Know Thyself
Aristotle is credited with saying that “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” and as thousands of us are thrust into unfamiliar situations in order to keep ourselves and our communities safe from the Covid-19 virus, we have an unprecedented opportunity to focus on knowing ourselves.
We can use this time to move towards understand our responses and reactions in a deeper and more focussed way than has ever been possible in our lives before.
Some people struggle with self-understanding, reacting without thought or logic, often protecting ourselves from circumstances we fear. This unthinking response may date back to childhood, when we were told some fact about ourselves by a parent or teacher whom we believed.
When the messages of childhood were about being strong or friendly, clever or kind, we are able to express those aspects of ourselves all though life, taking them for granted and feeling “this is who I am”.
It is logical that someone too young to have analytical skills or framework for questioning, would adopt those facts as truths for self-understanding.
Self-knowledge when carried forward into adulthood is not easily changed. Often, like the air that we breathe, it is simply a ‘given’, and there is rarely a need to examine the truth of it.
Whatever negative messages have been entrenched also contribute to our self-image. If we were taught to believe that we are stupid or greedy, nasty or ugly, the message that “this is who I am” is potent.
Coming to know ourselves, and to bring these beliefs out into the light of adult thinking, is a first step to becoming fully conscious of our identity. There can be movement towards knowing ourselves as we are, rather than as we were told we are.
Connecting to our natural selves leads back to the wonderful souls we were before anyone imposed their ideas on us. Have you ever met an unpleasant newborn? Thinking back into that limitless personality allows for the expansion of our expression into parts of life we may not have considered in light of the information we were given.
L
ucille Ball said “It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy" and this is possibly one of the best shortcuts to understanding our true, unmarred selves. When we connect to happiness and are able to share it, we are in alignment with the very reasons we entered into the human condition.
So many people walking around today have no idea what might make them happy. Some experiment with various possibilities, others withdraw into narrow, unjoyful lives – sometimes even denying the value of contentment or laughter.
Self-discovery is not an activity that anyone else can do for us. Plato said “Do thine own work, and know thyself” Neither is it work we can accomplish alone; there is no reason to imagine a solitary approach to such important growth.
Each plant in the garden needs sunshine and rain in order to flourish, so as individual humans we need input from many directions to ensure we blossom into the fullness of ourselves.
While we are maintaining social distance from others we are given the gift of spending time with ourselves. Noticing how we resist some ideas and are drawn by others creates a wonderful and unexpected chance to pay attention to our selves and begin or continue working towards personal development and fulfillment.
Saint Augustine is credited with writing “ Know thyself' was written over the portal of the antique world. Over the portal of the new world, 'Be thyself' shall be written.” Self-management can only follow self-knowledge, and we have just been granted the time and space to shift towards Being Ourselves.
There are aspects of a Numerology Chart which can help you to understand the multiple talents and abilities that are at your disposal in this life.
There are ways to use card readings to focus attention on those parts of life you choose to change.
I have been practising Numerology and supporting clients through life changes since the 1980s.
For a consultation, or to commission a chart of your name and birthdate, we can meet in by technology without endangering anyone or contravening Social Distance. We have time! Click here.
Posted by Jo Leath. Posted In : Shift
Jo Leath has been practising Numerology since the early 1980s.
During her career she has studied synchronicity and various ways of accessing Cosmic Wisdom.
She is a Certified Labyrinth Facilitator with Veriditas: Worldwide Labyrinth Project.
Jo meets clients in person and online, and is sometimes a featured reader at metaphysical stores in various cities.