At both its most basic and most intricate levels, Manifessence is all about "manifesting essence" - making evident an inner nature.
Infinite Lagoon
I came across a quote from Dickens today that made me think of many first & wondrous days.
"...that was a memorable day for me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same way with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns and flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."
Out of the Darkness
Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year, and thus the longest night. With each passing day we witness the sun's fire showing itself a little more, a little more.
So it is with the ebb and flow of our Life's Shadow & Light. One gives to the other in cycles of time, sometimes imperceivably, until that moment, tipping over our perception to the changes that have taken place. A new orbit begins, the tides shift, night interchanges with day.
The succession of phases has a marked difference between the scientific swirlings of celestial bodies and our personal experience of time and change. Perhaps things seemed much darker and shorter, say in part due to external storms, or in part due to an interior cosmos clouded from the sun.
If your inner landscape is feeling murky, there are any number of methods to clear the particles of mind, matter and spirit. There is the contemplation of what is, turning inward for exploration. There is also the consideration of what is not, viewing outward to what is possible. In the case of looking to venture out of a mist, one may consider thinking of a day that burns brightly in memory to see if any aspect of that mindset or activity is re-creatable in the present.
Sunsets for Inspiration
It is an expression of gratitude and grace.
In the game of chase, can the chase be enough?
I shot a frame, adjusted the settings, repeat, repeat, repeat. It was fun and challenging, even more so because in my hurry I'd forgotten to grab my tripod.
Given the challenge of the game, I'm happy to show one shot taken in almost no light, without a tripod, at a super slow shutter speed, and without a flash.
Perceiving Depth
In astronomy this applies to the estimation of stellar distances. In biology it refers to the positioning of eyes, particularly in humans, wherein each eye's visual field overlaps, thereby creating depth perception.
Within photography this would be the difference in shooting an object from different angles or with different lenses, thereby increasing or decreasing the sense of depth within the frame.
If our physical eyes frame the world via stereopsis, or binocular vision, (which maybe in real-time, memory, or a created image) how do we view our metaphysical experiences in the world? Where do we stand inside of ourselves as we look through the eyes of our soul?
It is altogether possible that we may become fixated in our standpoint and thereby in our perceptions, relying on instinct and habit to guide us. Seeing ourselves from a stationary position within the context of our surroundings limits our understanding of our relationships to Self, Other, and Source.
What in your life do you persist in seeing from only one perspective? How does this affect your view of life? How does this view inform the images you capture through your lens?
As an experiment, try looking at the world through one eye, then the other. Then manifest that gestalt in reference to some situation in your life. Literally stand on one side of the proverbial fence, make a statement from that position, then move yourself to the other side of the fence and respectfully state an observation from there. (You may find this to be a longer conversation, so keep it simple to start). Now, pick up your camera, approach a subject matter, take a frame or two, and move to the opposite side and repeat.
Reflect on where your instincts took you, what you saw from that place, and what, if anything, changed inside, when you physically altered your viewpoint.