Use Many Ways To Find Truth And Knowledge

This post is a collaboration by Professor Larry Jensen and Dena Jensen

I worry about a very limiting belief. It is that there is only one source of knowledge. As many of us already know, the standard for truth in modern society is science. Science defines truth as a standard in courts of law, legislation, public and private debates, and just about everything else. When we want to understand the material or natural world, we must use this unequaled method. We need science. We loves science. But, must  we sometimes look beyond science for other source of truth and knowledge? 

We are then faced with these questions: 

• How much do I trust my senses?
• How much do I trust my reasoning?
• How much do I trust science? 
• How much do I trust my consequences?
• How much do I trust my general abstractions?
• How much do I trust common sense?

Do you or have you spent much time thinking about how you have come to believe what you believe? Much of the general populous do not and that is common to not think about where you came with your knowledge and why you think and believe what you believe. Sometimes we take for granted that what we believe is correct, or else we would not believe it in the first place. 
 Please ask yourself to consider this; "How much do I trust the different paths to knowledge?" This question must weigh in your knowledge and must be considered before accepting what you know to be truth. 

We propose to over the next couple of weeks find an opportunity to consider how you trust the different ways you come to know things. 

 

You Are A Happening

This post was written by Professor Jensen and Dena Jensen. 

The belief that body, spirit and mind are separate entities working in unison has some very practical applications for marriage, please take the following example in consideration:  
A young mother, let's call her Kendra, has a wonderful spirit when it comes to loving, helping, and brightening lives of everyone she touches. However, she can't find enough time to get a good night's sleep, or take time to eat. She is constantly going. Yes, everything is working around her. Her mind is fine, her spirit and her body are fine. But, we have to ask ourselves, "Will this last?" No, this can not last. She needs to take better care of herself. While the body, mind and spirit work together as a unit, they each needs its distinct and precise care, but different from each other. It is easier to see the effects of the poorly maintained, care and fueling on the body, but spirit mind need equal attention. 

  In these modern times, we can pretty much agree that the body and mind are connected. Same is true for those who believe that the body and spirit are inseparable. Combined in one unit, we might refer to the body and spirit as the soul. However, those two combined people believe they are unitary, coordinate, or inseparable beings there is no denying that we have separate words for them and they are distinct and separate enmeshed in a whole person. 

 One way to answer this mind, body, and spirit question is to say that a person is not an object, but a happening. This concept is not a new one. This notion is borrowed from the existential philosopher Martin Heidigger (1889-1976). His idea of the unified person never being a static object, but rather a being that is continually changing and unfolding. Many people who have adapted this idea have added that a person can not separate environment and not from others with whom the person is interacting. This is especially applicable to marriage. Constant change and progression will always be a part of understanding anyone you come into, and this helps you with understanding you.
In understanding the body is continually changing, we will see that the spirit and mind change as well. We can call this unified being as a person or even a happening. Adding to this we can say that each marriage and even a larger spectrum, a family, is even more of a happening. 
This important message is you are more than just a body. When you think of your marriage, or your family or your relationships with others as more than just static placement, your relationships with others will result in a richer and more complete way of living.  

The Body, Mind and Spirit

This blog is written by Professor Larry Jensen and Dena Jensen

The old time philosophical and recent  psychological belief that within everyone there dwells an innate intelligence that we are more than just existing, or that we are "more" than just the body we have. 

This intelligence is the belief that we have a spirit or we have a self. Typically this spirit is thought to exist in a timeless way. 

   We talked about this in our Self Help Discussions. Our Belief Two is "I Am More Than Brain And Body". 

If you would like to read this discussion, click here

When you believe that you are more than just brain and body and that you have a spirit, you can see that those you come into contact with, also has a spirit. If you believe that your spirit and others spirits have enduring qualities, then everything you know about yourself and your spouse and those around you are in fact different and and you in fact are different. Everything that you love about yourself and those that you love, then, also are different. 

 When we believe that we have spirits and we are all different and our existence is more than just the body and brain we have, then we can conclude that we had this spirit before our bodies and we will continue to have our spirits. If we conclude this belief then the logical and central core of our existence is our spirits. 

Do you think that knowing this, and in logic terms, giving more value to those around you and especially your spouse, that this is a key element in understanding who you are and who your spouse is? If you are not married, those who you love and those you want to spend your life with. 

  When you want to spend time trying to understand the one you are married to and those you love, this belief is very valuable. 

 Here is an example: 

The old woman was skipping and almost dancing as she flittered around the large hall. The program was over and the cleanup had begun. Her eyes beamed as she moved among those clearing tables and visiting. She held my attention as I thought her childish actions were unbecoming of a person her age. "Who does she think she is?" "She should act her age."

Then suddenly, everything changed. The grandmother transformed into a little girl. I saw her in her youth. I saw within the old body a young vibrant spirit. My criticisms melted. I felt so good watching her enjoy life. I felt she was so lucky to still have a young and joyful spirit. I felt I was fortunate to be able to, at that moment, see more that meets the eye. 

When seeing the old woman as more than just a worn body, for a slight moment her spirit was seen. 

In any relationship with anyone, if we see people who this student saw this old woman, we will be practicing the key to a good relationship. This will further our relationship with becoming a better marriage partner. 

 First and foremost, we all were and will be spirits. 

 This is not mentioned in Marriage and Family textbooks.  However, in these books there is a one hundred percent agreement that each person has a body of material that can, by physicists be reduced and/ or identified into smaller matter and smaller units. Not everyone will agree as to what the units are. However, all will agree that people are reducible to some kind of matter and energy. The next one hundred agreement is we all have our own unique mind. The popular belief is that the brain is the mind. 

So then we are left with a third element to this deep philosophical point of "What Are We?" 

All of the religions we have in this vast earth, namely Christians, Judaism, Islam, along with many countable other religions believe that the spirit is part of the person or the person is part of the spirit. Non-religious scholars and philosophers often refer to man's spirit. Usually, spirits are to exist before, during and after ones life. This belief is found in nearly all religious writings. Nowhere is it stated more directly than in Job 32:8.."But there is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding"...

Being a better person, a better marriage partner and a better "You",on practicing this belief can help you in understanding those around you and in your interactions with people day to day.