18-06-2025
Knowing to being
Lao Tzu said, 'He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.' True spiritual growth does not come from gathering information but from deepening self-awareness. Vedas and Upanishads also urge us to move beyond intellectual understanding toward direct, inner experience. They do not ask for blind acceptance but encourage us to question, explore and realise the truth for ourselves.
The Brihadaranyak Upanishad affirms, 'Atma va are drastavyah srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah' - the Self must be seen, heard, reflected upon and meditated upon. This layered approach guides us from outer knowledge to inner realisation. Philosophers and sages have shared their wisdom through their own first-person experiences.
Ramana Maharshi echoed this approach through self-inquiry, gently asking, 'Who am I?' In this context, meditation is not merely silence or stillness but a mirror that helps us see ourselves. The Bhagwad Gita reminds us, 'One must elevate oneself by one's mind, for the mind can be the friend or the enemy of the self.' This inner journey is ours to undertake. No one else can do it for us. Questions arise not from doubt but from insight. What once felt like borrowed knowledge transforms into personal wisdom. At the core of this transformation lies a simple yet profound truth: consciousness is a fundamental source where all wisdom already exists. Through sincere reflection and contemplation, this awareness reveals what has been within.
