you Suzanne!
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What a rush!
🙂
This entire piece of writing was filled with a rushing feeling.
Cliff jumping sounds absolutely thrilling. I am not a thrill-seeker, anywhere close to risking my life, but I do see the power and meaning of such things. I think life should be lived.
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It makes a lot of sense. Loved this post of yours absolutely. Both your scenarios were different and I don’t think both of them brought out same kind of adrenaline rush. Should have been different right?
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Thanks a lot Anoop. And you are right, the rush was different in both cases. But both had that calming, assuring quality that was so precious.
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🙂
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I have had none… But i hope I do!!!
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I sincerely hope you do!
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Thank you
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Allergic to E Challenge Offered
http://gentlementalannie.com/2015/07/25/allergic-to-e-challenge-2/
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Thank you Annie!
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Ah.. glimpses of this place of reality.. in sparks of moments through decades of life.. perhaps counted on fingers.. during those nows.. but now the majority of these nows for ‘i’ now.. and i try to find the formulas and words to help other folks get tHere.. but i feel the truth is different for everyone in how they arrive and stay there.. enlightening.. awakening.. the metaphors for this vary from culture to culture to religion to religion but yes.. the essence is a Universal Human Experience.. and when Socrates says he knows nothing he is correct as he cannot put what he feels the truth is in words.. as the truth is in essence.. the greater light that lives within.. when God or whatever word one uses for the essence of that winks at us.. and shows us what heaven FEELS LIKE now.. it’s a real place.. i live there.. and the first step is to escape the illusion of culture.. sometimes as you relate it is a gift.. a dive off a plane.. or a scent connecting to an essence of feeling/senses.. in nuance not experienced before.. all these are connecting in the greater essence of how we experience life in senses and emotions connecting all through our body in mind and body balance in greater awareness of the present of now.. i intuit other mammals experience these feelings/senses whenever they are in balance away from the fight or flight for survival as prey and predator.. their greatest advantage is the lack of written language.. collective intelligence.. and complex cultures/religions.. in short they ARE FREE.. I WISH YOU THAT FREEDOM FRIEND ALWAYS NOW.. AND truly when one arrives always now.. they find the Universal gift.. the Nirvana.. the Bliss.. the Heaven.. the relative human free will in true mind and body biofeedback control beyond words in emotions/senses to simply master life now.. as our cousin mammals do all the time now.. without the eye of needle that we whales cannot easily pass through named culture/religion.. And yes.. i will stop now.. before this becomes a novelette on your blog page.. as another one of my 24K word/photo stream of conscious blog posts.. my friend.. and that is where heaven now can take one.. as i document as i go.. in life of feelings.. senses.. and a scribe of that in flow.. as you JUST GO AND DO now.. JUST DO IT.. IS MORE THAN A SPORTS LOGO.. it is the ultimate truth of life.. from sky diving to smelling something unique.. it is staying as the ultimate gift of life the PRESENT AS FULLY EXPERIENCING LIFE IN MIND AND BODY BALANCE AWARENESS.. more simply put and common as Mindful Awareness MA in balance with Mother Nature AKA God..:)
P.S.: Thanks for the inspiration.. with smiles..:)
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This was fun to read. These moments for me are usually in nature: in the ocean or the forest, especially jogging in the forest, not that I’ve done that lately, and sometimes it happens when I’m painting. I’ll be watching for them.
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Nature and outdoors. There is always that one moment, right? I try to keep a watch, but then it becomes being too aware. So now I just sit back and let it happen 🙂
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These moments are rare but when they happen they are not forgettable.(and usually very confusing)
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Unforgettable and confusing – perfect description of these moments. Thanks John!
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And oh goodness.. quick note.. i forget or perhaps remember for the first time to mention.. as in A way you inspire it.. ‘Confession of Muse’ is number 11.. ‘Some Muse’ is number 12.. and coming is ‘Never Land of Now’.. the ‘Sacred’ that is challenging to address in words.. that will be A ‘Holy’ number 13.. all symbols for pArt of the essence of All THAT IS..:)
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Well I remember two moments of clarity in my life so far which were very profound, Since I’m the person who is usually very confused and messed up about life, those moments are very crystal clear to me still. So I can totally relate to this post and where you were coming from…No matter how good these moments are , unfortunately they don’t last forever for me and I’m soon consumed by the same doubt and fear of the unknown. Thanks for the post since reading it reminded me of my moments and made me feel much better about life and where it is going 🙂
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Thanks a lot for understanding here Zee, and like you rightly said – such moments are actually so short-lived. But the memory that lingers stays powerful forever.
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You are making perfect sense Prajakta, and it is easy to see you are very aware of your inner self. For me, it is the intense euphoria of just being alive that comes in the middle of a long run, the rush of mountain biking down a hill, and sometimes just being mesmerized watching something as simple as a water bug on a stream. Always seems to outdoors, where I most comfortable and at home with myself.
Still have not come around to the skinny dipping outdoors. That shyness comes out in me, when I think of trying! 🙂
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The rush of biking down a hill.. oh yes! That exhilaration is almost close to this kind of liberation 🙂 Outdoors tends to bring that out in us.
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Brilliant post and I think I can relate.
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I was not done with my comment… But obviously I was so taken in by your post that my brain sort of switched off… Anyway… I’ve never jumped off a cliff but there are other moments in which I felt kind of outside of my body, watching me do something.
I love how you described it. This feeling… It’s like coming home, like having a sip of a hot drink on a cold day. like cuddling in a warm blanket. The feeling of having arrived.
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Thank you so much for this lovely comment. This out of body feeling actually does has the warmth and calm of being at home. “Having arrived” yes! 🙂
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yes…
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Brilliant post ….. infact it is a lot sensible, it would buckle up after those ‘moments of lucidity’……………….I hope m making some sense here 😛
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Thank you Saaransh! It makes perfect sense.
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🙂
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The picture was wonderful! And you did cliff diving ! Bravo 🙂 I am really scared of heights
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Thanks a lot Himali 🙂 One day you can try!
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😊😊
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Well, that completely made sense. Could relate to many of my life events so far too! Specially the one with paragliding to the one with exam results.
🙂
It was a very nice read.. 🙂
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I meant referring to my life events!
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It made all the sense in the world 🙂 great post..
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Just curious. Prateek Gupta, the photographer, by any chance, is he from Ahmedabad? Because, I know one 🙂
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The rest as they say, is history 🙂
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I know 😉
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