Before you may know the truth of another, you must know your own truth. Before you can see clearly, you must open your eyes. Without knowing yourself, you can only respond. In knowing yourself, you can question, giving rise to conversation.
Life is conversation between an individual and the circumstances in which he finds himself. That interaction between one part and the whole is the conversation between a creature and his creator. But such a conversation is not possible if the creature fails to pay attention.
Spiritual insight arises naturally from living life. With open eyes you learn your surroundings, and with that knowledge can make better decisions. This is called Understanding. In making your decisions and paying attention to the outcome of those decisions, you learn yet more about your surroundings. This constant refinement of knowledge is called Wisdom. It is through these that we touch the hem of God’s robe; it is through Understanding and Wisdom we approach the Divine.
None of this is possible without first turning within. The first step of any journey is to know were you are starting. You start by questioning yourself. You start by exploring the maze of your past and playing with the puzzle pieces of your present. You start with daring to answering the riddle of your existence with ever increasing curiosity and humility.
Why curiosity? The curious accepts both positive and negative with equal zeal. Curiosity is interest in both the depths of the earth and the reach of the winds, yet does not judge either. Why humility? Humility means to be human; to be willing to honor that which is greater than oneself. Humility is the position of learning.
Yet none of what I say can impart any of this to you. No platitudes can substitute or satisfy individual spiritual exploration. I cannot make you know yourself. I cannot live your life for you. I cannot make you see that which you choose not to. If you dare not turn within, there is no threat I can make to persuade you. Asking that you be curious and humble is as meaningless as asking you to feel well when you are ill. You have got to make that choice, and no outside influence can make that choice for you.
So, in writing this short instructional on how to be human, I prove only my own hubris. I think that some how in relating to you what I know from my own experience, I can open your eyes and make your curious. I cannot make you do anything. Sadly, I can just make vain conversation…
But if that conversation gives rise to a good question, is it truly vain?
Above Image of the Orion Nebula.
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October 15th, 2008 at 5:28 am
To “know thyself” is the call of many paths, and it is certainly a requirement of my own spiritual path. To fully know yourself, not just in a psychological way, but to really knows ones own truth, is an incredibly powerful and profound thing. I find that it’s more of a process than an event, or perhaps a series of events, with each layer opening one up to a new sphere of revelation.
October 15th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Very well written. So much wisdom and great lessons are found within these words you have shared.