Knowledge of the Ages

Which is it.. the unrelenting pursuit of Knowledge or of Wealth that drives us? In many respects there seems to be a link. Generally speaking, the more knowledge you have of a subject the more ‘in demand’ you are for that particular skill and correspondingly the higher the potential to gain wealth from it. Isn’t this why we put our children through school and college/university? Isn’t this why we put even ourselves through these institutions (often for the 2nd or 3rd time) just so that we can get ahead?

Well I’m here to tell a converse story. The intelligent woman doesn’t spend her life acquiring information, she spends it recognising that it’s already there! All of it! Yes.. all knowledge is available to all of us, not only the privileged few. The catch is that it requires awareness, and let me state emphatically that the majority of the human race is unaware. Spending all your time in front of a talking box (TV) is not awareness, it is a distraction.. pure and simple. Awareness is heightened with that simple tool silence. Silence can be experienced in a number of ways, primarily meditation.. but you do not need to be some sort of spiritual guru to experience it, you simply need to be still.

Those who have the guts to sit down in silence and hear their own thoughts will be quite surprised at some of the garbage which has been floating around up there (if you believe the mind is in the head of course). With practise, this discipline (like any other in life) produces some interesting results. Once stresses and thoughts have subsided, something starts to happen.. pure conciousness becomes the focus and in this point of pure consciousness you can place any question about any subject, and before your very eyes.. or shall we say to your very self will the answers be presented. Of course, don’t take my word for it.. be as critical as you want but remember you can never have an accurate perception of an event if you never try it, no matter what anybody tells you about it. And don’t tell me either that it takes somebody a week to learn the guitar or learn a software package.. because it doesn’t.. I know!

Interestingly, most world religions in their purer form have taught of this little life secret through the ages. Psalm 46:10 in the Bible notes, “Be still and know that I am God”. Mark 1:35 ; Mark 6:45-46 and Luke 4:42 also echo the need Jesus had for silence.  At this point I would like to point out that I advocate no religion in particular but instead all of them, yet my knowledge of them is limited so I welcome any additions to this list or corrections to the texts themselves. Ancient Hindu texts known as sutras talk of Dhyana and Pratyahara which mean meditation and withdrawal(of the senses) respectively.

My own personal experimentations on this matter reveal much creativity and answers when silence is experienced. [TBC]

Copyright Ryan Brennan Smith 2008-2009. Custom Powered by  WoRdPrEsS