Insight, definition of : The ability to see and understand the inner nature of things [i.e. how they work]; psych: awareness of one's own mental attitudes and behavior [being able to see what exists but also what is workable or not workable about it.
Epiphany, definition of: a moment of sudden intuitive undestanding; a flash of insight. [akin to a mental orgasm...]
We get "high" on insights, as if they are a drug, often letting go of the lasting value for the short term relief and shot of "hope".
But insights are valuable thoughts that help explain things in a more functional, workable way to get better results in life.
They are the random components of a good philosophy that seems to come out of nowhere, from some deep place of knowing. But then we let them disappear as if they are the vapor they seemed to come from.
But if the insights are useful and good at the time, then they should best be captured, so that they are useful again and again - and automatic, such that they come up when we need them.
But automaticity comes only from programmed routines that are practiced and engrained so that they are habitual, popping up at the time we can best use them.
If you don't repeat them (or practice them), then the routine does not become engrained or automatic, and they are most often lost.
Some people experience lots of insights and "get off" on them, but seem to not capture them or benefit from them, as is indicated by their lives not working nearly as well as they could if they had good, installed insights and beliefs.
An insight is actually a belief, as it is a sudden lightning bolt about what will work and make life better.
but an insight is not the "end" we seek, the hit we need, it is not to be confused with progress. It has to be harvested.
Other methods of getting insights, all from going through something that creates from a "looking" of some sort:
