"Know Thyself" Plato

Isn't it curious how just about everything in this material world comes with an operating manual; one specifically addressing the care and maintenance of its make, model and style? I don't care if it's a computer, a car, a refrigerator or a package of flower seeds, we always seem to get a description in ten or more languages of how to operate or nurture the item of concern. Well, human beings also require some operating instructions if we are to understand one another.

All too often we judge based on our own design rather than acknowledging that which stands before us. It's obvious that we come in many shapes, sizes, and nationalities. These obvious characteristics offer us some clues as to what make, model and style we are. If we choose to investigate further, one can get even closer to understanding those that walk along side us.

To date, no two of us are alike. At least not yet. Given this reality, wouldn't it be great to know what you were looking at and what it's identity means in terms of how it operates. The term "operates" when applied to humans addresses how we think, move, and feel. Wouldn't it be great to know if someone was a suitable partner on sight? Wouldn't it be wonderful to know how to bring out the best in a relationship, based on obvious visual clues? Think about it. We know that a cactus doesn't grow well in the forest. Wouldn't it be great to know that some of us don't grow well in the forest either while others do? Knowing who we are allows us the opportunity to genuinely love ourselves and those around us. It grants us the privilege of making fewer mistakes and recognizing which path or direction is in our best interest.

Getting to know ourselves takes some serious study. In fact, philosophers, anthropologists, and psychologists have made careers out of studying the human condition. Consequently, there are thousands of typing systems and evaluative theories categorizing our humanness; all in an effort to catch a glimpse of who we are and where we fit into this wondrous tapestry of life. And while all of these systems are good and helpful, we rarely get a clear picture by simply visually taking notes of one's mode of operandi. The reason for this is because we do not have a general understanding of the language that affords us this gift of comprehension.

The language I am speaking of is the same language that Kings and Queens used to use in planning healthy marriages for their successors. It is older than the I Ching, the Bible and Astrology. It is thought to be at least 3000 years old and unfortunately has only made it into the hands of the elitist? until now. It is called the language or rather the Knowledge of Y.O.U. (your own understanding). It reveals how we spend our energy and where we should spend it based on our style and refinement. It is very revealing in describing why it is we do the things the way we do and the way in which we are wired slightly differently when it comes to reasoning. It also further describes how polarity affects us and the importance of responding to magnetic influences. All of this has proven to be very helpful in creating perfect relationships with family, friends, acquaintances and mates. Just imagine if you could recognize your perfect mate on sight? You could if you had the knowledge. Knowledge is power and this knowledge is the power of Y.O.U. .

I came across this information in 1995. I had just ended a 20 year marriage and felt the need to reinvent myself. Since all of my adult life had been spent in this marriage, I still subscribed to an identity that was now null and void. Consequently, I set out on a quest for self-knowledge. The first thing I realized was that I needed to get really clear about my capabilities and my limitations as they applied to the vehicle that served as home for my spirit. Yes, my body of the flesh was essentially the chosen vehicle for the remainder of my life's journey and I needed to be very strategic in deciding which direction to go with it. Now, not unlike the cactus and forest, I knew that I was not wired for camping. And while some of my dearest friends did it so well it still did not change the fact that I just don't grow in a campground and a cactus simply isn't designed to grow in the forest.

You are no different. There are many things that we try as children to fit into and fail miserably at. This is because we are not honoring our vehicle's operating instructions and worse yet, our parents didn't receive one with our arrival. The harsh reality is that we get all kinds of instructions for judging, valuing and complying with humanity as it relates to love, life, and religion but nothing in the way of objective practical human identification and application. What does this mean? This means that we have lost our sensibilities when it comes to common sense. Just for a minute, imagine an early prehistoric caveman walking the earth; one of a few human inhabitants. How does he protect himself? How does he assess his needs for survival? How does he reason when there is not yet an intricate verbal language from which to express himself? The answer to all of these questions and more is, "He manages to survive by tuning into the obvious". The "obvious" is something that has been lost over centuries. It is that which blatantly stares us in the face but goes seemingly unnoticed. It has become masked, muffled, diluted, embroidered upon, distorted, contrived, reformed, repackaged and marketed to the masses; so much so that common sense in its original debut has essentially mutated. What kind of repercussion does this de-evolution produce? It produces confusion. We know longer know what we are looking at but instead subscribe to what we are being sold. We no longer know the truth even when it stands before us in all its obvious glory. Now the final question is "what is this glory"? The glory is the knowledge of Y.O.U., knowing thyself. We are really a very simple lot. In fact I like to think of us as a parking lot on an auto dealer's property. "Welcome to Earth Autos." Each one of us exemplifies an automobile with certain features and options. Jaguars aren't designed to go up the side of mountains like a Jeep with four-wheel drive and many of us are not designed to go camping.

