Clarify

Clarify Pack — "I know what I mean but can't say it"

Tools for taking rough, messy, or incomplete notes and making them clear without losing the original meaning.

Commands

/articulate — Rewrite a messy note clearly

When the user invokes /articulate :

1. Read the note: obs files read ""
2. Read its frontmatter: obs properties read "" --json
3. Analyze the content:

• Identify the core argument or idea
• Find the logical structure hiding in the mess
• Note any important details or nuances

1. Rewrite the body clearly:

• Preserve the original meaning and voice
• Add structure (headings, paragraphs, lists) where it helps
• Convert vague references to specific [[wikilinks]] where notes exist
• Keep the same frontmatter (don't change tags or properties)

1. Show the user a before/after comparison
2. Ask for confirmation before saving
3. Save with obs files write "" --content ""

Important: Never change the user's meaning. If something is ambiguous, keep it ambiguous or ask. The goal is clarity of expression, not changing what they think.

/expand — Develop a short note into a full thought

When the user invokes /expand :

1. Read the note: obs files read ""
2. Search for related context in the vault:

• obs links backlinks "" --json — what points to this note?
• obs search content "" --json — where else is this discussed?
• obs links list "" --json — what does this note point to?

1. Using the note content + vault context, expand it:

• Develop the core idea with supporting points
• Add relevant context from linked/related notes (cite them as wikilinks)
• Include questions or open threads worth exploring
• Add a "Related" section with discovered connections

1. Preserve existing frontmatter, add expanded: true property
2. Show the expansion and ask for confirmation before saving

/simplify — Reduce a tangled note to its core points

When the user invokes /simplify :

1. Read the note: obs files read ""
2. Analyze and extract:

• The 3 most important points (maximum)
• The single core takeaway
• Any action items buried in the text

1. Present as:

``` ## Core Takeaway [One sentence]

## Key Points

1. [Point one]
2. [Point two]
3. [Point three]

## Action Items

• [ ] [Any tasks found]

```

1. Ask the user: "Replace the note, or save as a new summary note?"
2. If replace: obs files write "" --content "..."
3. If new: obs files create "-summary.md" --content "..."

Tips

• Always read the note before modifying it. Never guess at content.
• Preserve wikilinks — they represent the user's intentional connections.
• When expanding, pull real context from the vault, don't fabricate connections.
• For simplify, be ruthless. Three points max. If the user wants more detail, they have the original.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: markfive-proto
• Source: markfive-proto/obsidian-brain-vault
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://supermarcus.ai/brain-os

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.