Showing posts with label self knowledge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self knowledge. Show all posts
Friday, 27 January 2017
Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Keys to Understanding Yourself
Self-awareness is a great thing. It teaches us about how are are
in the world and about how we interact with everything and everyone one
we come in contact with. The self-knowledge we gain can be incredible.
However, self-awareness has to be turned into self-knowledge or it is of
little use to us. If not taken this next step it only sits on a shelf
in our sub-conscious and waits for us to need it and call it back into
consciousness, if we ever have a need for it that is. What do we have to
do to create real understanding?
We can used some tools that are designed to help us really understand ourselves and then we have to take the next step about deciding what to do about what we have learned. But first things first. What are a couple of tools that will help us gain that self-understanding? Here are two that I think are outstanding:
Mirroring. Someone once said that everything is a mirror. That is very true and we can learn a lot by paying attention. One example is to pay attention to how people treat us. They will mirror to us how we teach them to respond to us. For instance, if people are taking advantage of you then you are doing something that tells them that it is not only alright to treat you that way but that it is what you want and expect. Think about that. What might you be doing that would give them that message? Another example might be that you find that people don't have time for you. You might be sending them the message that you don't think you are worthy of their time. What could you be doing that would send them that message? Be aware and you will get your own thoughts and beliefs mirrored back to you. That will give you a very good understanding of how you show up in the world.
We can used some tools that are designed to help us really understand ourselves and then we have to take the next step about deciding what to do about what we have learned. But first things first. What are a couple of tools that will help us gain that self-understanding? Here are two that I think are outstanding:
Mirroring. Someone once said that everything is a mirror. That is very true and we can learn a lot by paying attention. One example is to pay attention to how people treat us. They will mirror to us how we teach them to respond to us. For instance, if people are taking advantage of you then you are doing something that tells them that it is not only alright to treat you that way but that it is what you want and expect. Think about that. What might you be doing that would give them that message? Another example might be that you find that people don't have time for you. You might be sending them the message that you don't think you are worthy of their time. What could you be doing that would send them that message? Be aware and you will get your own thoughts and beliefs mirrored back to you. That will give you a very good understanding of how you show up in the world.
Journaling. Writing in a guided journal is another great way to learn a lot about yourself. A guided journal has starter sentences or topics at the top of each page. You are suppose to respond to those starters with your own thoughts about them. When you go back and read your journal entries you begin to see trends, themes, attitudes and beliefs pop out at you. It is up to you to decide what to do about them and good guided journals give you space to do that. A great guided journal to use is The Discovery Journal available at lulu.com. It will guide you through a wide range of self-awareness topics.
Try these two tools and see what you come up with. Turn
the things you learn into action steps to create the person you want to
be.
Monday, 23 January 2017
The Importance of Self Knowledge
What is Self Knowledge?
Self knowledge is knowing yourself intimately. It involves knowing your thoughts and feelings, how they came about, and how they influence your behavior. It is about understanding your needs, desires, motivations, beliefs, views and values. In short, it is about knowing how you tick and what makes you tick.
The tool for self knowledge is introspection, a looking within that focuses our attention on our thoughts, how they arise and disappear. This is best done in a quiet environment where you have time to watch and analyze your own thoughts. A busy life does not exclude this possibility of introspection or self reflection but it does make it less likely that you will do so. Furthermore, it is more difficult to watch a busy mind that runs and jumps everywhere like a monkey in a cage.
Why is self knowledge important?
Self knowledge is important because it helps you to understand yourself better. Through better self understanding, you are more able to be in control of your own life. You can then make life happens for you rather than have life happens to you.
It also helps you to find answer to the more insightful and spiritual question - "Who am I?"
Through self knowledge, we are in a better position to understand the outer physical universe as well as the inner metaphysical world within us, and to see how our mind becomes the interface for both experiences. We now know that the meanings we place on the "realities" of life have a greater effect on the quality of our human experience than the "realities" themselves. Thus, we can change the quality of our life simply by changing the way we think and view the world around us. We can become happier simply by changing ourselves, without changing the world. Paradoxically, when we do change ourselves, the world around us changes as well, as if on its own.
We live in a participatory universe where our thoughts and beliefs are very real "things" that affect the world around us. It is as if the content of our inner mind is reflected out into the physical world. This is how we create our own destiny. This is the understanding that will stop us from becoming a victim of circumstances, and instead become the master of our own destiny. This is the occult lesson in the ancient teachings of Hermes, in one of his seven spiritual laws. This spiritual law, called the Law of Correspondence, says "As Above, So Below. As Within, So Without".
This
is a key lesson in self understanding, in knowing that we create our
own lives and that we are fully and completely responsible for what we
create - consciously AND unconsciously. It is extremely empowering to
realize that whatever we create we can re-create, thus we are never a
victim of circumstances. It is always within our power to change our
lives.
Self knowledge allows us to recognize our error in thinking and to correct it. It is therefore the mean to a better and more fulfilling life - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Self knowledge is knowing yourself intimately. It involves knowing your thoughts and feelings, how they came about, and how they influence your behavior. It is about understanding your needs, desires, motivations, beliefs, views and values. In short, it is about knowing how you tick and what makes you tick.
The tool for self knowledge is introspection, a looking within that focuses our attention on our thoughts, how they arise and disappear. This is best done in a quiet environment where you have time to watch and analyze your own thoughts. A busy life does not exclude this possibility of introspection or self reflection but it does make it less likely that you will do so. Furthermore, it is more difficult to watch a busy mind that runs and jumps everywhere like a monkey in a cage.
Why is self knowledge important?
Self knowledge is important because it helps you to understand yourself better. Through better self understanding, you are more able to be in control of your own life. You can then make life happens for you rather than have life happens to you.
It also helps you to find answer to the more insightful and spiritual question - "Who am I?"
Through self knowledge, we are in a better position to understand the outer physical universe as well as the inner metaphysical world within us, and to see how our mind becomes the interface for both experiences. We now know that the meanings we place on the "realities" of life have a greater effect on the quality of our human experience than the "realities" themselves. Thus, we can change the quality of our life simply by changing the way we think and view the world around us. We can become happier simply by changing ourselves, without changing the world. Paradoxically, when we do change ourselves, the world around us changes as well, as if on its own.
We live in a participatory universe where our thoughts and beliefs are very real "things" that affect the world around us. It is as if the content of our inner mind is reflected out into the physical world. This is how we create our own destiny. This is the understanding that will stop us from becoming a victim of circumstances, and instead become the master of our own destiny. This is the occult lesson in the ancient teachings of Hermes, in one of his seven spiritual laws. This spiritual law, called the Law of Correspondence, says "As Above, So Below. As Within, So Without".
Self knowledge allows us to recognize our error in thinking and to correct it. It is therefore the mean to a better and more fulfilling life - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
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