The Power and Essence of Knowing

In this episode, we will explore the Power and Essence of Knowing. Yes, Knowing holds a supreme position—it is truly the master. While it may seem simple to say that Knowing is simply “to know,” there is a much deeper dimension to this concept. For students of Veydaantaa, Knowing is synonymous with Consciousness. It is regarded as one of the most potent forces in existence, and remarkably, this Knowing is at the very core of our being.

Knowing is the essential nature of our Real Self. The primary purpose of this episode is to delve into the profound meaning of Knowing, to explore its incredible power, and to grasp its significance fully. Understanding the nature and power of Knowing is the most direct path to realizing your Real Self.

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Transcript

In this episode, we will explore the Power and Essence of Knowing. Yes, Knowing holds a supreme position—it is truly the master. While it may seem simple to say that Knowing is simply “to know,” there is a much deeper dimension to this concept. For students of Vedanta, Knowing is synonymous with Consciousness. It is regarded as one of the most potent forces in existence, and remarkably, this Knowing is at the very core of our being.

Knowing is the essential nature of our Real Self. The primary purpose of this episode is to delve into the profound meaning of Knowing, to explore its incredible power, and to grasp its significance fully. Understanding the nature and power of Knowing is the most direct path to realizing your Real Self.

Let us start our discussion with the following statements we make every day:

I am listening to music.

I am reading this book.

I am thinking of traveling.

I am talking on the phone.

I am seeing a tree.

If you examine these statements closely, you will see each of these statements has a subject, object and intelligence connecting the subject and object. Each statement begins with the subject "I am." While the subject remains the same, each statement features different objects - such as music, book, travel, phone, or tree. A verb links the subject to the object, but beyond the verb, there exists an innate power of intelligence that bridges the subject and the object. This power allows the subject to know the object. But what exactly is this power of intelligence, and how can we comprehend it?

Consider the power of listening as an example of how intelligence connects our sense of self—“I am”—to the world around us, such as music. Scientifically, when music plays, sound waves travel from the source and reach our eardrums. The eardrums then transform these sound waves into acoustic signals, which are sent to the brain. While the exact mechanisms within the brain are not fully understood, we do know that we are able to hear music. This ability to interpret and make sense of the acoustic signals is due to a certain power within our mind. It is this innate power that allows the “I am” to experience and understand music. We can describe this as the power of listening—a form of intelligence whose purpose is to make listening possible.

Let’s look at seeing as another example. The power of seeing is also rooted in intelligence, enabling the “I am” to recognize and perceive objects like a tree. Without this power, we would not be able to see anything. Some might think that our eyes are solely responsible for sight, but the eyes simply convert the visual image of the tree into an optical signal and deliver this signal to the brain. The real question is: what enables us to interpret that optical signal and realize that we are looking at a tree? This is where the power of seeing comes in. It is through this intelligence within us that we understand the signal as a tree.

The same concept extends to other activities such as reading, thinking, and speaking. There exists a power of reading, a power of thinking, and a power of talking—each representing a particular aspect of intelligence. Essentially, these powers embody the essence of intelligence. This principle is universal: whenever a subject and object are connected—whenever “I am” experiences or interacts with something—it is intelligence that bridges the two.

Exploring the Dimension of Knowing

Let’s introduce a new perspective by restating familiar sentences in a slightly unusual way. While it’s true that we don’t typically speak in this manner, these examples are designed to emphasize the act of knowing. In everyday conversation, you would naturally say “I know…” instead of “I am knowing…” but for the sake of this exploration, let’s use the following constructions:

I am knowing that I am reading this book.

I am knowing that I am thinking of traveling.

I am knowing that I am talking on the phone.

I am knowing that I am seeing a tree.

1. There has been a significant shift in these expressions compared to the previous ones. Phrases like “I am listening to music” or “I am reading this book” are no longer complete statements on their own; instead, they now function as the object within the statements. The phrase “I am” in “I am listening…” or “I am reading…” is no longer the subject—it has become part of the object. Previously, when you said, “I am listening to music,” you always believed that “I am” represented your innermost self. You assumed that “I am” pointed directly to your core identity.

