Quest for knowledge
Today, I want to focus on Knowledge; how important knowledge is in removing ignorance. In prayer we may say, ‘Please take away ignorance from within me and fill me with knowledge’. When we are ignorant of who we are; when we are ignorant of the field around us and how it operates; when we are ignorant of rules of interaction then a lot of misery and pain can result.

The quest for knowledge is always extremely important on the journey to self-awareness, enlightenment, self-realization, self actualization. The quest for knowledge is paramount.

Learning takes place in every moment

If an individual is to become a better person, a more aware person or a more competent person then knowledge is important. What is important in this process is understanding that in every situation and in every moment, learning can take place. When we think of learning we think of lectures, schools and formal institutions. Can we open our eyes to see that learning takes place every where and anytime in the Universal or Comic field we exist in?

Take responsibility; Open the doors to knowledge

If we really want to remove ignorance then we need to have a strong desire for knowledge and a strong desire to know more.   There is a saying, ‘Seek and you shall find; Knock and it will be opened to you’. The doors of knowledge are always there for us. When we find ourselves not able to manage our situations internally and externally in our activities in the world, we need to reflect upon this limitation of knowledge: ‘Am I understanding my relationship with the world? Do I know enough to deal with myself and the world in a better way?’ When we see limitation we need to think, ‘How can I improve my knowledge?’

Resources are always around us - people, events, books - to teach and to guide us. So, we have no excuse for not being able to manage the life process. If we are responsible seekers of Truth then we should not say, ‘No one guided me; I did not know enough.’ We should take full responsibility for learning, saying ‘I am going to seek out knowledge; I am going to find it. As long as knowledge exists in the world, I am going to find it!’ That is the true seeker.

Tools and resources

If you expand your awareness, you will see that the Universe can be called a school, a place of learning. We can learn from every event. It just takes a strong desire to learn and the awareness of the personal tools you have for learning and the intelligent use of the resources around you. Sometimes we neglect to use the tools of learning. The senses and how we use them, the power of attention, concentration, memory, intellect, these are powerful tools in gathering and processing information.

There is so much information available around us and everywhere. Are we using our tools of learning well? Are we using them effectively? Are we using all the material that is around us? Are we seeking information?  Is it available? Are we using the expertise of people around us who know more than we do?

Am I a good student?

We should be true students if we are to lift the awareness; if we are to understand our true nature, the nature of the field we exist in and the nature of the inter-play and interaction. We need to be a true student. A true student is one who has a genuine desire to learn, is aware of the tools of learning, uses them effectively and uses the resources around in the best possible. The field of learning is the world. The world is rich with experiences everyday for learning. The choice is yours.

Learning can take us to freedom, to that space where we can see all the choices before us and where we can make intelligent choices. Where we   can manage the interactions and the learning and growing from the experience.

Life is a great teacher and learning is a life long process. Be a good student.

These are my words today for you to reflect upon – ‘Am I a good student?’ ‘How can I be a good student?’ ‘How can I take responsibility for my learning?’