Book Review.
Weekly review.
Clarity - the quality of being coherent and intelligible … as in .., “for the sake of clarity, each of these strategies is dealt with separately
Mondays are times for reflection. The highlight of the week was writing the Friday letter: 11 Reasons For Staying In South Africa. I enjoyed researching the topic, drafting, shaping, revising and fine-tuning my positional ‘paper.’ The most important consequence of such essays is the resulting mental clarity.
Clarity is a very high level skillset in fine-tuning thought processing. It is like clearing the mist off the front window of a motor car. What was hazy in front, becomes clearer. Or purchasing reading spectacles, and suddenly you can see the words on the page. What was fuzzy, becomes sharper.
In 1981, I was working my full summer vacation as a student volunteer at Bethesda Hospital in deep KwaZulu. A highlight was accompanying the doctor, a nurse, and the pilot in a tiny four seater plane to conduct clinics out in the rural bush. Literally. Under a large indigenous tree.
Often, I wad designated the chief optometrist of the Monday clinic. This is how it worked: There was a rolled up chart with large letters at the top that decreased in size as the letters descended down the well used thick paper. The chart was hung from a little string attached to a broken branch.
Patients stood a few meters behind a line that was drawn in the sand just a few minutes before, by a broken twig from the same shady tree. One by one they took their turns - they would close alternative eyes whilst working down the letters of the chart until they couldn’t see a letter. A score out of 20 was calculated. Some patients had severe cataracts that needed surgery; others a simpler solution.
There was a bag full of donated reading spectacles, perched under another branch. I would then choose one after the other whilst the patient tested each pair against the letters on the chart, until the he/she improved their score - closer to ideal 20/20 vision. And all departed, happily, with a pair of spectacles.
On one particular occasion, an elderly, statesman-like Zulu man, scored very poorly on the Out of Africa visual test. After trying on a few spectacles he suddenly jumped up for joy, smiling and repeating himself: “I can see. I can see. I can see.” The calling out of ‘I can see’ taught me the power of clarity of psychological vision. Just finding the perfect mental spectacles until you can say with joy: “I get it!’’
Searching for clarity is the core technique of my work as a cognitive-behavioral therapist. For example, I define myself, with respect to knowledge and wisdom, by what I do not know. Sure, there are matters I know, but that is minuscule to what I do not know; and even more so, what I do not know what I don’t know!
To see matters as clearly as possible through the lens of a biased and cognitive distorted mindset is a lifetimes work. Know Thyself, as the Oracle of Delphi trumpeted, is a call to self-knowledge, to an inner world of clarity of perceiving, understanding and responding better to the outside world, and our inner world of thoughts and emotions.
So the following posts cleared the mist this week. Enjoy.
(Please go to the direct link (hit read more) where you will find the original, full letter.)
Monday 9th August (18)
Review of letters of previous week
Tuesday 10th August (19)
Beware the C.L.A.W.
A letter especially written for the young grandchildren of today was a deep dive into the major challenges of their oncoming future. Four interdependent ‘most probable’ areas were highlighted.
C = China (as the rising global power flexes its muscles, worldwide)
L = Longevity (living longer, and the centrality of life long learning)
A = Artificial Intelligence (the front edge of the 4th Industrial Revolution)
W = Weather (volatility due to global
warming)
Wednesday 11th August (20)
Attention. Distraction. Recognition. Return.
Distraction is the enemy of clarity. The essay describes the four areas of the brain that light up in a classic meditation circle. It is more than sitting, eyes closed, watching the rhythm of the breath cycle - practicing every day. The circle is the template for managing the full catastrophe of life. The 4 components are essential in executing any worthwhile idea; and where blocks of distractive resistance resides.
Thursday 12th August (21)
Messi-ng in Paris
The press was covered in kilometres of words reporting on the transfer of Lionel Messi from Barcelona Football Club to Paris Saint-Germain. The letter emphasised the massive world wide interest in 22 players kicking a soccer ball for 90 minutes. And Lionel is the anointed king, the arrival in the z City of Lights of the Messi-ah. I compared the secular soccer kingdom to organised religion with all its High Priests, gods, doctrines and rules.
Friday 13th August (22)
11 Reasons I am staying in South Africa
Clarity is sandwiched between the riding the weather patterns of the mind and the feedback from relationships that point out blind spots. You should try writing your essay on reasons where want to live the rest of your life. Even if you might change your mind, later.
Sunday 15th August (23)
Book Review: In Praise of Walking
I am a life long walker. Often in a day, I will decide that it is time for a walk - whether in my garden, to the kitchen, around the neighbourhood or nearby park. Not only to stretch my muscles but to do something that ignited my thinking machine. No better to achieve clarity of mind.
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PLEASE NOTE.
I AM CURRENTLY UNDERGOING PERIDONTAL TREATMENT. It is time consuming and painful. I will START WRITING AGAIN ON SUNDAY. Probably I will be sending a longer letter once a week, posted on Saturday evenings.
Enjoy reading, commenting, sharing, encouraging friends and family to subscribe to the free daily newsletter.
All the very best,
(C) Dr Jonathan D Moch
Psychiatrist, writer.
Website
www.jdmoch.com
Core Professional Interest
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy“Yes, You Can!”
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