Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with creating a manifesto reflecting wonders, curiosities, and delights currently captivating me – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply charming-to-me words.
Q is for…
quiddity – n. (kwid-i-tee)
- the basic nature or quality of something; whatever makes something the type that it is; essence
- eccentricity
This word awakens a curiosity in me – I wonder at how it seems to mean one thing AND another, and that really it’s a perfect reflection of who we all are, here on our Earth walk.
It’s a word about is-ness. What makes something what it is? What makes me human? What makes that beautiful Japanese Maple I’m looking at a tree? What makes this beautiful piece of Green Opal a stone? There’s magic to be found in exploring each of these questions. And there is more magic still when we pull our vision even further away, and understand that even beyond this knowing of things as humans, as trees, as stones, we can be removed from that sorting and understood to all be part of the family of is-ness that is formed from star-dust, from Source essence.
I like that aspect of this word, because truly one of the things I feel I’m here to encourage is the seeing of is unity consciousness. We, as a collective are struggling so hard with this, seemingly digging ourselves ever deeper into the trenches of separation consciousness, of distrusting anything that is not a mirror image of ourselves. It hurts my heart. I want to rush about like some frenzied madwoman, shaking people and saying “Look. Look with your heart eyes and not your falsely programmed brain, and SEE.” But, of course, you know how well-received such behavior is. It is something each one of us must see, or not see, themselves. And that is how is should be, as we each have chosen our own explorations on this planet of free will.
But I also love the other aspect of the word quiddity – another name for eccentricity.
It’s seems so strange to me that given this life where we can express ourselves in an infinite variety of ways, and given that the point of this life experience is to meet what is there to be experienced with the fullness of who we truly are, why we don’t just offer ourselves and each other a big dose of loving-kindness and compassion, and show up as we are full-out, each wearing our eccentricities proudly and celebrating each other unabashedly.
I have all manner of eccentricities, and no doubt you do as well. I wear bangles inscribed with lines of poetry that I never remove except when going through metal detectors at security check points; I’m slow-moving, a Kapha dohsa, but in my dreams I’m a graceful whirling dervish; I write words on the soles of my feet so I can leave secret messages wherever I walk; I’m convinced on windy days I can fly if only I could find the right place to stand for the wind to catch me; I collect fortunes from cookies and send them off into the world as secret messages; I love apothecary chests and small drawers I can fill with treasures; I so rarely remember to carry my phone with me that I might as well not have it; I read poetry daily and every afternoon I have a piece of flower essence-infused dark chocolate. The list goes on endlessly; there is no limit to my quiddities.
We don’t need to prefer the same things, or believe the same things – in fact bumping up against what is non-preferred helps me define what I do prefer. And that helps me move in the direction of what lights me up. I want that for all of us – to truly allow our lives to be lit by the unique light we hold.
I love the paradox the word quiddity invites me to hold. I love exploring what the essence of things is – what makes a tree a tree and a human a human. And what it means that we share a world together. We live in relationship with one another, in relationship with all things, and true unity consciousness invites us to understand we’re doing this eye-to-eye, peer-to-peer. No one, no thing, is more important than you, and no one is less. And ultimately the truth is we are all one. Quiddity reminds me that I’m not just a human, but one filled with quirky, eccentric me-ness; just as the Japanese Maple next door is a tree certainly, but one whose beautiful red leaves brighten our neighborhood and sometimes blesses us by dropping a leaf on our heads as we walk by.
I love paradox. It invites us to stretch to hold more and more and more. Shouldn’t we be stretching? We’re certainly capable. Perhaps we’ll stretch and stretch and stretch to the point we explode, and in that moment become another version of ourselves, star-dust atoms reconfiguring themselves into the next iteration of quiddity.
I embrace quiddity, celebrating both the eccentricities each one of us expresses, and yet knowing ultimately we all carry the essence of oneness.
What about you? What eccentricities do you proudly claim? Do you spend time thinking about is-ness? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
I embrace my quirks, and others’ too. I find people infinitely interesting and I learn from them every day!!
How does it get any better than that?
I am far more quirky with my family than with others. Unfortunately, I often feel such a desire to blend in, to not be noticed, that I save my quiddity for my loved ones.
Facing Cancer with Grace
Sometimes the need to blend in is exactly what we need for any myriad of reasons. But I hope you find many many more places where you feel comfortable, safe, and emboldened to show your true quirky colors.
Actually, the word makes to want to start a limerick!
Beth
https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/
Nice Beth! And now you’ve planted the idea with me as well. 🙂
Such a beautiful post Deborah thank you! I can feel the energy of it –
Seeing the paradox in just about anything is something I strive towards. Questions abound, but sometimes just residing in the is-ness of whatever it is, is the most refreshing ..
