Divine Definitions: (1) Able to comprehend all deep and diverse reality; all-knowing; prescient; (2) Capable of beholding everything; (3) Able to see from every perspective all at once, omnispective; (4) Able to hear all needs and respond to all thoughts; (5) Possessing an infinite mind; intelligent; logical; rational; incisive; (6) Aware of all things and able to synthesize them into a cohesive whole; cognizant; (7) Having a complete and coherent perspective of everything; omnipercipient.; (8) Easily inventing new options and new realities; ingenious; (9) Able to comprehend all incongruities and harmonize them; (10) Able to commune with every person in the universe; perspicacious
Synonyms: all-seeing, farsighted, foresighted, insightful, observant, watchful
Comment: We tend to think of intelligence in terms of human abilities. The smartest of us can hold several ideas at a time, can parse several lines of thought, and can do quick intuitive calculations. But we are like a single point compared to God. Everything has its existence in God. If God, for a split second, was not conscious of something (even a single atom) it would cease to exist. How much more precious is a single soul? We can feel blessed and secure knowing God is always looking out for us.
KNOWLEDGEABLE
Human Definitions: (1) mentally understood as fact or truth; well-informed; (2) keen to perceive; intelligent; (3) possessing appreciative insight; apprehending with clarity and certainty; (4) having a memory of or an experience with; solid recognition; (5) aware of or familiar with; having information about; (6) practiced
Synonyms: comprehension, erudite, learned, skillful
Balancing Quality: Interested
Familial Qualities: Incisive: penetrating knowledge; insightful: knowledge about the inner nature of things; instinctive: knowledge from a previous generation; intuitive: knowledge without the conscious use of reasoning; perspicuous: an ability to recognize the inner other
Proverb: Know thyself [Nosce te ipsum (Latin); Gnothi seauton (Greek)] and thou shall know all the mysteries of the gods and of the universe. — Socrates (c. 429-399 bc) Classical Greek philosopher
Note: Socrates never wrote anything down but he is quoted widely. It is reported that he was fond of saying, “All virtues are interlocked in the ‘knowledge of the human good.’ It is your responsibility to know the value of value. Your choices shape your soul which is your destiny.”
Quotes:
• The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be oneself. — Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
• I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said, “I do not know.” — Mark Twain [born Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835-1910) American humorist
• [Merlin:] It is never wise to turn aside from knowing, however the knowing comes. — Mary Stewart (1916-2014) The Hollow Hills {1973}
• We only get in trouble when we think about it. When we don’t think about it, we know who we are. — Joe Burull (1947-2021) American photographer
• Things are known in the knower after the manner of the knower, not after their own manner of existence. — Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Italian theologian
• When and if we have found and understood the complete irreducible laws of physics, we certainly shall not thereby know the Mind of God. We will not even get much help in understanding the minds of slugs. … Instead, our position will be like the chess player who has learned the rules of chess, or a would-be pianist who can now read all the notes. This skeletal knowledge is certainly not enough for skillful play. As we approach such understanding, it is the end of the beginning, not the beginning of the end. — Frank Wilczek (1951-) American theoretical physicist
Reflection:
The existence of the knowns points to the investigation of the unknowns. We know choice, personality, experience, and all manner of positive qualities do exist. We know by personal experience how living positively is better than living negatively. Positive movement will lead to additional positive action, even in the face of evil.
Although the fact of physical death is a massive mystery, it is not unreasonable to assume we can continue our positive quest beyond the grave. If we do not continue, there would be no reason for value to exist. A nonpersonal, mechanistic universe would have no need for love and its positive ramifications. Nor evil, for that matter.
Consideration: What do you consider to be the essentials? What do you consider to be most important, and therefore, most valuable? They are our personal, basic, fundamental realities. That’s what you will act on. When you are considering an automobile, there are certain things it must have or you will not buy it. When you are picking friends, a job, a spouse, or a religion, you have certain criteria in mind.
Comments:
• It is important to find a clear certainty in yourself. The mind is intrinsically endowed with the capacity to know and, therefore, the ability to be knowledgeable. If we do not know that, then all facts and truth are suspect.
• Information is located in books, etc., but knowledge is acquired through an interactive and personal involvement with the information. A thing must be experienced, oftentimes repeatedly, before it becomes part of our inner knowing. Even then some things cannot be retained without continued practice.
Admonition: See yourself through other people’s eyes. If you know what it is that other people appreciate (or dislike) about you, whether it is your natural or acquired qualities, then you can enhance those positive qualities.
Colors: violet, yellow
Symbols: 1) the Tree of Knowledge; 2) a rolled papyrus scroll
Structure:
Types of Knowing
1) Memories:
a) highlighted: induced by smells, tastes, sound, sight, or touch
b) vivid: set by high value, focused by repetition, stressed by strong emotion
c) partial: faded by time, clouded by feelings, adjusted by desire, replaced by other memories
2) Experiences: past, present, or future
3) Dreams: day-dreams, imagination, wishful thinking, reflections, guesses
4) Presentations: reading material, movies, plays, television
5) Convictions: the visualization of a goal completed6) Associations: images that look like or remind you of other images, i.e., Rorschach ink blots, clouds