Self-knowledge is a path of introspection; it is a process of critical and analytical investigation of oneself. There is no discovery without diving into oneself. Hence, the path of self-knowledge is introspective and peculiar. The modernity offers several promises of “magic” tools for personal discovery and development.
Understand that we are a part of a Gestalt, being influenced by the whole and influencing all the time the external context; each perception of truth and reality is subjective, sometimes having several versions of stories about the same fact. Moreover, it’s a long way, a resilient journey of problem-solving which requires humility to analyse and recognize mistakes and ask for help when one needs to change. Self-knowledge is a path that never stops for those who seek it, because there is always something new to know when it comes to the human psyche.
Self-knowledge and mental health
Let’s understand self-knowledge through the mental health bias. Think here with me: how many times have you neglected preventive care for your mental health?
If one believes in Gestalt psychology, it makes perfect sense to provide systemic and integrative care for one’s physical and mental health. According to Portuguese dictionary on Google, systemic medicine means “involving the organism as a whole or in large part”.
Hence, one needs to care for oneself from head to toes, from the outer context to the deep interior. And even this journey of self-knowledge through integral preventive care does not mean that one will be free from the things of human duality on this earth: diseases, problems, trials, fears, pandemics and so on. It just means that one will learn along the passage here on earth to be resilient to physical and psychological processes – that way your organism will know your inner strength, and there will be acceptance and gratitude for the learning that is to be here and now.
Becoming a “self-watcher”
One of the tools for self-knowledge is meditation and the practice of mindfulness. By meditating one becomes the “self-watcher”. The still mind when meditating is focused, relaxed and present: attentive to the here and now. From this state, we extend our mindfulness to all our day-to-day activities and cognitive processes; so we are practicing mindfulness.
A mind conditioned to accept, be grateful for, connect with unconditional love (loving your neighbour as you love yourself), and be present (here and now) becomes a mind of full consciousness. This is a journey for us, humans, here on earth of evolution; it’s a continuous learning. Start your personal development journey now, don’t leave it for later.
Try this online self-development program to learn how one can practice meditation and mindfulness in daily activities.