In Pursuit of Knowledge

Article by Brian Clement, PhD, LN

Truth and knowledge. These two bedfellows are not always congruent. As psychology and sociology tell us, we develop 80 percent of our personality by the age of 6. Reflecting on this frightening fact reveals that our childhood, generally encapsulated within the family structure, can make or break us.

By now, everyone realizes there is no such thing as a “normal” family. Neuroses abound and restrictive thinking from mom and dad’s past is often handed down. On top of all of this, how we filter and process our experiences become the hallmark of our belief systems. If you were blessed and had parents who were both in love and loved you, you at least started out with the foundation for potential success. All too often, when counseling people, their main conversation is about the traumatic events that occurred in their early formative years. Our saving grace is that deep thoughtful work can shift our memories and allow us to relinquish the learned and imposed limitations afforded us. Unfortunately, I don’t have one therapy that works universally. For some, exotic, fringe treatments seem to do the job, yet for others, laborious psychotherapy is required. No matter what course you choose to take, never lose the understanding that it is not about fixing you, it’s about finding you. That little boy or girl in our purist self is still there. There may be lots of clutter on top of you, and the life you have created may be dimly lit, yet you can throw off those oppressors and turn on the light.

Knowledge on a cellular level can become wisdom, which often activates awareness. This enlightened state is harbored in the heart and hypersensitizes you to your extrasensory perception (ESP). Your neocortex (higher brain) is the springboard to your connection with the limitless knowledge bank. Our biggest struggle is the imposing intellect that seems to want to restrict our acceptance of anything other than the status quo.

In caricature, your heart is crying out to the reptilian and limbic brain, saying, “Please allow us to embrace wisdom!” Your brain attempts to act as a receptacle rather than a launchpad. Consistently challenging your own comfort zone is the only way to break through the barriers. When rendering up enough courage to allow this process to become familiar, you permit the mind/brain to exercise its maximum strength. This strength is not to gather data but rather reciprocate with the wisdom of the universe. There is perpetual information yearning to be plucked from the darkness and employed by the passion-ate, heartfelt student.

All problems are lack of knowing, but even knowing in and of itself is not enough. Knowing and doing until fulfillment of thought and action occurs is the recipe for success. Ultimately, all is a continual movie that we write, direct, and star in and, unfortunately, all too often watch, again and again and again. What review does this silver screen life receive? Even you, the director, is discouraged by the rating. How about taking a new approach, where you do not embrace the burden of “singledom” but relish in the reality that we are all part of a glorious symphony. Relax and allow the natural rhythm to continue on its inherent course and support it by accepting the results. All too many of you are frightened by this prospect since you have developed a false persona by resisting inevitable change.

Yes, all of us have control over ourselves and should put maximum effort into creating our complete selves. But once you have accomplished this important goal, it is then time for you to contribute yourself to the universe. What a release it is, not to have the expectation of self-perfection, by allowing universal perfection to reign as it will with or without you. Learn to learn not because it makes you better, but because it makes you humble, empathetic, compassionate, and more spiritually connected. Relegating ritual, rhetoric, intellect, and academic limitations to the history books will release you to happiness.