What is Knowing?

In my recent interview with Able Wanamakok, we talked about “How to Tune into our Knowing.” Able asked me a very valid question, “What is Knowing?”

To simply put, Knowing is something we “know” deep inside us and yet we don’t necessarily understand why it is so or what it is all about.

Think of love at first sight. Not many of us have experienced it and yet we do believe it exists. We may even know people who are together because they fell in love at first sight. They just “know” when they meet. Yet, they don’t necessarily understand why they feel the way they feel. how it all happens and indeed what happens exactly. So we use the word “chemistry” to describe if not explain it so that we can satisfy our mind in order to accept the fact without having to understand it.

Is Knowing a new thing? No. Knowing has been around for a long time, just like mindfulness. It only seems new because it is being talked about much more and with more focus recently.

A few years ago, mindfulness was seen as a new if not a foreign concept. Look at where it is now and the impact it has made in our lives. And I believe Knowing will be the next big concept to be played out.

Do we all have Knowing? Yes. So “why don’t I see any?” you may be asking.

Many of us don’t connect with our Knowing because often when it turns up, we shut it down immediately. We shut it down because we cannot understand it.

“If it doesn’t make sense, don’t do it.”

“If there is no reason to do it, don’t do it.”

“If it’s not logical, don’t get into it.”

Sounds familiar?

Knowing isn’t for the mind as there is nothing to be understood. There is no logic, reason or rationale in it.

Knowing is for the heart as it needs to be felt and sensed without judgement, analysis or question. It needs to be acknowledged, accepted and acted upon as it is.

Knowing often takes us out from where we are and what we are accustomed to. In order to get connected with it, not only do we need to get over the logic, reason or rationale our mind so demands but also be open and willing to step out from our comfort zone AND step up to the often untouched and unchartered territory and path.

My Knowing of leaving my established life in Asia behind to move to Los Angeles was one example. There was no logic, reason or rationale that my mind could understand as much as it wanted to understand. I was asked to step out (from my established life) and step up (move to a foreign city where I knew no one and had nothing I knew awaiting me) in order to truly connect with the Knowing and my life.

Our life cannot unfold itself to us until we have taken the very first step, that is to step out and step up. Yet, many of us are not prepared to take any step until our life has unfolded itself.

Knowing requires a lot of trusts. Trust in ourselves. Trust in our knowing. And trust in ourselves in trusting the knowing.

“Knowing” doesn't always turn up as a big thing or be Self-centric. Sometimes, it simply asks us to be of service to someone by saying something out of nowhere, out of context or a combination of both.

On a few occasions, I found myself sitting next to someone somewhere. I did not know the person and yet I suddenly “know” I had to say a particular message to this person. It’s strange, I know. However, each time when I allow my Knowing to speak its truth, I am often blown away by what follows.

Once, the person broke down in tears in front of me after I acted on my Knowing. I just sat and let him be, knowing fully that I wasn’t there to add, intervene or change anything other than delivering the Knowing as it was. When he got hold of his emotion, he simply said thank you and then left.

Knowing may seem complicated and mysterious. But it is neither.

Knowing is one powerful tool that we all have. If we truly want to connect with it and live a truthful and liberating life, we need to focus more on what we sense, not what makes sense in life.