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Red Carnation
Inn Along the Way, Chapman Farm
Damariscotta, ME
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Today's Saying: Knowing is ever new, always fresh, an unrepeatable recognition.
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Jesus spoke to the people who trusted in him, "You are truly my students, if you keep devoted to my teaching. And, you will be in union with the truth, and the truth will free you."
*Gospel of John 8.31-32
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I find it interesting how Jesus is attributed with saying "the truth will free you." Not a teacher. Not a or the church. Not a membership in a religious group. Not a doctrine or dogma. Not a moral life. Not being a good person. Not saying a prayer to be converted to a faith. Not being baptized. Not obeying a Scripture. Not Jesus. No, the Jesus of John's Gospel says truth frees us. Truth is not specified as religious or spiritual or sacred or holy or righteous... in contrast to secular or profane, and it is not Christian as opposed to non-Christian.
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A religious academic and critic of the Sage's work asked him about theology. He said, "I teach theology to ministry students. I find this is essential for their preparation for ministry out in the churches and the world. Do you agree?" After a brief silence, the Sage said, "That's interesting." "Well," inquired the theology teacher, pressing for a more definite response, "what is the principal source you direct your students to for learning the truth?" Pointing to his heart, the Sage said, "Here, always here."
*Brian K. Wilcox. "Meetings with an Anonymous Sage."
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We can differentiate knowledge and knowing. With the head - the intellect, reason - we collect facts. In this sense, our brain is a database. These facts are objective and theoretical; they are ideas, are opinions. Regardless of how well or not they correspond with reality, they are facts. Here, with facts, we begin our spiritual trek. We begin with repeating what others have repeated from prior others.
The conversion of facts - surface data - into insight - subtle wisdom - will be a significant challenge, initially. We will find it challenging to release cherished opinions, partly for few about us encourage such integrity. Most persons find refuge in group-think. But, for those who aspire to communion with truth, while letting go was painful, it will later become playful. Old dogmas - moral, political, social, religious - will drop, stale and having served their time; fresh, vivifying wisdom will shine. One will grow to be able to say, "I'm in love with truth," or "Truth has consumed me."
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Knowing is when your whole being witnesses the truth knowledge points to. In the heart, truth recognizes itself. Now, you do not know about (lit. "on the outside"); rather, you know, as though from within what is known (insight, lit. "in-seeing").
The heart indicates that you are; the heart is the fount of all knowing, all love, and all being. "Heart" connotes the gateway from your innermost being to Being. Yet, "from" can be misleading; in the heart, there is differentiation between but not separation from one Life. Your deepest self is a microcosm of the Whole, a unique effulgence of the single, incomprehensible Light.
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At the moment of knowing, fact has become wisdom, while you only know you know after this moment. The moment you can say, "I see!," you see, for your heart-eyes are already open. You know knowing when it has become you, and you are it. In the knowing, there is no knower to know anything. In knowing, truth is no longer thought to be out there somewhere.
You cannot get insight from a teacher, a book, or anyone or anywhere. Wisdom waits for you - "Where?" ... "Here." You do not find truth, it finds you. Truth embraces all truths, for truth is the single fount of all facts and insights.
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Even that which is false is of truth, for the erroneous is a misdirection, or contortion, of truth. Hence, the false can transform into truth, while facts can transform into untruth, but truth remains truth. Falsifying truth cannot alter truth being truth. So, seeing into our falsehoods, which are relative, can result in acknowledging truth, which is absolute. There is nowhere truth is not; where truth is betrayed or denied or ridiculed, truth shines.
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*©Brian K. Wilcox, 2022.
*Use of photography is allowed accompanied by credit given to Brian K. Wilcox, and title and place of photograph.
*Brian's book, An Ache for Union: Poems on Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major online booksellers or the publisher AuthorHouse.
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