The Timeless Union Between Knowledge and the Sacred
As we navigate the modern world, bombarded by information, we might wonder: what is knowledge? Not just in the functional sense of accumulated facts or intellectual mastery that marks progress but in the deeper, more ancient meaning of knowledge. In a time when knowledge is increasingly synonymous with utility, productivity, and power, we have lost sight of its sacred roots—the profound relationship between knowing and the ultimate truths of existence.
Podcast Discussion
In many ancient traditions, knowledge was never divorced from the sacred. Hinduism speaks of jnana, the knowledge that liberates, uniting the seeker with the eternal truth of Brahman. Islam honors sacred wisdom as hikmah, a divine attribute reflected in those whose knowledge is infused with the essence of God. Early Gnostics revered gnosis as a direct means to commune with the divine in Christianity. Sacred knowledge transcended intellectual prowess; it was the essence of being itself, inseparable from bliss and the very fabric of reality.
Gnosis refers to a direct, immediate knowing of the truth, a non-conceptual, experiential awareness of reality.
A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price
But over time, particularly in the West, knowledge became desacralized. The rise of modern science and rationalism fragmented knowledge, severing it from its sacred origins. What was once at the heart of human understanding became an afterthought—an abstract concept relegated to theology or philosophy. In its place, knowledge was reduced to data, something to collect and manipulate for worldly ends.
This desacralization reflects a fundamental shift in our relationship with reality. Knowledge, once a path to union with the divine, became a tool for control. In modern society, knowledge is often seen as a means to dominate and exploit rather than to foster reverence or wonder. Yet, despite this, the sacred nature of knowledge remains hidden beneath the layers of modernity. True knowledge is not merely an intellectual achievement but a revelation—a grace that shines through when we align with the deeper currents of reality.
The Sacred Wisdom of Ancient Greece
This understanding of knowledge as sacred is not confined to the East. Early Greek philosophers, like Thales, Heraclitus, and Pythagoras, saw knowledge as a bridge to the divine. Thales declared that “all things are full of gods,” suggesting that understanding the world was a way of accessing the sacred. Heraclitus believed in the cosmic order of Logos, a guiding principle in all things, and knowing this logos meant aligning with the deeper structure of reality.
Pythagoras asserted that mathematics and harmony reflected the universe’s divine order. For him, understanding numerical relationships was akin to approaching divine knowledge. Plato later used his allegory of the cave to illustrate the journey from illusion to truth, where knowledge of the eternal Forms represented the highest reality. While more empirical, Aristotle viewed knowledge as fulfilling human potential—an act of participation in the divine mind.
Basic knowledge refers to the inherent capacity to know, which is an essential characteristic of our true nature.
A. H. Almaas, Spacecruiser Inquiry
Even later, with the Neoplatonists like Plotinus, knowledge was seen as a spiritual ascent. Plotinus believed the intellect could transcend the physical world and merge with the divine source, reaffirming the connection between knowledge and the sacred.
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries deepened the split between sacred and profane knowledge. Inspired by the success of the scientific revolution, Enlightenment thinkers emphasized reason and empiricism over religious or metaphysical knowledge. Thinkers like Descartes prioritized human reason, seeing the universe as a machine governed by laws that could be uncovered through rational observation. Knowledge became synonymous with mastery and control, sidelining its sacred dimension.
Ordinary knowledge is what we learn through experience and observation, but it doesn’t penetrate the deeper, essential nature of reality.
A. H. Almaas, Diamond Heart Book Five
In this period, the sacred was pushed into personal belief rather than universal truth. The triumph of rationalism led to the secularization of knowledge, a trend that followed in the centuries.
Postmodernism and the Fragmentation of Truth
Postmodernism challenges the notion of objective knowledge, suggesting that social, cultural, and power dynamics shape truth.
In the 20th century, postmodernism further questioned the idea of objective truth. Thinkers like Foucault, Derrida, and Lyotard argued that knowledge is shaped by power and cultural contexts. Grand religious or scientific narratives were deconstructed, revealing knowledge as relative and socially constructed. While postmodernism opened the door to pluralism, it also deepened the fragmentation of knowledge, leaving many adrift in uncertainty.
Direct knowledge is the immediate, unmediated apprehension of reality as it is, without interference from mental constructs.
A. H. Almaas, Facets of Unity
If all knowledge is contingent, where does that leave the sacred? Postmodernism’s critique dismantled totalizing truths but disconnected us from shared or objective reality. The sacred, if acknowledged, became a personal experience detached from any collective understanding.
The Man of the World vs. the Man of Spirit
In The Pearl Beyond Price, A. H. Almaas discusses the nature of sacred knowledge through the lens of human development, emphasizing the distinction between the “Man of Spirit” and the “Man of the World.” He explores how these two orientations toward life represent different relationships to knowledge, both in its sacred and profane aspects.
