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A R T I C L E --- |
The
Pure Nonsense of Polarities
In our dualistic world of good/bad, happy/sad,
pure/impure it is easy to miss not only the
levels or shades between the polarities, but
also their significance. When we focus on
the extremes, we miss the detail that is life.
A long-standing fascination with things mineral
and gem, became an interest in crystallography
and the myriad crystalline structures formed
in nature. For those interested, hints about
the geometry of nature can be found in the
combination of crystal structure, chaos theory
and fractal mathematics (which is effectively
applied recursion).
For a long time, I believed the reason for
this fascination was the intrinsic geometric
purity of crystalline structures. |
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But this is not so. In fact, very few crystalline
structures are truly pure. It is the impurities,
the minute variations in chemical composition,
which creates the beauty and variety that make
them so fascinating.
The minerals we classify as gems owe their value
to impurities that give them their splendid
hues. Diamond is one of the very few that is
actually valued greatest in its pure state,
and then, as much for its hardness as its beauty.
Recently taken macro photographs of crystal
structures led to some interesting observations. |
Perfect Anomalies
Mineral specimens composed of multiple crystal
structures have a great deal to teach about
seamless integration. |
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When
a secondary compound or mineral is seeded
on the face of an existing crystal, a new
structural system (lattice) is created.
The new or secondary crystal may develop
and grow, then become enclosed within the
original crystal as it too expands.
The primary crystal may cease to grow in
the plane occupied by the secondary crystal
because it's own crystal lattice has been
disturbed, and therefore continues growth
elsewhere.
A distortion may occur in the primary crystal
lattice as it continues to grow while compensating
for the presence of its companion.
These adjustments are seamless, without
complaint, bias or rationalization. Each
crystal is ruled by its structural (molecular)
lattice, which determines what it can and
can't do … and so, each simply "does". |
Crystals are nature's absolute example of
playing by the rules where deviation is
not an option. Yet amidst the complexity
that arises from the interaction of all
these totally obedient forms, is life itself.
Myriad Faces of Perfection |
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At
the end of the tape on Managing
and Increasing Your Personal Energy,
Rama briefly talks on the subject of perfection.
To point out that there are many kinds of
perfection and that perfection is a state
of mind, a moment to moment state. In any
given moment of stillness, we are perfect
for that moment (and therefore, by extrapolation,
can be perfect for all moments). |
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The
perception of a "lack" of perfection is
a sleight of hand brought about by our dualistic
tendency to put everything in a box, label
it, store it … then move on and quite likely
forget about it.
This is not due to a lack of perfection,
but simply that our superimposed criteria
for perfection are an illusion and an abstraction
that has nothing to do with any external
reality. |
We pretend that our subjective criteria
result in an objective evaluation.
So what is it with crystals that makes them
appear so perfect, regardless of impurities
and occasional flaws? The answer is, that
they just "are".
The mind becomes lost in this simple display
of natural diversity. Each face could be
a mirror to eternity. We see beyond the
chips and flaws of time, right into that
amazing display of light and physical structure.
For a brief period we suspend our nonsensical
evaluations and become absorbed.
I suspect herein lies the true definition
of beauty, ie: perception unclouded by evaluation.
Speaking on the subject of happiness, Rama
said, "To see beauty, is to be happy". Crystals
have beauty to spare.
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