THE FIRST STEP TO TRULY KNOWING THYSELF
To live a prosperous and fulfilling life it’s imperative to know thyself. I’m a firm believer that one should live the life they desire and be prosperous while doing so. On the contrary, I don’t believe we should waste time doing things that don’t align with our soul, be involved with people we don’t relate to, and live in places and spaces that don’t inspire us. So what’s the antidote to an unfulfilling life? Know thyself.
To live an expansive and meaningful life we must first know our True Self. Only by knowing the essence of who we are can we gain the clarity needed to grow and prosper in the right direction. Without clarity of who we are and what we stand for, we can easily become distracted and derailed from our purpose. We may succumb to pressure to conform to the status quo, by being influenced to fulfil standardised ideals of success, in an effort to be respected and validated, for example. But this is not progress, and it is not success. Success is warranted through authenticity; by embodying our truth. The truth of who we really are, and embodying that truth, is real success.
So the first step to finding our truth and thus truly knowing our deepest selves is to adopt silence and immerse ourselves in quiet solitude. To hear the call of our inner-voice loud and clear we must distance ourselves from distraction and insolent noise. Remove yourself from the people, things, places and activities that crowd your mind and clog the thought process with superfluous distractions. Extraneous matter and constant bombardment from external sources gradually erode the Self, eventually taking its toll on individuality. Our soul is unique, and without silence and solitude, self-discovery is impossible.
True success stems from genuine intelligence which is knowing when, where, and what to say and do, from a place of “quiet knowing.” Self-knowledge is wisdom. So the first step to knowing thyself is to be silent and cultivate self-understanding.
Don’t underestimate the power of silence and solitude for self-transformation. Becoming quiet and self-reflective + in solitude = self-understanding + knowledge, which = clarity, + clarity = a clear, subconscious projection. This creates our outer reality, alongside having a clear intention, remaining focused, while upholding Truth.
KNOW THYSELF PROTOCOL
i. Spend as much time as possible alone and in silence. Spend at least 20 minutes in solitude everyday. Meditate. Listen to calming and relaxing music or binaural beats to help induce an inner state of harmony and tranquillity.
ii. Spend time in nature. Observe nature and the flow of the natural world. Invite your inner energy to align with nature’s rhythm.
iii. Cultivate the art of listening. When around others, listen to what is being said with your full awareness and presence. Speak as little as possible. Only speak when necessary. This is easier said than done, depending on your habitual nature. But, cultivate the awareness of of being the “watcher” (of yourself) and slowly but surely you will cultivate mastery over your habitual habits.
iv. In your journal, note observations of your newfound inner peace, knowledge, and self-transformation as you become more patient, present, and aware, guided by your inner wisdom.
