self knowledge

Four times in the last three days, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet has come up in my life–all on social media, on different platforms, and from people who are not connected in any way. When something like that happens, I know what it means–it’s time to crack open the copy that has been sitting in my home office for over a year and has not been read yet.

The Prophet is a quick read, I read it last night and plan to revisit it this weekend because it is full of wisdom that needs to be unlocked–a quick read does not do it justice.

I did come across this passage on self-knowledge that I wanted to share:

“Your hearts know in silence the secrets

of the days and nights.

But your ears thirst for the sounds of

your heart’s knowledge.

You would know in words that which

you have always known in thoughts.

You would touch with your fingers the

naked body of your dreams.

And it is well you should.

The hidden well-spring of your soul must meet the

needs rise and run murmuring to the sea;

And the treasure of your infinite depths

would be revealed to your eyes.

But let there be no scales to weigh your

unknown treasure;

And seek not the depths of your knowledge

with staff or sounding line.

For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, “I have found the truth,” but

rather, “I have found a truth.”

Say not, “I have found the path of the soul.”

Say rather, “I have met the soul walking upon my path.”

For the soul walks upon all paths.

The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.

The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.”

I was tempted to bold my favorite lines, but I decided to leave it as Gibran wrote it, without my emphasis so I would not influence your first reading of the passage.

See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC