The Art Of An Understanding Soul...

"...Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; art deserves that, for it and knowledge can raise man to the Divine..."

Understanding has lost its essence over time. An essence powerful enough to allow us to see through sympathetic eyes and sometimes even deeper still...with empathetic sight. People have confused understanding with knowledge...two very different things. Why? Because sometimes knowledge is needed to begin to understand. The problem is that people have stopped at knowledge. We hear a position and never ask why they've come to that position. Folks, understanding is the ability to place yourself in the position of another. In this position you then have the ability to judge yourself as opposed to the person you are connecting with to come to a better conclusion on any given argument or stance. All based in their own view of the world. It doesn't mean that you will agree with their stance but at least you will come to understand motive and king of all...intent.

Yet what has been lost in this era of identity politics is the need to listen. When an individual is categorized as belonging to any group they are then judged by the mold the group or others have set aside for it. Using this mold, there is no longer any need to seek out the heart of the individual. The individual's heart becomes unnecessary and is then categorized as an enemy, ally or friend without ever knowing a thing about them. This has to change if we are ever going to bring love in truth...back in style. Loving without understanding is always doomed to fail. Not everyone you disagree with is evil.  

When dealing with humans that see things from the same vantage point such as loved ones and/or people that share your culture, all that is needed is to simply take the time to listen. As you do...you can place yourself in their position because you both live in the same sphere. You can then from a place of understanding, be able to provide tailor-made answers, council or help as opposed to cookie cutter responses. When dealing with humans from other cultures or religions, you MUST become knowledgeable outside their biased influence to see from their vantage point first. When you begin to listen, you can then place yourself in their position based on their vantage point. When you don't, you begin to judge using your vantage point which is a huge mistake. Many make the mistake of judging other cultures and time periods based on their own and always come to the wrong conclusions. Such are they that choose the see the barbarian through civilized eyes without understanding the barbarian sees this as a weakness. They never thought to understand the barbarian enough to come to a better conclusion. Step outside yourself...learn.  

Doing this, you will be able to understand your lover, your children, your friends and even your enemies. You will understand who is being honest and who has an agenda. You will see the redeeming qualities you can use to bypass disagreements. You will hear their soul and see that they may honestly be confused, uninformed or steadfast in seeing you as an opponent. You may even come to find that you are the one that is mistaken but more importantly, you may come to pleasantly find that your issues aren't anything to hate one another for.

Without understanding there can be no love, trust or coexistence. Re-learn what it means to listen. Re-learn that relationships must be built on trust based on the truth of the individual. Re-learn the importance of this because without it...we will always be fractured into petty wars. I was never a man that was fond of the bubble life. There is no challenge and consequently...no growth. There is nothing new to be discovered. There is only you and others like you. In every soul, I like to believe there lives an explorer. Don't just look to distant lands but learn to discover your own soul and others. Bubbles are boring my people...get out and breath air you've never explored. That may be in you, your lover, your friend or even the God you've read so much about. Start there and learn to listen. Then maybe you can come to understand those you disagree with. Always be better...much love...

~Moses