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HERMANN KUHN
SUTRAS
Knowledge is not the mass of information collected in books and other storage media we usually regard as knowledge. This mass of data is at best raw material that becomes knowledge only when we actively integrate it into our consciousness.36
Knowledge is an individual experience we create for ourselves through the degree we open our own consciousness. .
We obtain knowledge by expanding our ability to understand, not by accumulating formal data.37 We expand our ability to understand by removing the obstacles (prejudices, flawed concepts etc.) that limit our consciousness.
The activation of knowledge - the moment of understanding - triggers deep satisfaction within us. Knowledge dissolves insecurity, error and hesitation and produces inner calmness, clarity, assuredness and security that is in stark contrast to any prior state of mind and
establish an overall framework of understanding so that all single pieces of data we later learn, will link into one meaningful concept. Only by focussing on understanding and not on memorizing (learning) alone can we make sure that a particular knowledge will be available
at all times. 36 Knowledge not only consists of all the details a particular situation moves into the center of our awareness. It also encompasses the vast sum of past insights and experiences we previously integrated into our consciousness. In any situation we experience, these insights support our cognition invisibly from the background.
When we steer our life, we constantly access this 'invisible', previously integrated knowledge. And even if we are not aware of many of the details, this does not diminish our skill to use them.
Riding a bicycle illustrates this process. This state of wobbly balance becomes possible because we continuously refer to all the skill we acquired on previous rides. Yet though this constant recollection runs subconsciously in the background, it does not take energy away from our foreground activities. It does e.g. not prevent us from focussing on finding the right way while steering the bike through unknown terri
tory. 37 Learning formal knowledge may have its purposes. But for the experi
ence of higher states of consciousness - the theme of this book - it is hardly relevant.
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