Whispering Wednesday

Hari OM

Sifting through some 'to be read' articles, I found one word catching my eye in a few of them. "Clarity." Each of those articles was independent and had no relationship as such, beyond being of interest to this eclectic mind of mine. However, subjects such as archaeology, physiology, health, politics, and so on all require a level of openness of thought and a degree of informed understanding for the subject under discussion to become clear. Those who are researching and investigating at the academic level and then writing such articles also require skill in making specialist matters comprehensible for their readers. 

The word clarity itself was used within the articles to finesse certain points being made. 

Further pondering on it, though, I came to recognize that 'clarity' might have different levels of reach. What would be clear and bright to one person on a given point might, to another, be as obscured as any rain-splattered pane.

We can have much interest in a subject. Still, if we lack the background or are simply unfamiliar with how a particular writer presents, we may find ourselves anything from a little lost to outright drowning! It is good to have a wide range of interests and to feed those channels for our intellectual expansion. However, as we become ever more immersed or intrigued by a particular line of interest, it becomes necessary to do more than simply read the articles which elucidate various researches and how they affect our lives. To gain a fuller benefit, we must start to study the subject more seriously - become students and not simply casual readers. This does not necessarily mean returning to formal study (although if we are really caught with the fire of interest, this may occur - the world is full of folk who change course in life!) There are lots of hobby classes and membership groups where we can further our appreciation of any given topic and thus build on our level of understanding.

Which is where I realised why 'clarity' was ringing its clarion call to me! We sometimes conflate clarity with understanding. However, they are distinct. For clarity, it is beholden of the writer/presenter to communicate with as little technical clutter as possible (barring, of course, a full and pertinent peer interaction - but I am talking here of things published/spoken for general consumption). For understanding, it is beholden upon the reader/student of the subject matter to have a level of knowledge that matches the item being read (or heard).

That said, if the articles/discourses to which we are paying attention are of a specialised nature - such as Advaita Vedanta, for example - it must also be taken that the presenter wishes to add to the receiver's knowledge. That is to say, that the point of having created the article is to educate at least at some level. The receiver, in their turn, is surely expecting to have something added to their own expansion. To learn something.

Even if that is one word that takes them off into philosophical musings such as this word did for yours truly!

Part of the purpose of this saadhana blog is to present Advaita Vedanta in practice. To provide inspiration to think a little more deeply, breathe a little more deeply, and self-search a little more deeply. In doing this, there will be things that a casual reader is quite likely to miss, misread, or misinterpret. It is necessary that I trust my ability to convey each article as concisely and with as much clarity as possible. I cannot take responsibility for how each thing is read and what level of understanding each reader brings when they visit.

Here, although there is a specific topic of focus, the writing is for an unseen, widespread audience of indeterminate age range and background. To some degree, it becomes necessary to write as if each thing were an introductory level item. To another, there has to be assumed a level of appreciation that permits some technical usage, some intermediary and even occasional advanced concepts. All one can do to ensure clarity is to write from the heart, with as obvious an understanding of the subject as one's own advanced level would suggest, and offer up a prayer that those reading receive something - be it what they thought they were looking for - or even something they weren't!

Of course, another aspect of clarity - or, more correctly, clarification - is feedback. Exchanging ideas, discussion. Comments asking questions or opening up debate are always positive in this regard, for it makes the writer aware of what has been understood and what has not, where doubts lie or differences of view. 

So never be afraid, dear readers, to leave your thoughts, ask your questions, place your doubts as you work towards clarity in saadhana and Advaita!