Self-Knowledge & The Power Within

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Written by

Mictorrani

Author, Physician, Philosopher, Polyhistor

3 years ago

In community: Mind, Perception & Thought(c7a5)

Topics: Psychology, Philosophy, Self-Knowledge, Introspection, Motivation, ...

I. Inner Freedom

Freedom is a concept with many meanings. Mostly it is seen as something that is or can be limited by others: law, state, customs, etc. But there is another freedom as well, one that has to do with your own mind, a freedom whose limits are set by your own attitudes and thoughts. Compared with the one which is externally limited, this one is at the same time easier and more difficult to influence, obtain, and control. Easier, because it involves no one else than oneself; more difficult, because for most people working with the self is close to impossible. Mental barriers make the mind unwilling to realise its own imperfection. As long as that condition remains, it will not be receptive to any kind of improvement. It is easier to do as most others do: project one's inner limitations and weaknesses on the external environment, complain, and hope others will do something about it. An approach inevitably leading to frustration and discontent.

I am not suggesting that all problems and solutions dwell within oneself. Such a view is as naive as believing everything has its source externally. There is a world within and a world without; it is important to recognise the existence, not of one or the other, but of both as they are, different yet connected. All self-improvement, however, must begin inside. Ultimately it is in and with our mind we exist in the world, at least as far as conscious existence is concerned.

Here I disregard the question whether reality can be divided into an inner and an outer part, the old philosophical question of subject and object. Interesting as it might be, it has no relevance for this discussion, so I take the liberty to use the dualistic model without questioning it.

II. Self-Knowledge

I once wrote:

"Without knowing yourself, you can never know anyone else.

Without understanding yourself, you can never understand anyone else.

Without respecting yourself, you can never respect anyone else.

Without loving yourself, you can never love anyone else."

Is this a gospel of selfishness? Absolutely not. It is a recognition of that everything begins with the self; that, whatever you want to achieve or gain, the first steps are taken by yourself in your own mind. There you set your standards and your limits, there you interpret external impressions, and there you make your decisions and choices.

Few people know or understand themselves. The required amount of thinking and introspection is beyond them. It is true what Bertrand Russell said:

"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so."

Self-knowledge can be a heavy burden to carry, especially if you find something you dislike within yourself. Yet it is important to identify one's true desires, fears, and hopes; what is really important in life, and what is not; and so on. Your answers may or may not differ from what is taken for granted by your environment, but to be able to shape your life into something that is meaningful for you, you need to find them.

"Only your own mind knows what is dearest

to your heart. Each counsels himself.

There is no worse illness for a sage

than losing love for himself."

(Havamal 95)

It is equally important to find one's strengths and weaknesses. The former should be used constructively, the latter worked with, reduced or turned into strengths. What you cannot change or improve, you must learn to handle with due respect for your own nature. Self-contempt is a common but destructive phenomenon. Nothing is gained by that. Contempt for self is contempt for all - contempt for all is contempt for self.

One may never cease to improve oneself, qualities are not constant. In every strength lurks a weakness, in every weakness lies unborn strength; one can easily slip over into the other. Whether a quality is good or bad, a strength or a weakness, does not rest within itself, but with its application, how you use it.

III. Daydreams

Do not frown upon day-dreams. Everyone has them, all the time. They are part of learning to know ourselves and our way of relating to reality. Novelist Leon Rappaport even describes them as the source of all creativity. They are our ability to think of what is not; to plan, speculate, wish, and desire. Without them we would be instinct-driven bio-automata. No doubt they play a key role in obtaining self-knowledge.