Those little moments of clarity

Occasionally when i'm either reading something, watching something or being told something, I will get what I can only describe as a brief moment of lucidity or clarity (I'm using the word lucid without the connotations to lucid dreaming here).

Its difficult to explain but bare with me.
This doesn't happen very often at all, but its like every so often while researching one thing or another, or completely by chance i'll come across some information which, after taking it in, gives me the sense that I understand the universe, life, my existence a little bit more. This feeling is almost overwhelming for the briefest of moments then it fades but does not completely diminish. I'm left afterwards feeling like a tiny little piece of the puzzle has been slotted into place and I gotta tell you, it feels great.

These feelings of clarity have helped me greatly in forming my view of reality and I value them very much. I honestly believe its some kind of reaction to the truth by some part of myself (consciousness, soul, spirit, mind, whatever) like i already know whats worth knowing, but until i actually take it in, I don't know that I know it.

Does anyone else have these epithany-like moments? If so, what do they mean to you?

hope I explained that well enough, sorry if it came across as non-sense.

I also enjoy these moments.

It is a like a drug: which is addictive, it can be achieved through having a truly open mind which allows unrelated areas of logic and knowledge systems to merge suddenly, often accompanied by looking upward.

This could be new neuron pathways/networks forming in the brain but i feel that conciousness is to be find in every cell of our bodies (DNA).

Superb post, you've managed to put into words something I have often tried to describe to others.

I often feel my hearing shift during these moments, like a pressure change. Vision also seems to get clearer. It literally is as though you have somehow elevated yourself both mentally and spiritually.

It happens to me just like the cartoon with the light going off.
I wonder if there is a way to stay like that or if that is just a glimpse of some other...not sure what im trying to say

thanks for the replies

What do you guys think the nature of these moments are?

would the creation of new neural pathways in the brain be accompanied by any sort of hormonal release? could this explain the feelings of euphoria and knowing??

if your intrested, the last one of these moments came last week when I read a thread here on ATS:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I'd never come across cymatics before and am now fascinated by this idea and phenomenon.

When was your last moment of clarity?? does whatever gave you it still hold importance with you?

OK, all of you are now in big trouble! You are surely aware that our government frowns on the use of unauthorized drugs.

I must warn you that continued use of learning can be addictive, and may result in changes to the brain, resulting in altered behavior.

A well ordered society cannot function if members persist in such radical pursuits over extended periods.

You are urged to seek treatment for this condition at once by watching upcoming TV specials on the "Life and Times of Paris Hilton." Or as an alternative you can read the new book by G.W.Bush, "Macro Management Skills For Everyday Americans."

Remember, you are basically good human beings, simply being misguided by an insidious evil into thinking for yourselves. But there are cures, and with the help of the government and mass media, your problems can be overcome.

One of my theories about what's going on is that the brain is a hyperdimensional signal receiver. I believe Plato was onto something when he proposed a realm of pure Forms-a dimension of pure Truth. Furthermore, the term for this stroke of genius for a long time has been "inspiration", seeming to indicate that the burst of understanding comes from elsewhere. Could it be that we are tapping into the realm of pure Forms?

I think its all in your head for the most part. Although i sometimes get the same feelling and though and for a moment it seems like what im thinking about makes 100% sense and seems to fit perfectly right.Well im shure everyone or most people get this feeling sometimes but what happens when its wrong i mean not everyone can be right about stuff.You might get the feeling then find out 5 minutes later that its wrong what then?

Originally posted by not_fazed
Superb post, you've managed to put into words something I have often tried to describe to others.

same here man, i often get these and you explained it perfectly, cheers for sharing your thoughts mate, its good to know that others feel the same thing and are willing to share it

[edit on 3-7-2007 by gtirlad2]

IS that just when your like wow im alive, im actually existing this is so cool why dont i always feel like this and then as soon as you wonder why it just goes away???

Similar, I think i know what you mean. those moments are seemingly random for me, like I all of a sudden see everything around me and even if its familiar, it looks different and exciting, and I just smile and look around.

What i orignally meant was a feeling of understanding. like for a split second you just 'get it' you know?

although, if you want to discuss those other moments, i'd be happy to.

A very interesting thread. Despite my earlier post, which was joking in nature, I have found the ideas expressed here to be very good.

I express the "I get it all" moments as being something like the tuning of AM radio. Most of the time the signal is distorted to some degree, but once in a while, it becomes completely clear. We are "in tune" with the cosmos.

If one accepts the idea of string theory, this becomes easier to understand. We, and our thoughts, are just organized patterns. On some occasions our pattern vibrates at the same frequency as the rest of the Universe. We then, for a moment, are connected to every other level of resonating patterns.

The trick is to learn to do this more often. This is one of the ideas of meditation. By clearing away the distracting resonances in our day to day life, we reach a point where we "vibrate" on a level closer to the Cosmic Song.

But this is not mysticism, though it is often portrayed that way. If science is correct that there is an underlying resonance pattern to the very fabric of reality, then when we achieve parity to it, we are really engaging the fabric of the Universe.

And if string theory is correct, our pattern could conceivably alter this fabric. This would go a long way towards explaining how many things considered to be paranormal, are just the result of someone, or something, being in tune and influencing the Universe.

Yes, a thought provoking thread.

These moments of clarity occur from time to time. My clique refers to it as "mind expansion." The more we try to cling to the feeling, the more it fades, until the next moment of expansion.

I believe that these occurances are caused by an expansion of conciousness, which puts us in touch with an unfamiliar level of ourselves. Things can seem so clear, your perspective can becme very broad as you get a wider glimpse of the big picture.

However, there is another side to this. I was doing a meditation focusing on the nature of Compassion. As I came out of it, I found myself to be depressed, as I got a wide view of how we all hurt one another. It hit me hard that I am on this journey alone, and while my words can possibly bring a degree of clarity to others, I cannot change others, and take them on this path with me. I cannot do the work for them.

I found that to be rather upsetting.

Since that time, my moments of expansion have been mixed. Most are quite jovial, and uplifting. But at other times, I see the less pleasent side, and understand what a truely painful emotion compassion can be. Other times when I can feel the collective sorrow of a world being torn apart by her children, and being forced to watch helpless as her children do unimaginably terrible things to one another.

The more often these moments occur for us, the wider our perspective becomes as our minds expand to put us in tune with a greater point of view.


A previous poster said something to the effect of "It's all in your mind."

I agree. However, you have no idea how big your mind is!



Edit to add last portion.

[edit on 6-7-2007 by TheGreySwordsman]

Intresting, again. thankyou for the replies!

Am currently reading Michael Talbots Holographic Universe and in that he describes a section on reincarnation. I know this seems like a tangent from the subject we are discussing but bare with me...

As I sure you all know, some people, through hypnosis, can be 'regressed' back through past lives and all of the memories carried from them. There are some cases where the subject regressed to a point in their existence in-between physical lives on Earth in what they described as a light realm where a soul plans its next life and how to learn the lessons necesary for progressing.

If there lies, within us all a part deep within our sub-consciouss mind/soul/spirit/whatever you choose to call it where we are aware of the bigger picture, the part of us all which tries to steer us in the right direction.

Then this could explain these moments of clarity and euphoria as our inner most selves, the eternal part of us, 'doing well' in this life and gaining valuable knowledge and experience.

I know thats a lot, especially if you don't like the notion of reincarnation. I'm not 100% on it i've got to admit. but this to me is a intriguing idea. That we may be, as entities, on a journey spanning many lifetimes in an effort to understand and experience the universe we are all a part of.