“There is in every person a certain feeling that they have been what they are from all eternity, and by no means become such in time.”
– Friedrich Schelling
Who are you, really? How well do you really know yourself?
As the great Khalil Gibran said: “self knowledge is the mother of all knowledge.” There is nothing we learn that doesn’t pertain to the self. Whether we are getting to know someone, studying our world, learning a language or doing philosophy, we must necessarily encounter the self.
The Know Yourself Programme is dedicated to helping you explore and navigate this most essential journey of self-discovery. It is designed to guide you in understanding the deeper layers of your own mind, and in realising your inherent freedom.
Self-knowledge sounds self-explanatory, and it is, to a degree. Certainly more so than the colloquial “spirituality” with all its connotation and imagery. Indeed self-knowledge is both straightforward and immediate, but also the deepest subject there is. There are countless layers to the art and science of self-knowledge, each of which must be navigated with fresh approaches and understanding, synthesising all that came before and abandoning all falsity once held dear.
Self-knowledge is the only thing you can’t ‘lose’ at if you engage with life honestly. Whether any endeavour is a “failure” or a “success” for the ego, it can be a success for the self. Because truth cannot remain hidden forever, and because the self is your truth. For these same reasons the self is also the most important subject matter, and the one that stands most to benefit our lives and culture.
But self-knowledge is not something any other individual or society can hand you—for even when you learn from the world, it is on your own authority that you do so. And because true freedom cannot exist without responsibility. No one else can wholly capture what self-knowledge is or what it means for you. One could try to define it, but you would still have to find it.
Yet none of us are alone. We all play a role in each others’ unfolding, and nature is our teacher—not least our own nature, subjective spirit and the unconscious mind, rooted in the fertile ground of responsibility.
The Know Yourself Programme is built to support this very unfolding of spirit in yourself, and the realisation of your innate freedom. It comprises five courses, over 40 hours of exclusive educational video content, as well as hundreds of quiz questions and self-reflection prompts. Retracing and synthesising the thought of many great champions of self-hood, including the likes of Jung, Hegel, Schelling and Kant, this programme is designed to guide you in your own philosophy and walk your own path to true self-knowledge.
Phase 1 of the Know Yourself Programme launch is now live and includes the first two courses. Phase 2 will consist of the final three courses and is expected to go live towards the end of 2024.
The courses follow a logical progression with each building on the last. However each also stands alone and can be taken ‘a la carte’ based on individual goals and needs.
Course 1 – The Make it Conscious Philosophy. Develop your own model of mind and explore the deepest questions of self-awareness, freedom, and existence in this foundational course of the Know Yourself Programme. Course 1 is currently available for the low price of only $7 to make it as available as possible while also covering platform costs of sale.
Course 2 – How to Talk to Yourself – The Active Imagination Course. Learn, study and practice the ancient technique of active imagination, rediscovered by Carl Jung. Meaningfully connect with the unconscious mind, resolve inner conflict, and develop a transformative skill for life. Course 2 also includes seven exclusive practical guided exercises available as both videos and downloadable mp3s.
Course 3 – Inner Shadow Work. Safely come to terms with what you find difficult to confront in yourself. Map your own shadow dynamics and realise a precise understanding of your inner workings. Unlock dormant potential qualities and develop congruency in yourself. Hone your understanding of shadow dynamics, dispel common misconceptions and traverse the life long journey of shadow integration.
Course 4 – Outer Shadow Work. Deepen your understanding of the nuances of shadow work and cultivate the moral sensitivity and discernment that it demands. Come to terms with the aspects of the self that even shadow work doesn’t like to go near. Make sense of evil, within and without, narcissism, cults, abuse and power dynamics of all kinds, and overcome it.
Course 5 – The Way of Individuation. Confront this enormous spiritual task voluntarily. Learn the Seven Habits of Individuation model and gain a comprehensive understanding of the process and conditions for the development of self-knowledge. Deepen your empathy, instil healthy daily habits, develop mental discipline and become more of who you really are.
The greatest challenges today are not primarily external. Whether it’s climate change, war or a dysfunctional monetary system, all of these have their roots in the mind. They will not be solved by money printing, defeating an enemy or by finally arriving at that one ultimate policy that magically undoes the lies of all prior. The same is true for your individual development.
Only the understanding of ourselves and our psychology—of self-knowledge and wisdom of the human predicament, appreciation of duality, empathy, responsibility and nuance, and a rekindling of our relationship to mystery—can negate this negation.
It is the role of each individual to do their own philosophy and come to know their self—“to know it completely, to know its minutiae, its characteristics, its subtleties, and its very atoms.” as Khalil Gibran encouraged.
Approach this programme with responsibility, and self-knowledge is guaranteed. I invite you to begin your journey today.
