This study examined the cognitive and experiential mechanisms underlying the recovery of primary perception through the conceptual framework of Tabula Rasa and receptive openness among a sample of 300 adult participants drawn from urban and semi-urban settings in East Africa. Primary perception, understood as the capacity to encounter reality with minimal cognitive filtering, conditioned interpretation, or habituated schema overlay, has been theorised as a fundamental aspect of psychological well-being and creative intelligence; yet empirical investigation of this phenomenon remains sparse. Using validated psychometric instruments including the Mindfulness Practice Scale (MPS), the Cognitive Load Index (CLI), the Primary Perception Score (PPS), the Perceptual Openness Scale (POS), and the Tabula Rasa Index (TRI), the study employed a cross-sectional survey design. Univariate descriptive statistics characterised the distribution of key variables; bivariate analyses including Pearson correlations, chi-square tests, and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) examined associations among mindfulness engagement, cognitive load, education level, and perceptual outcomes; and binary logistic regression identified independent predictors of high receptive openness. Results revealed that mindfulness practice was the strongest positive predictor of both primary perception (r = .624, p < .001) and perceptual openness (r = .591, p < .001), while cognitive load exerted a significant negative effect (r = −.612, p < .001). Logistic regression confirmed that each unit increase in mindfulness practice score was associated with 7% higher odds of high receptive openness (OR = 1.07, 95% CI [1.05, 1.09]), and daily practice nearly doubled these odds (OR = 2.39, 95% CI [1.50, 3.81]). Education level and urban residence further moderated perceptual outcomes. The findings provide robust empirical support for the theoretical claim that intentional mental unclogging through mindfulness cultivates conditions analogous to philosophical Tabula Rasa, facilitating the recovery of unfiltered, primary modes of experience. The study recommends integrating structured mindfulness curricula within educational and occupational wellness programmes, designing targeted cognitive loadreduction interventions, and conducting longitudinal research to track the developmental trajectory of receptive openness over time.