There is a huge difference between information and knowledge.
Here is a recent scene from my own life. My sweetheart and I are in Atlanta and we are working and decide to have a nice romantic dinner and head to one of our favorite little spots. The conversation turns to business . . . in this case the music business and a conversation turns to wondering about someone we know collaborate musically with someone else and neither of us know the answer for sure so we — you guessed it — we Google it. Wikipedia then takes us to other unknown bits of information and a link that leads us to another site . . . which opens the awareness that there is really much to learn about this person’s career and collaborations.
Wow! It’s fabulous to have so much information at our fingertips. A few moments later we take a stroll down the street to enjoy the evening breeze and lights of the city. We pass a sign for urban living residences and get curious about potentially getting a place in Atlanta and wonder about the size and cost. We (you guessed it) Google the site referred to in the sign and boom we are standing in the middle of the sidewalk virtually touring the inside of the building we are in front of.
Isn’t technology and information great?
You’ve heard it many times I’m sure. We live in an age of information overload. So much information available that sometimes we feel as if we are actually “experiencing” what we are seeing in pictures or reading about. Our brains are overstimulated and our dear body and soul are deprived of actual living FEELING breathing experiences.
Back to my romantic evening. Driving to the condo he says “let’s be aware that with all the Facebook and Instagram posts and Tweets that we don’t lose just BEING together”. Ummm! A cherry on top! There’s something incredibly sexy about self-awareness!
What’s the difference between information and KNOWLEDGE?
There is a huge difference between information and knowledge. Information is for the brain and KNOWLEDGE is for the body and soul. You see our brains are often overstimulated with information. We reach sensory overload and actually shut down our ability to FEEL . . . why? because we are on overload.
Here’s the deal. . .
We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Our hearts and souls seek deep rich vibrant experiences to learn and feel and grow. We are constantly desiring to grow — it is the way we are made. It keeps us alive.
So let’s get real! Try this: Close your eyes. Just sit there and close your eyes for a few seconds to feel what shutting out the visual sensory of your world feels like. Often when I have people do this there is an audible sigh or deepening of the breath. When we unplug and allow ourselves to go within we reach into our own brilliant wellspring of KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge is taking the information you have collected as well as tapping into things you don’t even know you know . . . or can’t remember how or why you know these things. Knowledge often comes from an experience . . . not just information.
Life will bring you opportunities to go within. To tap into knowledge. In our information age it becomes more challenging to turn off the sensory overload and go within.
Here are 3 of my favorite “go-to’s” to unplug from information and connect with my inner well-spring of knowledge.
- A long hot bath in the evening to unwind my body and mostly to allow the quiet space of my mind to unwind. I turn off the lights and enjoy the soothing sensory glow of only candles. No phones and no music. Just quiet to go into the spaces of my day.
- Meditation allows me to quiet all my senses which immediately moves me into a space of deeper feeling and connection with that well-spring. I often keep a notepad next to me to capture insights and clarity that may arise during meditation. My preference is 11 minutes. Now anyone can find 11 minutes . . . right?
- Walking while listening to music. This may sound counterproductive, however there is something strangely awesome about how the rhythm of walking moves me into my deeper internal wisdom. Also that part of my brain that is always thinking, thinking, thinking stays occupied by the music while my deeper more conscious mind is able to drop into a wise space.
XO,
Marianne
