Trees, Knowledge, and Insight

Often, I think about things that I should know. As a therapist, people often think that I should have the answers. Quite the contrary… I do not.

I think that humanity has a desire to pursue knowledge. In the beginning, Adam and Eve ate from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The key word, for me, is ‘Knowledge’. After eating of the fruit, they acquired knowledge. They had the ability to ‘know’ their nakedness and to ‘know’ to be ashamed. Such is the beginning of humanity's pursuit of knowledge, and humanity's tendency to gravitate towards sin.

I believe that we are a fallen people. Humanity, as a fallen race, has a tendency to gravitate towards sin. We take knowledge and pervert it because of our sinful nature. We use knowledge as power, knowledge as manipulation, knowledge as ‘Truth’.

Nevertheless, I think that I should know things. I should have insight and knowledge. After all, I’m studying philosophy and relationships, right? While reviewing some of my previous writings, I found the following bit of insight that I apparently wrote out of a moment of clarity: “The very insight that one needs to remember is that one does not need insight. The “real” insight into the problem cannot be seen in the midst of the problem. Insight is only discovered after acting. Act; then you will be. Then, in being you will see.”

These are my thoughts and questions:

I can only act. By acting in a situation, I can begin to see - - or in my case, have insight and knowledge.

If I act as if and draw attention to peoples’ behavior in a way that solidifies their explanation of themselves, then they have no other opportunity but to continuing being as they are. However, if I act as if peoples’ actions have a purpose in their context, a new opportunity is created. They can now view themselves differently; therefore, a new reality is created; a new perception is created. There is insight and knowledge.

If I did have the answers, they would only be my own answers. My own answers would do little to help another person.