Chapter Two

Ask YourselfThis

To Know Yourself Better

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson,A Return to Love1

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

—Lao Tse,Tao Te Ching

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.

—Carl Jung, Psychologist

How do you view yourself? Do you focus on your light, or do you dwell on your shadow? Are you even aware of everything that characterizes who you are? These are different ways of asking“How well do you know yourself?” Stop and think. How well do you really know yourself? How much time have you spent exploring what lies within you? Plato counseled,“Know thyself above all else.” Conscious awareness of who we are is the foundation of a happy and whole life.

Many times we are frightened by what we find when we look within. Our carefully constructed images of ourselves may prove false. The labels we have used to describe ourselves may not be accurate. We may even confront aspects of ourselves that we dislike.

True, unwavering self-love comes from knowing and embracing all parts of ourselves. We cannot deny the qualities we consider less than perfect. Our darkness is just as much a part of us as our light. Author and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra has said,“If you do not see your shadow, it is because you are standing in the dark.” In fact, seeing our shadow is necessary for truly appreciating our divinity. Just as we see the brilliant stars best on the darkest nights, so, too, do we realize and appreciate our own light when viewed against the backdrop of our humanness.

The questions on the following pages are meant to help you deeply explore all parts of your being so that you can begin to fal