Yes, I have my eccentricities but at heart I’m a plain and simple girl! I want the best for everyone, for each to know their shining light, for each to not fear the darkness – for each to be the best that can be …
You express that so well Susan. That resting point of is-ness, comfortable with the paradox, is such a refreshing place. Peaceful and expansive and accepting, and truly a play to be enjoyed. For eventually the questions arise again and the pull begins anew.
I love what you hold as important as your wish for everyone. And while you may be a plain and simple girl at heart, you are also richly complicated, complex, and multi-layered. A perfect paradox don’t you think?
I am not sure that I have anything too quirky about me because I don’t really like to stand out in a crowd. I love what you do – writing on your feet and saving fortune cookie sayings – did you do the drawing? I love that too!
I suspect you’re just quietly quirky Janet, and perhaps that’s a quirk in itself. 🙂
Hari Om
…” I so rarely remember to carry my phone with me that I might as well not have it;”… that’s one of mine! They are an evil necessity as far as I’m concerned. Use it only when travelling. Quiddity ought to be added as another of my names – if one is looking at me from a place that is ‘conformist’. However, I is what I is, and that is quiddity. YAM xx
LOL – quiddity indeed Yamini!
Hi Deborah – I knew I’d come across Quiddity before …
a Quiddity … “a trifling argument, a quibble” from Medieval Latin quidditas “the essence of things” …
when I wrote about Quillets … and actually Querns … quiddity was a ‘by-product’!!
All back in 2015 … so appreciate this word … cheers Hilary
How fun Hilary!
I’m way too quirky, and never felt the desire to blend and be the way others are. I celebrate my madness proudly. 🙂
Like Alice said<
"I'm crazy, but I'll tell you a secret, all the world's best people are. "
https://natashamusing.com/2018/04/r-is-for-reminiscing-the-yesteryears-atozchallenge/
I celebrate you celebrating you Natasha! And Alice was absolutely right.
Is-ness is magic, and the magic is all there is!
It is indeed!
Great word. How have I never seen it before? Now I must use it today in a sentence.
I have no doubt you’ll work it into conversation Ally!
Bangles inscribed with poetry! Wow! Love the idea.
I bought a silver necklace from an Egyptian jewellery designer at my son’s school fair a couple of years ago. An Arabic phrase which means “This beauty is my life.” is carved into it. Apparently, the words are from an old Egyptian song sung by Abdel Haleem Haafiz.
Your eccentricities sound wonderful. As wonderful as this art work you’ve posted. Loving the stylish boots:)
This word has planted Harry Potter in my head. All I can think of is Quidditch!
R is for #RallyforRivers
Your necklace sounds lovely! The quote reminds me of one I love from Elsie de Wolfe: “I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.”
Quidditich qualifies as quite an eccentric game – I think it fits here perfectly. Of course if we were on the team, I’d suggest we all wear our most quirky stylish boots. 🙂
I couldn’t help thinking of the many ways your expressions bring the God of the Bible to my mind. Did you know he calls himself “I Am” ? Isn’t that the ultimate is-ness? The excitement of life, paradox, mystery and the wonder that it was all created to be enjoyed, to be purposeful – that is what God is all about too. Very interesting that so much is held in common.
http://shirleyjdietz.com/2018/04/20/a-to-z-selling-our-house-letter-r
I think that’s true Shirley. Our belief systems are the containers through which we see and experience, but really we’re all looking at the same thing and trying to find our way into understanding.
Ha ha – here’s a piece I made about quiddity: http://nydamprints.com/whenIg.html (Sorry, I don’t know how to just paste the picture into the comment.) That piece is just for fun, but I think it really is important to think about what quiddities (in both senses of the word) are mine to contribute to the world. After all, that’s my job in life: to give the world those things that are mine to give it.
Oh Anne – I love your piece! Thank you so much for sharing the link. (And for the record, I’m not sure there is actually a way to include a picture in comments here.)
And I love what you say – our job being giving the world what is ours to give.
I think it’s so interesting to me that we talk about our “gifts” as things that mark us as special, as what we’re talented at – but rarely do people talk about these things as the “gifts” we’re meant to distribute to others. I am always delighted when someone uses the language this way.
What a wonderful quiditties you have, dear Deborah. It makes me wondering about my own, going to schedule in time to write them down 🙂
Since truth is very personal, I started to belief there is no common truth, but you pointed out very wisely, there is at least one indeed: the truth we are all one. Thanks for that reminder!
I am always inspired by the knowledge one always has an option to create and chose his/her own belief-system and thus also chose to be kind, compassionate and be(come) a Beautiful Soul. A marvelous post again!
XxX
Thanks for the kind words Patty, and I love your plan of a quiddity documentation session – how fun.
I think it is unfortunate that it is greatly underestimated just how powerful our thoughts are in shaping our experiences. Here’s to always choosing uplifted frequencies of loving-kindness!