The wonderful thing about this ancient language is that each car or rather individual possesses certain strengths and weaknesses. Some go really fast and others are designed to cruise. If we come to learn that lions roar and cats meow, then we will likely quit trying to change the lion into a kitty. We know when we look at a Lion that he's not going to meow. We know that when we get into a Jaguar we aren't going to traverse sand dunes.

Each of us can be described in detail by our very obvious features. Our hair color, skin tones, eye color, physique, skin texture, mannerisms and dress all reveal who we are and what direction we are designed to move in. Unfortunately, we have not been taught this language. Thus, we are the only objects on the face the Earth without an objective universal descriptive language. We have many psychological subjective typing systems and astrological devices that require questionnaires and inquiries as to when and where we were born and how we grew up and who influenced our lives. But rarely are we seen and accepted at face value. When we see a Ford Mustang GT, we know it's a Ford Mustang Gt. We don't concern ourselves with where or when it was manufactured or if it had a tragic past (unless of course we are wanting buy it). We are looking for the car that can perform according to its design and providing it has been well maintained, the likelihood of that happening is good. Humans are no different.

I guess one of the reasons this knowledge has proven to be so helpful is that it insists I accept everyone in this instant. It pleads with me to love myself and those around me. It also reaffirms that each of us is designed to be with someone. We have physical laws that support this theory and when we tamper with Mother Nature we only serve to undermine our own significance. The irony in all of it is that it's the fear of insignificance that man fears most, yet we do very little to understand the self that transports the fear. Once one masters the language, the need to spend precious energy analyzing can better be used for promoting one's significance.

Since this promotional task requires energy or as some prefer to call it, Life Force, we need to take responsibility for managing it. I like to think that our life force as being similar to a glass of water. According to science we are 70-90% water. We expend this energy or become dehydrated during travel on life's journey. When we cling to things, over analyze, or scatter ourselves about frenetically, we essentially expedite diminishing the very life force that could be used in finding the love of our life. The earlier we find this love, the sooner we rise to our full potential. This potential is accessible if we come to understand that which is closest to our creator. That would be thyself. Outside of you and your God, who and what is the love of your life? When you know thyself, the answer is easy. It's this answer that holds the key to happiness. It's the process of putting forth the effort to find it that brings you the answer. For me to give you the answer would rob you of the gift. Thus, I ask that you begin by Loving Y.O.U. By simply doing this, you will have the understanding that allows you to embrace your the differences of others effortlessly.

Zannah Hackett Rev., BAE, MA
Author, The Ancient Wisdom of Matchmaking
Trainer and Inspirational Speaker
http://www.pauseformagic.com

Zannah Hackett Rev,BAE,MA is today's answer for single women in search of the perfect mate. Zannah has been training men and women in body, mind and spiritual fitness for over 30 years worldwide. Her experience includes professional modern and ballet repertoire dancer, Area Training Director for The Fitness Institute, Director of Health Services Development for Samaritan Hospitals, Personal Trainer for the famous Golden Door Fitness Resort, author and television/radio talk show hostess, and a non-denominational minister ordained by The ADL, Alliance of Divine Love. She currently devotes her time to sharing the hidden knowledge that she has tailored expressly for single women, matchmakers, therapists, relationship experts, personal trainers, designers, casting directors and life coaches. It has most assuredly produced new hope for mankind. Zannah has spent nine years mastering this incredible language of love for purposes of bringing men and women together for all the right reasons.