Knowledge vs Experience

Knowing about something is going to leave you with knowledge. But, knowledge itself is not going to make much difference (refer to post) in the areas like relationships, freedom, peace mind etc. In those areas of life where you do not experience power, consider we are just talking about a new possibility of being - open, calm, loving etc. When you declare a new possibility and a path way for new actions do not open up, consider you are still just talking about that possibility. You probably are not experiencing that possibility in the present moment. Experiencing that possibility gives you pathway to transformation.

What is this experience that I am talking about? Is it something like an emotional state that you feel when you watch a good movie? No.

Then, what is this experience that I am talking about? Can you experience being calm / peaceful / bold / self-expressive.


Do you have an experience of how it would be to be calm? Yes. Each one of us know, how it would be if we are calm. We give descriptions of our own experience of how it would be to be calm based on the past experience. Describing experience is like expressing your knowledge of "being calm" vs experiencing "being calm" in that moment. Can you see these two are very distinct phenomena? This is the difference between knowledge and experience.

How do I experience a certain way of being? 
Let's ask how do I experience love especially when I do not like a particular person?
Being a human being, it is very simple, you already have that ability to be any certain way that you want and that's how you were born. It is just that you got out of touch with it overtime.

How we live is that, there is something more to know to practice being loving. Your very fundamental nature of self is whole, perfect and complete - includes everything calm / peace / love / affinity etc. It is just that some barriers are in your way of experiencing that. What are these barriers? These barrier are those blind spots hidden from your view that are controlling you who you are being in that moment, in that situation and with that particular person. All the Landmark forum distinctions help you uncover those blind spots (inauthenticities) and leave you with an experience of new realm of possibilities (transformation) the moment you are authentic about your inauthenticity.

Only actions leave you with experience, not thoughts / moods / feelings / knowledge etc.

Keep experiencing! Welcome your real self you are.

Authenticity

Look into your life where you have loss of power, freedom, self-expression and peace of mind. This state / condition may manifest in one of the following ways in reality:


Lack of Self-expression:

• You want to express something with someone and you hold back
• Hesitate a lot to ask someone for a favor
• Can't look into other person's eyes and talk (especially with the other gender) and with strangers
• Feel tired (not physical but something like headache) after attending some group activities - meetings, social gatherings, parties etc
• many more such symptoms where you feel constrained in expressing yourself fully

Lack of Power: Notice the kind of conversation that you have with yourself 

• I am a victim
• Resisting life - "This should never / ever happen to me" or "This should ever happen / remain with me"
• Resignation & Cynicism: I don't know what to do. I have done every possible thing I could. Nothing can change this. This is my destiny, what can I do?
• I don't have any say in the matter of my life - he / she is unfair, my boss is unfair, my husband / wife is unfair, life is unfair, life is boring etc
• Why did this happen to me? Why me?
• Self- criticism: I should not have done that, I am not good enough (not capable enough, not smart enough, not intelligent enough etc)
• many other such symptoms wherever you give away control of your life to others / situations

Lack of Freedom: Our country has got freedom, but, we have not got it yet from the constraints formed by our own opinions and beliefs. Lack of freedom has got NOTHING to do with others. If you are thinking / feeling that others are not giving you the freedom, that's where you are trapped. Look at where you can't speak / express and act.

Lack of peace of mind: How does it shows up? you know about this a lot.

In any area of your life, if you experience any of the above / similar, consider you have an in-authenticity in that area.

How do you transform that area?

1. By being authentic about your in-authenticity and be present to the impact it had on you and others. Take responsibility for the same.
2. Invent a new possibility in that area of your life
3. Enroll others in you having gotten that possibility such that they are touched, moved and inspired

How do I distinguish my in-authenticity?

You have all the distinctions of landmark forum to distinguish your in-authenticity - Rackets, Strong Suits, Vicious circle (What happened & Story ), Myth of I and Because etc

Assignment: Apply any of the Landmark Forum distinctions to distinguish your in-authenticity in an area of life where you have lack of power, freedom, self-expression and peace of mind and share your experience here as comments in this blog.