But religious or spiritual incompetence has throughout history been the norm, and still is. When religions first got ruined, ancient Greeks attempted to save the wisdom by renaming it philosophy – "love of wisdom." And later, psychoanalysts attempted to revive essential parts of this through psychology and psychiatry, but how successful they've been can be debated. Nothing seems to work properly when it becomes an institution.
Self-knowledge does not mean self-absorbed self-analysis and is not a "Western luxury problem" stemming from too much free time or existential boredom. Self-knowledge is not a luxury, it is a timeless essentialness to prevent other people, societies, and ideologies from manipulating us and drive people towards unhealthy and destructive directions both for themselves, for society and for our mother earth. People in industrialized countries also probably have less self-knowledge or authenticity than more primitive cultures who often have less cultural artifice and more free time than we have in our stressful and distracting modern society. We must also get rid of incorrect assumptions about human nature that blocks correct understanding. Often human nature is explained in ways that justify the social order instead of truth.
Make no mistake about it, self-knowledge is politically and educationally relevant!
The aim and purpose of self-knowledge is naturalness, truthfulness, authenticity, well-being and quite simply functionality. Which does not differ significantly from therapy where one is encouraged to be honest in order to become aware of those sides of oneself one has chosen to ignore or suppress in order to adapt to social norms and expectations. If we do not adapt primarily to ourselves then the alternative is only adaptation to an idea, to an ideal, or to a coercion; and if this is different from our nature the result will only be suffering, dysfunctionality, increased egoism and various addictions out of pure desperation, and finally rebellion. That certain circumstances, that we cannot control, may force us to act differently from what we are meant to be can of course sometimes be the case. But if the role of human society is not to reduce such circumstances, then it can hardly be called a true civilization. At least not a civilization meant for human beings.
But true self-knowledge also has a higher dimension in order to reach our timeless and deeper identity beyond labels, identifications, biological heritage, or even our feelings and thoughts – which are flighty and changing. For those who are religious or spiritual, this is what is called the "soul." For the strictly pragmatic or "scientific" we can call it consciousness in its purest and most concentrated form. In both cases it is experienced as an inner observer that not only is witnessing external events but also internal events such as feelings and thoughts.
In order to understand the importance of self-knowledge and what it means in its essential totality, we can divide the concept into seven necessary categories:
- Knowledge of our circumstance, context and limitations.
- Knowledge of our cultural assumptions, self-concept and imitation.
- Knowledge of our biological body and its needs.
- Knowledge of our natural energies and instincts.
- Knowledge of our deeper identity.
- Knowledge of our state in relation to the aim of development.
- Knowledge of the importance of self-knowledge and its tools.
Knowledge of our circumstance, context and limitations (1) is necessary to develop a realistic self-image and holistic view that dampens hubris and facilitates humility. We need to ask ourselves how free we have really been, or will be, when we attempt to act in a world of interconnected processes and pressures (both internal and external). With an increased holistic perception, we understand the impossibility of external independence and can both begin to appreciate other people and the world more for the fortunes we have experienced while at the same time reducing blame (including self-blame) for the misfortunes we have experienced. We can also achieve more, and with greater efficiency, if we take this holistic perspective into account when we attempt to take action or improve our situation. In other words, true humility and constructive action are impossible without self-knowledge.
Knowledge of our cultural assumptions, self-concept and imitation (2) is necessary to become aware of things that did not exist in us originally and thus are not genuine or inherent to us. We have to ask ourselves whether the customary thoughts and norms we take for granted are true, sensible and correct. Greater self-questioning is necessary to reduce continued delusions and self-deception in regards to what is real man and what is false, self-idealized, brainwashed and manipulated man. When we express ourselves, when we create art, theories and things like that, we need to ask ourselves how much of it really comes from our own nature and what comes from things we have seen and imitated from others. Something we learned may well be true, but in that case we must confirm it ourselves by reaching the same conclusion in independent thinking from the ground up. Everything else is passivity. In other words, freedom from indoctrination and reducing the risk of having cultures clash is impossible without self-knowledge.
Knowledge of our biological body and its needs (3) is necessary to reduce both physical ailments as well as the risk of social friction and uprisings. Basic needs mainly include access to shelter and healthy food. Frustrating the basic needs of the population makes functional behavior merely a wishful dream. But often, social manipulation and control are motivated precisely by frustrating basic needs so that instead it becomes a reward for those who act in a desirable manner, even though the reverse would be more effective. In other words, physical health, social harmony and functional action are impossible without self-knowledge.
Knowledge of our natural energies and instincts (4) is necessary to achieve naturalness and a sense of substance. Many believe that they "already know who they are," but to have knowledge of one's own energies and instincts is virtually impossible without exerting self-expression and placing oneself in uncomfortable situations that make the individual aware of their limitations and automatic tendencies. Since people tend to avoid uncomfortable situations and easily imagine talents and abilities in themselves they perceive in role models, people's self-concept is usually a lie – an imagined fantasy. There is a reason why the majority of people find it difficult to look at themselves on newly taken photographs and camcorder recordings, because what they see does not match their preferred fantasies about themselves.
