Know Thyself is a principle... but how do you get to know yourself?

Know thyself is what is one of the 147 maxims inscribed in Delphi... [note]Follow God
Obey the law
Worship the Gods
Respect your parents
Be overcome by justice
Know what you have learned
Perceive what you have heard
Be/Know yourself
Intend to get married
Know your opportunity
Think as a mortal
If you are a stranger act like one
Honor the hearth (or Hestia)
Control yourself
Help your friends
Control anger
Exercise prudence
Honor providence
Do not use an oath
Love friendship
Cling to discipline
Pursue honor
Long for wisdom
Praise the good
Find fault with no one
Praise virtue
Practice what is just
Be kind to friends
Watch out for your enemies
Exercise nobility of character
Shun evil
Be impartial
Guard what is yours
Shun what belongs to others
Listen to everyone
Be (religiously) silent
Do a favor for a friend
Nothing to excess
Use time sparingly
Foresee the future
Despise insolence
Have respect for suppliants
Be accommodating in everything
Educate your sons
Give what you have
Fear deceit
Speak well of everyone
Be a seeker of wisdom
Choose what is divine
Act when you know
Shun murder
Pray for things possible
Consult the wise
Test the character
Give back what you have received
Down-look no one
Use your skill
Do what you mean to do
Honor a benefaction
Be jealous of no one
Be on your guard
Praise hope
Despise a slanderer
Gain possessions justly
Honor good men
Know the judge
Master wedding-feasts
Recognize fortune
Flee a pledge
Speak plainly
Associate with your peers
Govern your expenses
Be happy with what you have
Revere a sense of shame
Fulfill a favor
Pray for happiness
Be fond of fortune
Observe what you have heard
Work for what you can own
Despise strife
Detest disgrace
Restrain the tongue
Keep yourself from insolence
Make just judgements
Use what you have
Judge incorruptibly
Accuse one who is present
Tell when you know
Do not depend on strength
Live without sorrow
Live together meekly
Finish the race without shrinking back
Deal kindly with everyone
Do not curse your sons
Rule your wife
Benefit yourself
Be courteous
Give a timely response
Struggle with glory
Act without repenting
Repent of sins
Control the eye
Give a timely counsel
Act quickly
Guard friendship
Be grateful
Pursue harmony
Keep deeply the top secret
Fear ruling
Pursue what is profitable
Accept due measure
Do away with enmities
Accept old age
Do not boast in might
Exercise (religious) silence
Flee enmity
Acquire wealth justly
Do not abandon honor
Despise evil
Venture into danger prudently
Do not tire of learning
Do not stop to be thrifty
Admire oracles
Love whom you rear
Do not oppose someone absent
Respect the elder
Teach a youngster
Do not trust wealth
Respect yourself
Do not begin to be insolent
Crown your ancestors
Die for your country
Do not be discontented by life
Do not make fun of the dead
Share the load of the unfortunate
Gratify without harming
Grieve for no one
Beget from noble routes
Make promises to no one
Do not wrong the dead
Be well off as a mortal
Do not trust fortune
As a child be well-behaved
As a youth be self-disciplined
As of middle-age be just
As an old man be sensible
On reaching the end be without sorrow[/note]

In fact, it is a principle.

A principle is something to live by, something to get guidance from.

When we talk about principle driven life, any of those 147, and countless other principles will do your life justice.

When I look at people, when I observe them, their lives have no rhyme, no purpose...

Looking good is not a principle.
Wanting to be right is not a principle
I am pretty/smart/stupid is not a principle
I want to be rich is not a principle

All of those are desires. All keep you anchored on the horizontal plane, the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Principles, on the other hand, can take you all the way to the vertical.

Principles are also not rules.

You have enough rules that keep you stuck and miserable and powerless...

Know Thyself is a guidance, as all the principles.
All principles lead you to the strait and narrow, all rules keep you from it.

The trick is to know the rules that run you, that run your life.

You can't catch something that you cannot see... So the job is to see your rules, so you can catch them, and let them go... like a butterfly.

Almost all rules are in the Systemic Value range.

• I have to,
• need to,
• want to,
• should... or else.
• Republicans are the right party.
• Christianity is
• God is
• Jesus is
• The government is

Catch the "is" in those phrases? It shows a rule (also called myth)

• I am
• You are
• We are
• They are

are versions of "is"... rule, myth, misery maker.

You are stuck on the lowest level of value, and it is not even the whole horizontal plane!

Principles are in the highest level of value, the intrinsic value, the vertical plane.

Some people (myself included) gets returned to the vertical by just whispering one of those principles...

My favorite is "there is never any hurry on the creative plane".

It returns me to freedom, to sanity, to coherence, to wide cone of vision, to joy... no matter what was pulling me down. Amazing.

So how do you use a principle? Remember, it's a guidance, and you use guidance.

The first thing is: don't take it as a rule. It is a gentle guidance. Rule has a flip side to it: punishment if you don't keep the rule.

Guidance has no flip side... that is how you know it is NOT systemic value, like a rule. It is part of the billions of facets of a diamond, the intrinsic values.

Depending on where you are on the vibrational scale, you'll have to work on this: you'll want a rule... but you have to release its grip on you... and mellow it, allow it to guide you.

Not easy, but possible.

If you want, we could do some workshops where the participant tries on some principles, and I help them release that it's a rule. I can feel you inside... I can feel if you are obeying, or using, if you are grasping, or allowing. That's why you want an empath in this with you.

Know Thyself is one of the most difficult guidances, because you don't.

You don't know yourself.

This is why you do so many psychological tests, read so many articles, because you don't know yourself.

