Returning to Nature Deepened My Way to See

A view of the Adirondack Ridge

As I relaxed into my Adirondack vacation, complete with a mountain view; cooking on campfires; hiking through wooded paths; canoeing through lily-pads; and, watching the sky drift by, I began to see better without my glasses.

I started to notice that when I was physically “in-feel” with the natural world I would remove my progressive lenses because they made me feel nauseous. But, as soon as I needed to be “in-think”mentally, I would put my glasses back on.

It seemed that my glasses were most useful in the man-made world of written words, driving cars, doing needle-point, and even, organizing my thoughts.

As I reflected on this phenomenon, I noticed that the layers of mountains on the Adirondack ridge looked more and more blurry with their distance (of course) and their unknown dangers (hmmm). Or when l looked deep into wooded underbrush, exploring the scary unknown shadows, what was blurry elicited caution.

Blurriness offered me obvious information about distant formations; and, the less obvious recognition about my fear of the unknown.

Did vacation offer the time and space to play with the scary unknowns?
Was I prompted to remove my glasses to deepen my comfort level with the ever present “I don’t know abyss?”

Being in-feel—sensing from my body—always incites these kinds of questions.

This attention to blurred vision reminded me that when I look at someone’s physical alignment in a workout I look slightly past them so they’re slightly blurry. In doing this, I’m able to see them more clearly, to see their underlying formation or skeleton accurately.

Blurriness offers me information about what’s invisible to the naked eye, what’s going on under the body’s surface, and it allows my understanding of human anatomy to be seen.

Perhaps there are two ways of seeing?

One way of seeing is coupled with mental scrutiny, eliciting a sense of safety and “in-think” knowing. The other way of seeing is coupled with physical connection, eliciting a sense of soundness, or fear, and “in-feel”conditions. Together, they elicit right-action.

The saying, “I’m home safe and sound” comes to mind. Might “safe”refer to the mind’s understanding of safety, and “sound” refer to the body’s experience of safety.

Allowing blurred vision to be a part of the way we see, I’ve come to realize, offers us a whole spectrum of information. Seeing both, what’s known and unknown. Seeing with, the mind and body. Seeing for the sake of safe and sound conditions.

20/20 vision may only be half the purpose of sight?!

Please comment and start a mind-body conversation here!