Between Light and Shadow│Part One – Not all seeing requires vision

Suhani Malhotra
Mar 16
2 min read

A three-part exploration of the quiet wisdom clams offer us.

Lesson One: To choose when to be seen and when to retreat into solitude.

Beneath the ocean’s surface, where sunlight bends and scatters through shifting waves, lies a creature that lives in a delicate balance between light and darkness: the clam. Often overlooked in favor of more charismatic marine life, clams possess a remarkable ability to perceive and manipulate light. They survive by knowing when to open and when to close.

*A vibrant blue giant clam nestled within a coral reef (in Amba Canyon, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives), displaying its iridescent mantle.*

Giant clams (Tridacna gigas) are lined with hundreds of tiny pinhole eyes embedded in their mantles, dotting its folds like a constellation. These aren’t eyes in the way we usually think of them - there’s no pupil, no lens, no ability to form detailed images. Instead, they detect shifts in brightness, warning the clam of the possibility of a predator’s presence when a shadow passes overhead.

This triggers an instinctive reaction: the mantle retracts, the shell tightens, and it disappears into the reef– safe in its retreat. But when the light is stable and unobstructed, the clam opens up again, basking in the sun. In this sense, the clam’s relationship with light is one of constant awareness. Light invites openness; darkness demands retreat.

Perhaps this is a worthy invitation to reflect upon. In our fast paced lives, stemming from a need to constantly be doing something towards productivity, are we aware and able to retreat when darkness looms?

Sometimes, retreat is survival – closing the shell is the only way to prepare for the next opening.

beneath the waves

Between Light and Shadow│Part One – Not all seeing requires vision

Lesson One: To choose when to be seen and when to retreat into solitude.

Further Reading:

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