Know thyself...

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The ancient Greek aphorism 'γνῶθι σεαυτόν' roughly translated as 'Know Thyself' has had many different meanings throughout literature. The Suda (a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world) says: “the proverb is applied to those whose boasts exceed what they are, and that know thyself is a warning to pay no attention to the opinion of the multitude”.

In Plato's Philebus, Socrates said that people make themselves appear ridiculous when they are trying to know obscure things before they know themselves. Later Benjamin Franklin observed the great difficulty of knowing one's self by saying “there are three things extremely hard, steel, a diamond and to know one's self.” More recently (or not so recently) the Latin of know thyself: 'temet nosce' was inscribed over the Oracle's door in the Matrix.

"Know thyself" the interpretations are endless yet we obsess over it . It is the basis of the majority of self-help, the aim and basis of many religions; its the sign of being a mature adult. But how do you 'know thyself'? What does that really look like 'knowing thyself'? Is it all about introspection and self reflection or is knowing 'thyself' not about us at all? Abraham Joshua Herschel once said “Know thy God rather than know thyself... there is no self-understanding with out God-understanding.” 

 

In my search to know/understand myself I have to admit that I get slightly confused, lost and bewildered at times. Like Anne from L.M. Montgomery's Anne of the Isle I think I know myself then, myself changes and I have to get acquainted all over again. Is it growing pains or is the quest to 'Know thyself' akin to chasing a rainbows end?

 

“I do know my own mind,' ... 'The trouble is, my mind changes and then I have to get acquainted with it all over again.” L.M. Montgomery