Knowing vs Believing

Knowing vs. Believing.

Just sit and think about that for a while.

This is a topic I know I need to post more about. I think about it all the FREAKING time.

How do I know when I know something? How do I know when it’s a belief? What’s the difference? 

This post is one that first started me thinking about the differences between knowing and believing. This book, on a similar topic, was also tremendously helpful for me to understand the same differences. And I’m not just talking about spirituality here, though I realize that’s the context of both of these links above. I wish it wasn’t. But if you really sit and think about it for more than 5 min, you will see that this is true for everything, every topic known to mankind. When do you believe? And when do you actually know?

They are different. 

There are some things we know. Other things, we believe. 

Often, it is a fine line. But they are oh-so-different.

There are some things — many things — I know that I have no proof of. This presents difficulty, particularly for my left-brained friends who want answers and logic and evidence and numbered, colour-coded links to all Things. These are the things that shakti describes as feelings or inner guidance. This is TRUE. This happens to me ALL THE TIME. There are things I just know. Often people don’t believe me because there is little evidence to support my assertions. But I just know. And I am always right, when I know, which astonishes and frustrates people to no end (particularly my family). But over time, when you get more acquainted with me, you learn that I just know things. And I know them.

I am intuitive. There are things that I know, that come to me, in ways I can’t understand or explain. It’s not all things, either. I’m not psychic. (Wait – am I?) But I am intuitive. If I tell you that I know something, I am not making it up. I am not telling you what I believe, or think, or feel to be true. It is a knowing. This is totally different from believing.

I have beliefs too. And I recognize that my beliefs are less solid than what I know. This is okay. I am comfortable with believing even in the scope of knowing, depending on what we are talking about. But generally, I’m comfortable with that instability or vagueness. “Maybe” can be good.

When it comes to religion and spirituality, there is very little that we as a whole society or race can know. But there are lots of things to believe. And I 100% whole-heartedly feel there is room for most or all of those beliefs to co-exist. They *have* to co-exist — because most of us don’t know! 🙂

Some people *do* know. This is truth. Some people have had experiences which lead them to knowing about their religion and spirituality. Some people claim to have met and experienced Jesus or God or a Saint or some other deity or prophet. I do not not believe these people. I can’t doubt someone when s/he says s/he KNOWS…. because I know all kinds of things that others doubt me over all the time.

So… if others know… and most don’t… that is okay with me. I think there is room for all of belief and knowing in the world.

(I realize this post is quite cerebral. I feel like I will be following this up at some point. Lots to digest here.)