FALSE CLARITY TO GENUINE CONFUSION TO GENUINE CLARITY - PART 3

If one does indeed forge ahead from false clarity through genuine confusion, what is the next step on the journey?
When the deep primal feelings have been to a great extent released, and the core negative beliefs very much unveiled, the person comes to a new place of overall inner security and openness that provides both confidence to trust what one knows in the moment, and simultaneously, flexibility to re-evaluate one’s "knowledge" and change when called to do so. This is "genuine clarity." The person knows how they feel in the moment, and is aware of their immediate inner thought processes as well. Judgmental attitudes about emotions and the contents of one’s mind are not held onto.
A person at this stage follows their instincts in major decisions without a lot of second-guessing or rigidly gripping to projections and anticipated outcomes. When one is in a state of genuine clarity, the truth of matters is no longer mainly sought through deductive reasoning, but rather through inner resonance with the truth, and actions are decided upon by trusting "gut feelings." The person at this stage knows that whatever transpires, they will be open and flexible enough to creatively move with the events. Mistakes and temporary obstacles are accepted as information, not measured against images of perfection or rigid beliefs about success or failure. One can experience the "joy of being wrong" in this state, that is the freedom from needing to come up with the "right" strategies, free from worrying about "blowing it" when making decisions, etc.
In our example, the person who once believed in deprivation now knows through experience that life is abundant with opportunities to exchange love and pleasure with another and that the only "efforts" one must make to that end are to keep the emotional channels in oneself clear. Gratifying experiences have begun to come to this person, now in genuine clarity, without manipulation, indeed, without even "wanting" them in the old way at all. "Good things" seem to just arrive as a by-product of being more genuinely oneself. The person understands, too, that we all act like magnets for experiences in life, and that we will attract whatever we are "charged up" with. If it is joy and love that we are energized with, we will attract joy and love. If it is hostility, likewise that is what we will attract. So, unpleasurable events are dealt with by going within to examine one’s inner attitude. One is also clear now that one’s attitude towards oneself is one’s attitude toward others. I believe that a common misunderstanding of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is corrected intuitively by the person in this place. Most people think this expression means you should love your neighbor as much as you love yourself, as if it were a rule for behavior. In fact, I believe it means that you will love your neighbor to the degree that you love yourself.
The person who has achieved genuine clarity will also feel it in their body when they are in truth. No other "proof" will be needed to determine the "rightness" for them of courses of action. This person will explain, "I have to do this or that because it just feels right." They will also say about their actions, "To do otherwise would be not being my-self."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You inspired me to write this based on your “genuine clarity” concept (which I thought was brilliant) from my musical perspective. Being a jazz musician, I have experienced "genuine Clarity" many times This only happens when the group members are on the same level creatively, spiritually & emotionally. By transcending normal consciousness & dismissing my ego, I find myself able to contribute to the spontaneous creation of the music which seems to flow uninhibited from somewhere else. This clarity only happens when I'm in the very moment, with an open and absolutely honest attempt to make something beyond myself as pure & beautiful as possible.
I can remember when I was haunted by memories of "blowing it" while trying to create. It wasn't until I was able to not hear that demon saying " you blew it then, you'll blow it now". Once my mind & spirit was free to be in the moment, without any negativity or doubt, then I felt relaxed, confident & powerful. These personal feelings, as well as taking in similar vibrations from my fellow artists around me, enable me to let it flow & reach creative levels that I never thought I could attain.
Also, it's imperative that artists trust themselves & others around them in "taking a chance" without the fear of being humiliated. So many times a "mistake" turns out to be something quite interesting & an asset to the overall creation.
So much of being a creative artist comes from one's own quest for truth, meaning of existence & the chance to contribute to the soul & spirit of everything beautiful in our world.

LJB said...

To Barry:

I appreciated reading your comments to Peter’s “Genuine Clarity.” Being a musician myself, I can relate to some of the fears you mention. However, I was sad to read that you only experienced genuine clarity under certain conditions, or as you write, “This only happens when the group members are on the same level creatively, spiritually & emotionally.” Yikes! Having played with many other musicians myself, I’m not sure we are ever so tuned in to one another on all these levels! And yet, when we are each tuned in to our own selves, whatever level that may be, THEN we truly make music! We shouldn’t need to channel into a larger source to create “something beyond, as pure & beautiful as possible.” We need only BE ourselves as honestly as we can. Therein lies the beauty, and I think this is the beauty that an audience identifies with and, as you say, this is the moment when you really can’t miss. You can’t make a mistake when you’re this alive, so the “demon voices” are silenced, having nothing to criticize.

You end your passage beautifully; so much of being a creative artist DOES come from one’s own quest for truth. I think finding that truth and living it everyday is “genuine clarity.” Sharing it with others who have found it, music to my ears!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, PL. I just want to say I LOVED this (3-part) post as well as the comments by Barry and Laura. I was in classic analysis for years and always wanted the 'official recovery roadmap'! While I realize, of course, that's not how analysis works I very much appreciate what you've done here. Great stuff!! RL

 

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