February 2, 2021

Drk translates as “perception” or “ultimate visionary perception.” Perception is translated as the faculty of apprehending via the senses or the mind, understanding and cognition. It is also a synonym for intuition and that recognition or insight that arises spontaneously.

Perception also etymologically comes Latin roots that can be translated as “to take through.” In this context, perception can be considered as the capacity to fully take in the sensory information and move it clearly through us. This process is the complete digestion of sensory and cognitive experience so that no remnant is left to clog our system.

This non-dual tradition conceptualizes our input / output process as an emotional, intellectual and sensory digestion process similar to the way the body processes food. We take in sensory experience and often our mind-body holds impressions of these experiences within the system. As a result, the next similar experience is interfered with by the earlier impressions remaining. We, then, are unable to fully take in the current experience, clouded as we are by previous ones. Add to that the current understanding that our mind misremembers past events and that our senses and brain interact in ways that collude in what information is taken in and processed, our senses and our mental interpretations can be quite unreliable. Perception becomes subjective, individual and inconsistent.

Perception, however, is the way the One takes in the phenomenal world. In Her infinite creativity, She creates multitudes of “eyes” with which to see. These individual perspectives give billions of unique perceptions of the world, weaving together a whole that is Her. At the same time, these perspectives are limited by the individual’s perceptions. The depth of knowledge possible is bound or limited. The One hides Herself in this way.

Alternatively, if our spiritual practice dissolves the remaining impressions, we are free to fully take in the current moment without interference. We can truly ingest, process and release the sensory, mental - emotional aspects of our experience and in this way, stop collecting remnants that constrain our ability to fully take in and more experience through us.

Let’s take a moment to consider another, common metaphor used to describe this process. Our life experiences leave traces on the mirror of our heart. Without regular cleaning, these thin layers obscure our capacity to see clearly what is happening in front of us. We “see” through the fog of the remnants of past experience and impede our ability to see clearly. Spiritual practice applies the effort of discipline to polish the mirror, eventually clearing all the subtle impressions or samkaras collected so the heart is free from latent obscurations.

When we clear ourselves in these ways, and the mind becomes quiet enough, innate intuitive insight can arise. This wisdom is knowing beyond rational understanding.

Listening to this can be a radical act of transgression as we shift away from automatically following the expectation and protocol that value that limited understanding. Tuning into the intuitive instinct allows for a seeing beyond what the eyes can perceive, hearing beyond what the ears can take in and touch beyond the limitations of the skin. We refine our perception and find an ultimate visionary perception that transcends the knowing of the mind.

As the mind clears, visions can arise as well. The imagination, now freed from constraints imposed by the sensory remnants, can soar to creative heights. Visionaries are ones who can “see” into the future, what is needed and how to create that which is needed without the limitations clouded minds get caught up in. This ultimate visionary capacity is the One showing Her infinite wisdom within us. Awakening to Her in us and in the world around us is simply a shift is perception.