Beyond Ordinary Knowing

In the quiet sanctuaries of the heart, there exists a perennial philosophy that is timeless, transcending history, culture, and language. This wisdom, often hidden in plain sight, beckons us to perceive reality not through the clouded lenses of our cultural and historical conditioning, but through a pure, unfiltered vision. This alternative way of knowing, this Perennial Tradition, reveals itself in every major religious tradition and every epoch, inviting us to encounter the divine in a manner that is beyond our ordinary experiences.

To know God is not to grasp at the divine with the same understanding we apply to the world around us. Our usual experiences are but interpretations, colored and shaped by the concepts and biases we carry. When we meet the divine, our preconceived notions fall away, leaving us in a space where words fail, and understanding falters. It is in this humble unknowing that we truly encounter the sacred. We must be willing to suspend our habitual ways of seeing and knowing, and instead, wait upon the divine with an open heart and mind.

The divine encounter is not something to be dissected or comprehended with our ordinary tools of thought. It is a beholding, a pure and direct engagement with the holy. In this sacred beholding, the self that processes and interprets the world around us is gently set aside. We enter a state of stillness and openness, where our historical and cultural conditioning no longer dictate our perception. This suspension of the self allows for a transformative experience, one that is universal and accessible to all who dare to contemplate deeply.

In contemplation, we release our grip on knowledge as possession. The wisdom we seek is not something to be owned but to be embraced. It is a divine knowledge that possesses us, infusing our being with an ineffable understanding that transcends the intellect. This knowledge is not confined to the mind but permeates our entire being, transforming us in ways that mere words cannot capture.

Contemplative prayer is an attention to the omnipresence of God, not as an abstract doctrine, but as a living reality. God is the great silence present in every moment, a silence that our busy minds often overlook. In the practice of contemplation, we learn to quiet the incessant chatter of our thoughts and wait in humble unknowing for the pure wisdom that descends from above. It is in this silence that we encounter the divine, an encounter that transcends all boundaries and distinctions.

I have walked this contemplative path and have been profoundly changed by it. Each moment of deep contemplation has revealed the truth of this perennial philosophy, a truth that inspires and compels me to share its beauty and transformative power. This journey is not just mine but belongs to all who seek to encounter the divine beyond the confines of ordinary experience. It is a universal call to open our hearts and minds to the timeless wisdom that awaits us in the stillness.