You don't know what is relevant, what isn't. You think it is good or bad... systemic values.

But it is a lot more interesting than that.

One tool I have found really invaluable is the Spirit Animal [note]What is a spirit animal?
For some, a Spirit Animal is an otherworldly guide who appears to offer love, healing, and support during difficult times. To others, a Spirit Animal is the same as a Totem Animal – it's who you really are.[/note] book is the guidance.

[note]https://www.spirit-animals.com[/note] My spirit animal is the skunk [note]The skunk spirit animal may not have the best reputation because of the unpleasant odor that it emits. However, despite is smelly reputation, the skunk symbolism has magical and mystical associations.

The adorable and feisty little skunk holds a message of great power. It commands respect and admiration, and you will seriously give it a second thought when you get to know the true skunk meaning.
Common Skunk Spirit Animal Meanings

The skunk meaning places the emphasis on being distinct. It symbolizes the importance of being who you are and living authentically without caring about other people’s opinions.

When the skunk spirit animal appears to you, it’s to help you build up your self-confidence. It’s to help you develop your strength and sense of independence.

It wants you to trust in yourself more and live on your own terms by setting your own boundaries. The skunk symbolism urges you to rely on yourself more.

Focus on the signals that you are sending to people and what they feel or think about you. Learn to accept the good with the bad and use it to make yourself a better person.

When you can accept all your strengths and weaknesses, you can then truly express yourself. You can be comfortable in your own skin.

The skunk spirit animal prefers to do its own thing quietly, so you should do the same. Do not bring attention to yourself just for the sake of gaining popularity or just to get people’s approval.

Either people like you or they don’t. They will see you and notice you every time, so make sure that you control how they notice you.

The meaning of the skunk also symbolizes attraction. People are drawn to you for many reasons, even if you keep pushing them away.
If Your Spirit Animal is the Skunk, read this carefully…

Sometimes the skunk spirit animal appears in your life to remind you that you can get attention without being annoying, irritating, or arrogant. It also shows up when you no longer know how to deal with people who annoy the hell out of you.

The meaning of the skunk holds great importance. It awakens you to recognize your abilities and be aware of the power of your sexuality and sensuality.

Your skunk totem wants you to be prepared for disappointments, setbacks, and obstacles. But you don’t have anything to worry about because they are only temporary.

You are made of strong stuff. You can easily get back on your feet.

Just remember that whatever is keeping you from achieving your goals will be sorted sooner rather than later. Trust in the message of the skunk!
Skunk spirit animals as messengers of change

Unlike the Dove, the meaning of the skunk seeks to remind you to build up your self-esteem. It symbolizes the need to have more self-respect.

If in the past you have allowed people to treat you unkindly, your skunk totem urges you to make that change and start respecting yourself. Now is the time to put yourself first and focus on what you need and what makes you happy.

When there’s happiness within, everything else will follow. You will soon see the changes in your life, and you will be ready to take on the world.

Positive Traits of the Skunk Spirit Animal

The skunk totem teaches a thing or two about fearlessness and peace. It’s possible to be brave and aggressive without bringing discord and disharmony into your life.

You are a beautiful, calm, and steady presence. But when you are provoked, or there’s a threat to your loved ones, you will not just sit down and do nothing.

Like the skunk spirit animal, you are easily distinguishable because of your distinct characteristics. You are charming and self-confident, humble yet powerful.

Like your skunk totem, you will only spray an enemy when you are truly left with no choice. You don’t easily blow up, and it takes quite a lot earn your ire.

But once you do lose your temper, people will regret it. You give a fair amount of warning, but when you’ve had enough, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
Negative Traits of the Skunk Spirit Animal

The meaning of the skunk speaks about how you treat people you like and don’t like. You use your charm and personality to attract those you like, and use it to repel those you don’t.

You don’t like it when people invade your privacy. You don’t take it particularly well when people cross the line and make you feel exposed or vulnerable.

There’s also a tendency for you to be conceited and pompous because of all the special traits and talents that you possess. This turns off a lot of people, but if you don’t like them, it also doesn’t matter what they think of you.

Call on your Skunk Spirit Animal when:

You need to build your confidence.
Be inspired by your skunk spirit animal. No matter how small you may be feeling right now, know that you can achieve anything that you set your mind on.
You need to be your own person.
At the end of the day, the only opinion that truly matters about yourself is your own! Don’t focus on the noise and just listen to what your inner voices are telling you.
You need to move on.

The skunk spirit animal is not sentimental and does not dwell on the past. You should be more concerned about what’s waiting for you in the future, and what you should be doing in the present.
My final thoughts on the Skunk Spirit Animal and its Symbolism

The skunk meaning is strong in you because you also love to be solitary. You know that there’s a time to be around people, and there’s a time to be by yourself.

You know where to draw the balance, and that’s good. People who love you don’t end up feeling like you’re pushing them away because you make sure they are loved and well taken care of.

The skunk meaning encourages you to take care of your reputation and your authentic self. Walk the talk, and this is how you will earn the respect of people.[/note] . They are your "keep your distance bud, or I'll spray you" people... Gruff. Often an empath needs to be like a skunk... keep you at bay, because you are bad news. lol.

I am still a "skunk" but I am now conscious of it, and can play it like a musical instrument, not all blunt and hammer-like.

Here is an actual physical book. I am still hunting for a kindle book or pdf or a quiz...

And some links:https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/birds/eagle-symbolism-meaning/
https://www.spirit-animals.com

 

Please remember: the power is in the inquiry, the power is in the question... not the answer. The answer will become a rule... a limitation, and not a guidance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhtSEno_W7k