My Contemplations

[Davidess]

What is Knowing?

Knowing has two components:
1) Static or "Realism" – Knowing what was/what is/what can be
2) Dynamic or "Creation" – Knowing where one is going

These two components are in a "dance" with each other. They both hold keys to avoid the negative potential of the other part:

• Realism without creation might lead to fatalism/passivity.
• Creation without realism might lead to delusion/denial.

Two components are like subatomic "particles". An electron is neither particle nor a wave, nor does it have all characteristics of both.
Knowing, fully integrated, is neither just Realism nor just Creation. Nor does it have fully both of them at the same time. It has some characteristics of both, but not all of them.

Knowing has 3 degrees:
1) Hope, which may be either:
     a) hope as an emerging potential reality (creation), as in "I hope I'll manage to win this tournament"
     b) hope as awareness of a potential reality (realism), as in "I hope that I have 50€ in my bank account right now"
2) Belief (or certainty), which may be either:
     a) belief as more solidified creative stance, but still projection-based (creation)
     b) belief as holding conceptual reality (realism)
3) Knowing (as an absolute, with capital K), which transcends (but includes!) the duality of creation/realism (an integration), it is an absolute awareness

 

Creation-like characteristics Knowing HAS:

• Participatory quality (your awareness affects what unfolds)
• Future-oriented (engaging with what's emerging)
• Active/dynamic rather than passive

Creation-like characteristics Knowing LACKS:

• Effortful willing or forcing
• Attachment to specific outcomes
• Starting from "nothing" (since it recognizes what's already potential)

Realism-like characteristics Knowing HAS:

• Recognition of what's actually there
• Grounded in present moment awareness
• Responsive to actual conditions

Realism-like characteristics Knowing LACKS:

• Passive observation without participation
• Fixed, static view of "what is"
• Separation between observer and observed

 

At last, I want to differentiate certainty with Knowing. These are not the same thing. Certainty implies that there is overwhelming evidence pointing to something. It is not awareness of reality, like Knowing is.