2. But once you bring the Knowing aspect into the sentence, everything shifts. A new sense of “I am” emerges, while the previous “I am” becomes part of what is being observed. Is it possible to have two “I am”s within you? Clearly, that’s not the case. According to Vedanta, there is a singular, universal Real Self at our core. The “I am” in the phrase “I am knowing…” is your true Self.

This earlier “I am” in “I am listening…” refers to your ego. The ego always assumes it is the true Self. Vedanta explains that the ego disguises itself as the Real I, but through careful self-inquiry, you discover that the ego is simply another object—just a thought in the mind like any other.

3. Knowing is nothing but the knowledge and intelligence which connects the subject “I am” with different objects. Knowing is the common element which connects the subject with all the different objects in the universe. Knowing knows listening, Knowing knows reading, Knowing knows thinking, Knowing knows talking, and Knowing knows seeing. Power of Knowing includes the power of listening, reading, thinking, talking, and seeing. The scope and width of Power of Knowing encompass everything which is to be known in the universe. 

4. Each day, make it a habit to focus on "Knowing" aspect in every thought and statement you make. As you consciously apply this, you'll begin to recognize your Real Self—the "I am" present in "I am knowing..."—emerging within you. Pay close attention during any activity, and you'll notice how the sense of knowing naturally arises from within. Regularly repeat phrases like "I know this" or "I know that," focus intently on the "I know" portion. Through this focus, you'll observe that the act of knowing comes from a deeper, spiritual center within yourself.

It's possible to go through your entire life simply saying, "I am listening to music," or "I am reading this book," without ever uncovering your true self. In this pattern, your Real Self stays hidden. However, when you add the awareness of "I am knowing" or "I know" to all your activities, the knowing pops out from the spiritual heart. The spiritual heart is not your physical heart. According to Sri Ramana Maharshi, the spiritual heart is two fingers from the center on the right side in the rib cage.

The question to ask, where does Knowing get all its powers from? The correct answer is Awareness. By understanding Awareness, you'll discover that Knowing is an essential and critical component of it.

Knowing and Awareness

Consider what happens if we substitute “I am knowing…” in the previous statements with “I am aware…” For example:

I am aware that I am reading this book.

I am aware that I am thinking about traveling.

I am aware that I am talking on the phone.

I am aware that I am seeing a tree.

This is another way to express similar thoughts using sentences that start with “I am aware…”. In this context, the “I am” in “I am aware...” refers to your True Self. If you direct your attention to your sense of awareness, you may notice a feeling of awareness arising from your spiritual heart. Whether you begin with “I am Knowing” or “I am aware,” the meaning remains the same, as both knowing and awareness are prerequisites to all experiences. 

This raises the question: Are awareness and knowing identical? They certainly seem closely related. As discussed in an earlier episode, "Understanding Awareness," awareness is made up of three essential aspects: the Subject, the Object, and Intelligence. Additionally, awareness has three fundamental powers: the Power of the Knower, the Power of the Known, and the Power of Knowing.

The Power of Knowing is a distinct capability within the broader Power of Awareness. All knowledge, intelligence, and abilities associated with knowing are rooted in awareness. While knowing is a vital and central aspect of awareness, awareness itself encompasses knowing and much more. In essence, power of knowing is awareness, but awareness is greater, containing power of knowing, power of knower and power of known.

We hope this episode has shed light on the true nature and transformative power of knowing. Embracing boundless knowledge and intelligence enables you to better understand and connect with the universe around you. By centering your attention on the act of knowing within any experience, you can draw closer to your Real self. This remarkable ability to know resides within you, drawing its strength from Awareness itself.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into topics like this, we invite you to explore our blog at Vedanta. and Science dot com or discover more in my book, Science Meets Vedanta., available on Amazon. Additionally, we offer a growing library of episodes covering many different topics —feel free to browse through them at your convenience.

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Thank you for tuning in—we look forward to connecting with you again soon!