The World as It Is — Truth Before Words

We usually perceive the world through the lens of language.

But the moment we put something into words, the world takes on shape—and boundaries arise.

In trying to explain things, we aim for clarity.

Yet in that very effort, we give form to what is essentially formless, create illusions, and drift away from what is.

At the same time, the infinite possibilities, the ambiguity, and the depth that once existed—

are often lost in the process.

Thoughts are bundles of words.

And it is often said that thought is what creates our misery.

We seek clarity, and yet…paradoxically, it is language that often leads us deeper into confusion.

And yet—

the world before words truly exists.

There is a boundless, vibrant expanse that has not yet been named.

In our daily lives, we are not always seeing the world as it truly is.

More often, we view it through our own filters—

our past experiences, assumptions, fears, and desires.

These become lenses that transform the world

into my world, shaped by personal interpretation.

But before those lenses—

there is a world that simply is, untouched and unlabelled.

The wind before it’s given a name. The tears before they’re assigned meaning. The simple, quiet flow of life as it unfolds.

Within that silence lies an astonishing stillness and richness.

What spreads out there is a truth beyond words.

Here and now, nothing is missing, and nothing is added—

just the world, as it is.

—

When we return, even for a moment, to this unconditioned world—

we remember that we are more than the boundaries of “me.”

We belong to a life far greater than ourselves.

Such a moment may arise in Zen practice,

in a quiet encounter with nature,

or in a wordless sense of awe—

within silence itself.

Can you listen

to the stillness beyond words?

With love from Mount Tahoma ❤️ Words and photo by K E I K O