The “Man of Spirit” embodies a direct, intimate connection with the divine. His pursuit of knowledge is aligned with uncovering deeper truths, transcending the material world, and recognizing the essential nature of reality. This is knowledge in its sacred form—an inner knowing that connects the individual to the mystery and beauty of existence. For the Man of Spirit, knowledge is a path toward liberation, guiding one to the core of being where one realizes unity with all that is. As Almaas describes, this orientation fosters qualities like humility, openness, and reverence for the unknown, highlighting knowledge as an act of surrender to the sacred.
In contrast, the “Man of the World” relates to knowledge as a tool for mastery and control over the external world. Here, knowledge is often driven by the ego’s need for security, success, and validation. It becomes a means to gain power, manipulate circumstances, and solidify one’s identity. This knowledge is often disconnected from the sacred, leading to fragmentation and alienation from the deeper truths of existence. The Man of the World focuses on the surface of things, seeking knowledge that supports his material aims while ignoring life’s more profound, spiritual dimensions.
Almaas’s exploration of these two archetypes provides a profound perspective on the desacralization of knowledge in modern times. While society tends to reward the “Man of the World” for his intellectual accomplishments and material success, the “Man of Spirit” reminds us of the sacred potential within knowledge—its capacity to lead us back to our true nature, to the essence of what it means to *be*. Through this lens, knowledge is not about accumulation or domination but about unveiling the deeper reality that binds all existence.
In light of this, rediscovering the sacred aspect of knowledge is essential to bridging the split between these two ways of being. By aligning more with the “Man of Spirit,” we reconnect with the sacred dimension of knowing, which ultimately brings a sense of wholeness, peace, and unity with the cosmos.
Rediscovering the Sacred
Despite modern thinking’s fragmentation, human intelligence still has the potential to access sacred knowledge. In the traditional view, intelligence is a divine ray that can cut through layers of illusion. In this sense, knowledge is not about domination but participation in the divine order.
This sacred understanding of knowledge appears across cultures. In Buddhism, prajna reveals the interconnectedness of all things. Taoism speaks of knowing the Tao, the sacred way that underlies reality. Even in moments of profound insight, we sense this sacred dimension, where boundaries dissolve, and the interconnectedness of all things becomes apparent.
Knowledge, from the perspective of the Diamond Approach, includes not only mental understanding but also experiential realization, a process of discovering the truth of reality itself.
A. H. Almaas, The Point of Existence
The Diamond Approach® provides unique insights into the multidimensional nature of sacredness to further expand the discussion on the sacred. Almaas articulates the sacred as not merely a matter of belief or external ritual but an inherent, experiential quality of true nature. Sacredness is an intrinsic part of reality, revealing itself through direct experiences of being beyond intellectual comprehension or cultural constructs.
In exploring the Sacred itself, Almaas refers to it as an essential aspect of existence that evokes a deep reverence and awe. This experience of the sacred is not confined to religious frameworks but is available at any moment when we connect with the truth of our being. The sacred is felt when we recognize the mystery and beauty inherent in all things and align with the deeper truths of existence beyond the ego’s need for control or understanding.
On the other hand, sacred cows represent those ideas, beliefs, or attachments that individuals or cultures hold as inviolable truths, often without questioning. These sacred cows can obscure the true sacred as they become rigid structures that block the flow of open, dynamic inquiry. In the Diamond Approach, the inquiry process helps to dismantle these sacred cows, allowing for the fresh, living experience of sacredness to emerge, free from preconceptions or dogma.
The sacred impulse is also understood as the natural drive to seek the sacred. It is the inherent longing for truth, beauty, and connection with the mysteries of existence. This impulse moves us toward experiences of sacredness, pushing through the layers of egoic resistance and conditioning. Following this impulse allows the sacred to reveal itself in our everyday lives as a living reality rather than an abstract concept.
True knowledge arises when we know from our essential nature, seeing reality with clarity and precision, unobstructed by egoic filters.
A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization
Integrating this into the more extensive discussion, we can view the rediscovery of sacred knowledge not only as an intellectual or spiritual pursuit but as an expression of the sacred impulse—a deep, natural desire to reconnect with the profound truths underlying all existence. In this way, knowledge and the holy are intertwined, guiding us toward realizing our true nature and the essence of reality.
The Call to Sacred Knowledge
To rediscover the sacred nature of knowledge is to rekindle a sense of wonder and reverence for the mystery of existence. It is important to remember that knowing is not just an intellectual exercise but a sacred act of alignment with the divine. True knowledge leads us not to control the world but to commune with it, to witness the infinite complexity and beauty of creation.
The fountain of knowledge refers to the inexhaustible source of knowing that arises from our essential nature.
A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home
Knowledge, when reunited with the sacred, becomes a path of liberation. It guides us back to the source of all being, where knowing and being are one, where the sacred shines through all reality. In this fragmented world, rediscovering this knowledge is not just for our enlightenment—it is essential for healing the deep fractures in our world and reconnecting with the divine essence that permeates all existence.
Sacred knowledge is a luminous presence that illuminates the nature of existence, revealing its unity, beauty, and intrinsic value.
A. H. Almaas, The Unfolding Now