What is Knowing?

[Guest guest]

Ordinary knowledge we know what it is. But Knowing, what is that? I

have an idea that Knowing is what appears when ordinary knowledge and

ignorance are embraced and merged into a state that is direct knowing

instead of " knowing about " as in ordinary knowledge.

 

How then to reach the state of Knowing? I guess a good practice would

be to observe the knowledge and ignorance in oneself. Look at the " I

know this and that " and " I don't know this and that " and then inquire

into the possibility that through negating all that, the other is.

 

A huge mistake many spiritual seekers make is, I believe, that they

THINK they have got an understanding of " enlightenment " or the " Self " ,

but they are still caught in knowledge and think that that is the only

state there is. They are still caught in the trance of believing that

knowledge and ignorance must remain a way of living!

 

al.

[Guest guest]

I also see knowing as direct knowing rather than knowing about. However, I

don't see it as relating to ordinary knowledge. Rather, I relate it to what we

call intuition. We've all had intuitive knowings, and most of us probably

know we have. (It's a matter of noticing)

 

If we watch the process carefully, we notice it begins with a focus of

consciousness. We may be pondering a question or thinking of someone or

whatever,

but it seems this focus must be rather intense and single, as in a

meditation. If something, someone is being contemplated with the mind, these

thoughts

need to cease, but the focus must remain.

 

I believe what occurs here is that our field of awareness is being 'looked

at', and what consciousness focusses on, 'lights up'. This field is awareness

itself, and so all knowing is 'contained' there.

 

This knowing was not acquired with thought and does not come with a thought

attached to it. The process of converting it conceptually begins after the

knowing is already present and we can notice a delay as this knowing is

downgraded into a concept that fits within the portion of awareness that

consciousness encompasses. If this can't be done, the knowing is lost as soon as

mind is

engaged, since mind/ego seems to insist on conceptualizing it or chucking it.

 

I suspect that this intuitive knowing is the knowing of Self in bits and

pieces, which in terms of Self realization, is as good as no knowing at all,

since the Self must be seen in it's totality as there are no parts to the Self.

However, it gives the mind/ego something to ponder and jabber about.

 

Phil

 

 

 

In a message dated 10/20/2005 4:05:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

anders_lindman writes:

 

Ordinary knowledge we know what it is. But Knowing, what is that? I

have an idea that Knowing is what appears when ordinary knowledge and

ignorance are embraced and merged into a state that is direct knowing

instead of " knowing about " as in ordinary knowledge.

 

How then to reach the state of Knowing? I guess a good practice would

be to observe the knowledge and ignorance in oneself. Look at the " I

know this and that " and " I don't know this and that " and then inquire

into the possibility that through negating all that, the other is.

 

A huge mistake many spiritual seekers make is, I believe, that they

THINK they have got an understanding of " enlightenment " or the " Self " ,

but they are still caught in knowledge and think that that is the only

state there is. They are still caught in the trance of believing that

knowledge and ignorance must remain a way of living!

 

al.