Today’s word of the day is clairvoyant. Pronounced / klɛərˈvɔɪ ənt /, this word is an adjective that means “having or claiming to have the power of seeing objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision” or “of, by, or pertaining to clairvoyance” (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/clairvoyant). It can also be used as a noun, or what some would call a substantive adjective, meaning a person who is clairvoyant. -Merriam-Webster gives “one having the power of clairvoyance” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clairvoyant).

Now, as I have written before, it’s a little annoying when a definition uses a nearly identical word, like clairvoyance. M-W defines that word as “the power or faculty of discerning objects not present to the senses” or the “ability to perceive matters beyond the range of ordinary perception” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clairvoyance).

Etymonline.com explores the word in the meaning of “’having psychic gifts, characterized by powers of clairvoyance,’ 1837, earlier ‘having insight’ (1670s), from special use of French clairvoyant ‘clear-sighted, discerning, judicious’ (13c.), from clair (see clear (adj.)) + voyant ‘seeing,’ present participle of voir, from Latin videre ‘to see’ (from PIE root *weid- ‘to see’)” (https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=clairvoyant). For clairvoyance, the website says, “’paranormal gift of seeing things out of sight,’ 1837, from special use of French clairvoyance (16c., from Old French clerveans, 13c.) ‘quickness of understanding, sagacity, penetration,’ from clairvoyant ‘clear-sighted, discerning, judicious’ (13c.), from clair (see clear (adj.)) + voyant ‘seeing,’ present participle of voir, from Latin videre ‘to see’ (from PIE root *weid- ‘to see). A secondary sense in French is the main sense in English.

“For centuries, famous clairvoyants have captured the fascination of people from all walks of life. Whether they’re offering insights into the future, helping law enforcement solve mysteries, or guiding celebrities in their personal decisions, clairvoyants have played a significant role in shaping modern views on spirituality and the unknown,” says the website Easy Psychics (https://www.easy-psychics.com/blog/voyance/famous-clairvoyants-exploring-their-impact-on-culture-and-spirituality). As background for its article “Famous Clairvoyants: Exploring Their Impact on Culture and Spirituality

“Before diving into the stories of these famous figures, it’s essential to understand what being a clairvoyant means. Clairvoyance, often referred to as « clear seeing, » is the gift of perceiving things beyond ordinary human senses, typically in the form of visions about the past, present, or future” (ibid.). The website then goes on to briefly discuss five famous clairvoyants: Nostradamus (1503-1566), Edgar Cayce (1877-1945), Jean Dixon (1904-1997), Sylvia Browne (1936-2013), and Uri Geller (1946-).

Then the article says that “Some of the world’s biggest stars have been known to consult psychics for guidance in their careers and personal lives. For example:
“Princess Diana reportedly relied on psychic Sally Morgan, who claimed to have foreseen several significant events in Diana’s life.
“Elton John has also admitted to regularly consulting with clairvoyants for insights into his personal and professional matters.
“Oprah Winfrey is another public figure who has dabbled in the psychic world, having featured several psychics and spiritual leaders on her show” (ibid.).

In addition to offering the services of their in-house clairvoyants, the Easy Psychics offer a reason why people would go to a psychic: “Why do famous clairvoyants continue to capture the public’s imagination? The answer lies in the human desire to understand the unknown. Throughout history, people have turned to psychics to gain clarity on issues they cannot explain, from personal matters to global events.
“Clairvoyants offer a sense of hope and comfort in uncertain times. Whether predicting the future, offering insights into relationships, or providing spiritual healing, famous psychics help individuals feel more connected to the universe and their purpose within it” (ibid.).

On the other hand, I think Alexander Pope offers a wiser approach to the unknown, particularly the unknown future, in his Essay on Man:

Heav’n from all creatures hides the book of fate,
All but the page prescrib’d, their present state:
From brutes what men, from men what spirits know:
Or who could suffer being here below?
The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today,
Had he thy reason, would he skip and play?
Pleas’d to the last, he crops the flow’ry food,
And licks the hand just rais’d to shed his blood.
Oh blindness to the future! kindly giv’n
(https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44899/an-essay-on-man-epistle-i).

Or maybe we should look at life as Eliot does in “East Coker,” in The Four Quartets:
There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
And found and lost again and again: and now, under conditions
That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
(https://www.best-poems.net/t_s_eliot/four_quartets_2_east_coker.html).

Then again, a clairvoyant, as well as Yoda, might disagree.

Today’s image is of happy little sheep. If only they knew what to expect (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/161918549096737188/).