There are different ways of knowing things. In thinking it over, I've identified three. First is an intellectual knowing of a thing you've read or heard about or observed (like a science experiment). This might be termed "head knowing". Next is a knowing in the gut, an intuition. This occurs when a person decides to change their plans because they just "know" something bad is going to happen. And sure enough, something does happen to their original flight or along their intended route, or what have you. People who believe they fell in love at first sight are also trusting in this "gut knowing". The third type of knowing is what I call "heart knowing". This likely takes some time and experience of a person or situation to develop. An example of this type of knowing is when it looks as if a man has committed a crime, but his wife (or mother...or friend...or child...) knows he's not the sort of person to do such a thing and maintains his innocence even after he is convicted. Then one day it becomes possible to use DNA evidence to prove his innocence and he is released. Sometimes heart knowledge doesn't agree with head knowledge, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. At times it may be in our best interest to believe in something that can't be proven.
Then I realized that if there are these different ways of knowing, there are different ways of being known, as well. Many grown people are most comfortable with being known primarily on an intellectual level. They like to talk and be listened to, because that gives them more control over what others think of them, or how others "know" them. Gut knowledge no one has much control over, though I suppose a person might do their best to look good, being clean and well-groomed and dressing neatly, in an effort to offset any negative impact we might unwittingly have on others' intuition. If we are very comfortable with the people we are with, we may be able to still our intellect enough to get to know them with our heart, to feel the essence of the person they are and let them see the unedited version of us, the one we're usually trying to put a spin on in our dealings with other people. Young children are still skilled at knowing and being known with the heart, probably because they have little experience with life and so don't feel scared yet to let others be close to them.
You likely know of other types of knowing I didn't think of, but these are the ones that I know make sense. I know all three of these kinds of knowledge are useful to us. We just need to know how to listen to and for each kind and to know which one is best to trust in in each instance. And that kind of knowledge probably comes from a blend of all three (or more) types of knowing. Do you know what I mean?
If knowing is a pattern, then it might bear mentioning some anti-patterns. I am thinking that while there is the gut-knowing, the knowing-in-one's-bones, there is a denial native to each of us. This denial, or rather the capacity for it, can keep us from accepting what we know. It can be a most insidious thing, or it can protect us from what might kill us if assimilated too quickly. I do not judge here.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you may have the beginnings of a post of your own here, Jack! Don't forget, you're always welcome to publish as a guest on the blog. I think your thought is worth expounding :)
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