Moreover, without knowing or remembering their natural energies and tendencies, individuals are more easily hypnotized by cultural norms and unrealistic ideals that lead them away from a sense of freedom and substance to more demands and desires put on themselves and others. To reduce the excessive egoism in the world, individuals need to be filled with a sense of substance that comes with honest expressions and naturalness. In other words, a reduction of ruthless selfishness is impossible without self-knowledge.
Knowledge of our deeper identity (5) is necessary to achieve wise and healthy non-attached attention. Ancient wisdom, whether religious or philosophical, has always revolved around the fact that awareness that transcends opposites (non-dualism) is true morality and the right way to live – so-called "righteousness" – to the extent any way of life can be said to be "moral" or "right." It is real independence, which is inner independence. In other words, morality, and a sensible guiding ideal is impossible without deeper self-knowledge to support equanimity in joy and pain, in love and hatred, in success and failure, among friends and enemies, etc. It is a self-insight that forms a self-controlling complement to the liberation of the lower natural energies. Wisdom as a complement to substance. A stable ground to stand on. In other words, ethics and responsibility are impossible without self-knowledge.
Knowledge of our state in relation to the aim of development (6) is necessary to be able to orientate ourselves and know if we are on the right path or are striving in the wrong direction in terms of development and health. Navigation always requires some form of map or compass, drawn by someone who has passed through the terrain before. In other words, knowledge of direction and the goal is impossible without self-knowledge.
Finally, knowledge of the importance of self-knowledge and its tools (7) is necessary to even remember, maintain, and be able to convey this timeless wisdom and essentialness for societal sanity to people and future generations to begin with. And such recollection of the importance of self-knowledge is best acquired through achieved self-knowledge. In other words, successful transmission and tools for self-knowledge are impossible without self-knowledge!
Included in self-knowledge is also knowledge of other people, which is necessary to achieve greater tolerance, acceptance, forgiveness, and also love and interest in other people. Since people differ in their circumstances, cultural upbringing, natural energies, etc, it gives rise to unique fates, challenges, potentials, suitabilities and functions. This kind of knowledge can be more accurately called "knowledge of people" than self-knowledge, but the relation and context that emerges with better understanding of others also gives rise to new and interesting ways to consider ourselves in this larger relationship or context, and how we are involved in reciprocal maintenance whether we want to or not.
Besides, if we tolerate, accept, or claim to love individuals without knowing what they are in their totality, how can we know that we really accept or love them? Is not disappointments in love and tolerance due to the fact that something we thought about the individual actually was our own imagination, or that the individual begins to exhibit traits that we had no idea existed or were part of them? Perhaps the individual him/herself did not even know about these traits due to the lack of education in self-knowledge, and thus can not control them. In other words, true tolerance, acceptance and love are impossible without self-knowledge and knowledge of man.
In order to retain knowledge of other people's energy-patterns in memory it can be an advantage to utilize typologies, one of the tools. The most timeless and persistent typology is the one based on man's threefold nature: motor function, emotional life, and intellect. This typological foundation exists in many different varieties of varying quality, and the individual him/herself should be encouraged to shape his own typological awareness of people that is most useful to him or her. But in Timeless Education a recommended typology is also used by the name of "Psychosis-hylomorphisms" or "Bias psychology" as the so far best map to "Natural man."
Knowledge of our deeper and true identity ("Timeless man") is supported by a more accurate and competent translation of ancient wisdom and spirituality than most will find outside of Timeless Education; guidance towards the correct interpretation of religions (supported by the principles of Ultimate Reality); various attitudinal exercises; as well as a seven step Wisdom or Evaluation compass that reveals our spiritual maturity or intensity of understanding. Additionally, a map (or "story") of twelve repeating forms or states of attitude that leads away from, or back to, our true identity and deeper self-knowledge can be applied.
So self-knowledge has the following dimensions, if we skip the physical health of the body:
* Pure awareness and its identification or non-identification (state of maturity).
* Energy Configuration (i.e. nature, function in the species, context, bias, elicited will).
* What is adopted, made up and borrowed from external impressions (cultural hypnosis).
* The limitation of free will (insight into creational causality, not taking credit for what happens).
Realization of this self-knowledge should lead to the following results:
* Non-attached awareness, receptiveness, wisdom, enlightenment, rebirth, true truthfulness.
* Increased capacity for compassion, profound satisfaction in one's true nature and contact with reality.
* Non-identification with acquisitions, less seriousness, less easily provoked, increased sense of freedom.
* Humility and achievement of true free will to the extent possible – being able to take responsibility.
The complete psychological model that promotes self-knowledge in Timeless Education includes the following parts or aspects:
1. Pure consciousness (Timeless man)
2. Levels of consciousness and states of attitude (Temporary man)
3. Energies and instincts (Natural man)
4. The physical body (Biological man)
5. Cultural acquisition and upbringing (Masked man)
6. Circumstances and accidents (Freeless/Unfree man)
For a policy, ideology, or social order not to include or emphasize self-knowledge is a sign of corruption and immorality, revealing both a dangerous ignorance and a preference for manipulation over truth.
