Light, Boundaries, and Seeing Clearly

A boundary isn’t always a wall. Sometimes it’s a window—something that defines an edge while still allowing flow. Light can pass through a clear window effortlessly. But add a shade or stained glass, and we see not the light itself, but the patterns it’s filtered through. We mistake the shape for the source.

In a neon sign, the light bends into meaning. In a constellation like Orion, we forget we’re looking at stars and see instead the myth, the story. Our mind does the same: filters light, sound, experience—until we forget the raw aliveness beneath and see only the meaning we’ve assigned.

Even our thoughts are like this: shaped by prior experience, stained by memory. We think we’re seeing clearly, but often we’re just seeing what we already expect to see.

But what if we practiced opening the window? What if we recognized that the same light we receive through perception is the light we can offer through intention—through kindness, attention, and presence? Like a bat sending out a sound pulse to sense its surroundings, we can project love or curiosity and notice what returns.

When the window is clear, light flows both ways. There’s no real “in” or “out”—only here. A moment of clear seeing. A breath of stillness. A chance to reset.

Why this matters:
In daily life, recognizing the filters we look through helps us live with more openness. It invites humility, presence, and deeper connection. By clearing our window—through quiet, breath, or simple attention—we make space for light to move more freely in both directions. That’s when real clarity begins.

Clear glass morning light
No story just the silence
Where seeing begins

Clear-the-Window Practice (1–2 minutes):

1. Pause. Sit or stand still.
2. Breathe. Take one slow, deep breath in and out.
3. Notice. Ask: What am I seeing or feeling through right now?
4. Let Go. Imagine wiping dust from a window—release one thought, assumption, or tension.
5. Return. Feel the light of awareness behind the moment—just be here.

Repeat anytime during the day to refresh your clarity.