To know oneself is to know everything

No matter how many times I have heard or read, “Knowledge is power,” I cannot simply agree upon the dogma that dictates learning outside of oneself. To me true learning is knowing all about oneself. Aristotle had agreed that knowing oneself is far more important than knowing about the world. He had advised his pupils to know themselves, hence his quote, “Know thyself.” He said that knowing oneself is the beginning of all kinds of learning, and this knowledge is rarely found in books.

What is knowledge?

Knowledge is the acquisition of reasoning, and application of such reasoning. It is based upon keen observations. And such observations can only be made by a sound mind devoid of any kind of prejudices.

How is knowledge connected with endeavor?

Endeavor towards a greater goal requires great motivation and learning. This is to know our limits and how to surpass them. How to access the hidden corners of our consciousness that contain the power to dictate our success or failure? How to access that unlimited knowledge that is hidden inside our minds? How to use that knowledge to fruition of a particular purpose? to achieve new heights? to reach new realms? to understand ourselves better? and in doing so, to understand the world around us?

When we fail to understand ourselves, it becomes very difficult to understand the world around us. Even the world is a greater reflection of ourselves. What we are bound to see here is what we want to see in ourselves, or what we have already seen in ourselves. “To the pure, everything is pure. To the good, everything is good. To the miserable, this world is filled with miseries.” And likewise, to the one, who has acquired the knowledge of oneself, it becomes easier to understand how the world around them works.

Why knowing oneself is important?

To understand our limits. To comprehend that it is in human nature to succumb to weaknesses without proper knowledge or learning, but it is also in this human nature to endeavor and emerge victorious over such weaknesses. To make ourselves better from whom we were yesterday. To understand the philosophy that says that human beings are bound to make mistakes, and in doing so overcome our weaknesses.

How weaknesses can be won?

It is said that weaknesses can be won only if we are ready to appreciate and accept our limits, and so work towards knowing more of ourselves and shaping us to awaken the dormant forces that reside deep within each of us.

What is the meaning behind knowing oneself and how can it be achieved?

Many times in our lives we have had this feeling of powerlessness that stops us from trying any more. What could be the reason behind such feeling? Could it be that we are indeed powerless when it comes to endeavoring beyond our limits, or, because we have not yet understood the true purpose that our victory would have served, that we do fail to recognize the bounds that were needed to be broken but that weren’t owing to our little knowledge. Here knowledge or knowing is not what we could have achieved from reading a few books or through training but what we have perhaps overlooked when endeavoring, that is, knowing the bounds, measuring them, planning to outreach them, and to actually outreach them.

To better understand ourselves we have to appreciate who we are as each of us is different from one another; and it is in this difference that this world is beautiful and appreciable as lack of variety brings about a very little appreciation or no appreciation. So to truly know the world we have to know ourselves, and to know ourselves we have to appreciate ourselves and endeavor to bring about the best out of us every time.