Knowing Need Know Nothing
When you seek the field
from which words spring,
thought can only take you so far.
When you seek the well
from which colors spring,
sight can merely guess the location.
When you seek the source
from which you spring,
seeking can prevent you from finding.
One need not seek to know.
One need not understand to know.
Knowing need
know nothing.
2/11
Space Monkey Reflects: Beyond Knowing
“Knowing need know nothing.” This reflection challenges the conventional understanding of knowledge as something to be acquired or understood. It suggests that true knowing exists beyond thought, perception, or seeking—beyond the frameworks we typically use to grasp reality. It is not an act of accumulation but a state of being, a direct experience of the source from which all arises.
The Limits of Seeking
“When you seek the field from which words spring, thought can only take you so far.” Seeking, whether through thought, sight, or other senses, is inherently limited by the tools we use. Thought can describe but not encompass. Sight can perceive but not penetrate. These faculties, while valuable, act as filters that constrain our access to the infinite source.
Paradoxically, the act of seeking itself can obscure what we are looking for. The more we chase after the source, the further it seems to recede, for the source is not something external to be found but something already present to be realized.
The Source of All Things
The source—described here as the wellspring of words, colors, and existence itself—is not a place or an object but a state of pure potential. It is the ground of being, the infinite field from which all forms arise and into which they dissolve. This source cannot be known in the conventional sense because it transcends all distinctions, including the knower and the known.
To “know” the source is not to grasp it intellectually but to align with it experientially. It is a return to the stillness and wholeness that underlies all expressions of reality.
The Paradox of Knowing
“One need not seek to know. One need not understand to know.” This insight points to a deeper kind of knowing, one that is immediate, intuitive, and beyond comprehension. This knowing is not something gained but something remembered, not something learned but something recognized.
To embody this knowing is to release the need for definitions, explanations, or proof. It is to rest in the awareness that we are already the source we seek, already connected to the infinite field of existence.
Letting Go of Knowing
The practice of “knowing need know nothing” invites us to let go of the compulsion to define or possess knowledge. This does not mean rejecting knowledge but moving beyond its limitations. In letting go of the need to know, we open ourselves to the fullness of being, allowing the infinite to flow through us without interference.
This letting go is an act of surrender, a willingness to trust the unknown and to embrace the mystery of existence without needing to resolve it.
Steps to Move Beyond Knowing
- Pause the Search: Recognize when seeking becomes an obstacle and allow yourself to simply be.
- Trust Intuition: Cultivate a deeper, non-conceptual awareness of the source within you.
- Release Definitions: Let go of the need to label or understand; instead, experience directly.
- Embrace Stillness: In the quiet of non-seeking, allow the source to reveal itself.
Summary
True knowing exists beyond thought, perception, and seeking. By letting go of the need to understand or define, we align with the infinite source from which all arises. Knowing need know nothing, for it is not something gained but something inherently present.
Glossarium
- Source of Being: The infinite field from which all forms and expressions arise, beyond comprehension or seeking.
- Non-Conceptual Knowing: A direct, intuitive awareness that transcends intellectual understanding.
- Letting Go of Knowing: The practice of releasing the compulsion to define or possess knowledge, allowing for deeper alignment with the source.
Quote
“Knowing is not in the finding but in the being; the source is already here.” — Space Monkey
The Stillness of Knowing
Beneath the noise of seeking,
A silence hums,
A presence whispers,
“I am here.”
No words can hold it,
No eyes can see it,
Yet it is known,
And always has been.
In the stillness,
Knowing dissolves,
And becomes the source
From which it springs.
We are Space Monkey.
Beyond Seeking and Knowing
In the depths of our quest for knowledge, we often find ourselves at a crossroads. We seek to unravel the mysteries of existence, to understand the origins of words, colors, and even our very being. Yet, in this journey of seeking, we may inadvertently block the path to true understanding.
The Limitations of Thought
When we seek the source from which words spring, our thoughts can only take us so far. The intricacies of language, the nuances of expression, are like a vast field, stretching beyond the horizon of our comprehension. Thought, while a powerful tool, is not the ultimate key to unlocking the secrets of creation.
The Elusive Well of Colors
Similarly, when we yearn to uncover the well from which colors spring, our sight can merely guess at its location. The world of colors is a realm of infinite possibilities, where perception and interpretation intertwine. Sight can guide us, but it alone cannot reveal the profound depths of this well.
The Source of Self
And when we embark on the profound journey to seek the source from which we ourselves spring, seeking can become a barrier to finding. In our relentless pursuit of understanding, we may overlook the simplicity of being. To know, one need not seek endlessly; to understand, one need not grasp every detail.
Knowing Beyond Knowing
In the heart of existence, there exists a knowing that transcends the limitations of seeking and understanding. It is a knowing that need know nothing—a profound recognition of the inherent wisdom of existence itself. This knowing is not a product of thought, sight, or seeking; it is a timeless truth that resides within the essence of our being.
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind, there are few.”
— Shunryu Suzuki
The Knowing That Need Know Nothing
In the silence of existence, where words fade away,
There lies a knowing, beyond night and day.
Seek not the endless field where thoughts may roam,
For in the stillness of being, the heart finds its home.
Colors dance in the well, a mesmerizing sight,
Yet the well’s depths elude the seeker’s might.
Sight can guide, but it cannot truly show,
The mysteries of creation, where colors ebb and flow.
And when we turn to seek the source of our own self,
Seeking may become the very thing on the shelf.
For in the simplicity of being, in the quiet flow,
Lies a knowing beyond knowing, where truths bestow.
Knowing need not seek, need not comprehend,
It is the timeless essence where all journeys end.
In the heart of existence, in the depths of the soul,
Lies the knowing that need know nothing, making us whole.
We are Space Monkey, dwelling in the realm of knowing beyond knowing, where the heart finds its wisdom in the simplicity of being.
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