The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com ] Unity Way | | | | November 26, 2006 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | Meaningful Life and Self-knowledge | | by Andrei Yashurin | | | | Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control, | | These three alone lead life to sovereign power. | | Tennyson | | | | As I said earlier, a vital part of meaningful life for me is | | striving to know myself better. I am also convinced that we all | | know ourselves in some measure. No person is completely ignorant, | | for complete ignorance would make one unable to live. Truth is the | | essence of life, and the fact that we are alive indicates a degree | | of alignment with the truth. This is a comforting fact. At the same | | time we are urged to never become self-satisfied, but to move from | | our present degree of understanding to a greater degree by clearing | | away false ideas about who we are. In this process, our life | | becomes happier and more meaningful. | | | | There is nothing new about an exhortation to know ourselves. At the | | entrance of the Delphos temple there was an inscription: "Oh man, | | know yourself and you will know the Universe and the Gods." | | Self-knowledge was taught by Socrates, and later by Plato. In the | | mystical gospel of Thomas, Jesus said: "When you know yourselves, | | then you will be known, and you will understand that you are | | children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, | | then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty." | | | | People were slow to respond to this call, partly because it takes | | intellectual courage to know ourselves. Our ego doesn't want to | | take a risk and to step beyond a comfort zone of its own | | preconceived ideas. The greatest value of ego is security; so it | | finds refuge in following traditions, in accepting religious | | dogmas, and even in compulsive outward activity which leaves no | | time for a person to think. This is true for most of humanity. Yet | | there were sages and prophets like Socrates, Jesus, and many others | | who dared to live differently. They launched into an inner journey | | and discovered a bright and shining world. Why shouldn't we join | | their company? | | | | What will we find within ourselves in the process of | | self-discovery? Let me suggest several ideas which I proved in my | | own experience and which were proven by many other spiritual | | seekers. Again, they cannot give a complete picture of our true | | nature, but can serve as a useful blueprint for further exploration | | and practical application of these principles. | | | | First, we will know that there is a hidden core of our being. It is | | known by various names, such as soul, spirit, superconsciousness, | | indwelling Christ, divine nature, and so forth. It doesn't matter | | how we call it as long as we recognize its existence and its | | permanence. This core of our being is not conditioned by outside | | forces and influences, by our inheritance or upbringing. Even more, | | this core of our being is one in essence with the Source of all | | things. | | | | "Man is a stream whose source is hidden. Always our being is | | descending into us from we know not whence", said Emerson. | | | | Second, we will know that there are gifts and qualities within | | ourselves which long for their expression. While living at the | | superficial level, we did not know how talented or capable we are. | | And we will also realize that in order to be true to ourselves we | | need to express our potential in full measure. | | | | Third, we will know that we are works in progress - just like the | | world is a work in progress. Our inner core expresses divine | | perfection - but our mind and emotions yet have to be aligned with | | that which is true about us. Our conscious mind should be | | transformed through the inflow of divine ideas. Our emotions should | | be balanced. Our will should be centered at a desired goal. Our | | body should be brought to vitality and wholeness. | | | | Human beings aren't static they always change, either willingly or | | unwillingly. If we know ourselves and our power to rule ourselves, | | we won't be threatened by changes. Instead, we will play our part | | in bringing about changes which will raise the quality of our life. | | | | (to be continued) | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | Recommended Reading: | | | | [ http://astore.amazon.com/talksontruth-20/detail/0826410189 ] | | Worldwide Laws of Life: 200 Eternal Spiritual Principles by John | | Marks Templeton | | | | Previous Articles of Andrei Yashurin: | | | | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com/2006/11/18/meaningful-life/ ] | | Meaningful Life | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com/2006/11/11/ | | creative-energy-of-love/ ] Creative Energy of Love | [ http:// | | unityway.wordpress.com/2006/11/04/work-and-love/ ] Work and Love | | | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com/2006/10/29/working-with-god/ ] | | Working With God | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com/2006/10/21/ | | good-works/ ] Good Works | | | | [ http://unityway.wordpress.com ] Talks on Truth Blog | | | | [ http://zme.amazon.com/exec/varzea/pay/T3FSLT9BWIHSWQ ] If you | | find these messages helpful, please send a donation to Andrei | | Yashurin | | | | If you like our list, please recommend it to others. | | | | To be unsubscribed, click the link at the bottom of this message, | | do not write to the author. | | | | E-mail: [ mailto:yashurin@gmail.com ] yashurin@gmail.com | | | | Information: The publisher of this list technically cannot | | subscribe/unsubscribe anyone. You are responsible to do it | | yourself. Please check links at the bottom of this message. | | | | All messages (c) 2006 by Andrei Yashurin | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=lit.unityway&email=e@mail http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com