In our modern society, we often hear ‘knowledge is power’. We
have the ‘knowledge industry’, and we have the ‘knowledge
economy’. We spend many years of education to acquire knowledge.
Yet, what is knowledge? Is it information? Theory? Ideas?
Opinions? Technical know how? How has knowledge helped us as
human beings? Do we understand ourselves and others better? Do
we live well with each other? Has knowledge equipped us better
to face life’s challenges?
Real knowledge is like a beam of light, allowing us to see
better, with a firm feet on the ground and a vision for the
future. If we walk in the dark without light, we can fall into
traps and we suffer, and it is the same thing with life. Without
real knowledge, we suffer but do not know why; we fall into the
same patterns and reactions without any awareness.
Knowledge of the head gives us information. Knowledge of the
heart allows us to discern what is superficial and what is
essential, and to direct our lives with love and vision.
A lot of times there is this false confidence that we see today which borders on
arrogance. To make the distinction, confidence has nothing to do with what
people have, the professional titles, the awards and accolades, the “beauty in
the face”.
Confidence is letting go of a problem, gaining a better perspective, looking
inside to see, to remember the resources which will help us in a situation. It
brings a sense of peace and calm, a dignity and respect to ourselves and to
others.
Many times we lose our perspective, our altitude in the midst of a challenge
(i.e. conflict in a workplace or home, losing a job, having a health problem)
and then our confidence “disappears”. Our consciousness is merged with the
problem and we stop being able to see anything other than the “bad situation”.
Then we can’t even remember we’ve even gone through challenges and persevered.
It’s too bad we often forget what we had to go through when we are much younger,
how many mistakes we made before we spoke a word correctly, learned to walk, or
use a spoon or fork.
Babies and toddlers often laugh when they make a mess or fall down in
excitement. They have this thirst to learn and observe everything, constantly
learning from situations. We were all once this way.
Philosophy allows us to keep practicing in everyday situations and to keep
looking into ourselves to rediscover, remember some of our hidden resources, our
values, and strengths that we can truly count on.
What is happiness? Is it a succession of
self-gratification, or a summation of pleasant experiences?
Philosophy allows us to investigate what brings true happiness.
We cannot be truly happy if we do not face our own limitations
and surpass them.
Fear is one of these inner limitations that we must face in
order to be happy. If we have fear to open our heart, if we have
fear to make our dreams come true, if we are fearful about the
uncertain future, all the pleasures of the world would not bring
us true happiness. Rather, they are just distractions.
Philosophy helps us look into the nature of fear, e.g. fear of
failure and fear of the unknown. If we see that mistakes are not
failures, but rather opportunities to learn and to improve, and
that we all walk the path that is appropriate for us, there
would not be a sense of failure.
To be a philosopher is to be able to understand and overcome our
own fears, to be courageous, and to keep walking in spite of
fear. Without being overcome by fear, we can open our heart
love, to give, to make our dreams come true, in spite of
difficulties, and we can face uncertainty, taking each challenge
as an opportunity to learn and to blossom as a human being.
