Know: You Are More Than You Think

By Christopher Gibney, LAc, DHom

What made me presume to write a book? I am just another disciple on the path, one more seeker of truth, a student like most of us. All the wisdom of the ages is already out there in every imaginable form, given to us by true Masters. Who needs my two cents? For decades I held back, even though my first degree was in English literature and I thought my vocation was writing, and even though over the years many of my clients urged me to publish.

Two things changed my mind: practice and timing.

Practice: For over 40 years I have practiced daily meditation and done my best to apply the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi. This has included my holistic healthcare practice. For over 35 years I have served as an integrative practitioner striving to help people heal by being true to their highest Selves. And it has included training in the ashram of marriage for over 30 years.

We who are not yet Masters teach to others what we are learning ourselves. When we are in the middle of it, our discoveries are fresh and real, so we have something of practical use to share with others who are grappling with similar challenges.

I have seen in all my professional and personal relationships that serving as a living example is far more potent a healing force than any treatments, remedies, or counseling. And I have seen that, as imperfect as my own efforts may be, if I simply share what I know so far from my direct experience, people can be profoundly helped in taking their next steps. So I have witnessed how my two cents can be worth something, after all.

Yogananda said, “Reform yourself and you shall reform thousands.” I always thought this meant that when you are a fully “reformed,” liberated soul, you will have this kind of influence. But I have learned it is mostly your sincere effort to change yourself that pays forward. You do not have to be a paragon of virtue. You just have to keep practicing your sadhana and keep on picking yourself up one more time.

Your example is infectious in an exponential way. Any soul-effort by one person automatically resonates with the soul-consciousness slumbering in every other person. With every spiritually inspired act by an individual, God’s secret conspiracy of awakening builds like a tsunami that has the power to wash away any obstruction in its path.

Timing: The tsunami is building now. Have you noticed? I am not referring to the geo-political and planetary turmoil happening all around us. I am talking about the grassroots shift in consciousness that is being accelerated by the turmoil (which is its only purpose, by the way).

When I first started meditating in the 70s, I was the weird one in my family and amongst my peers. Now there are meditation rooms in corporate offices and mindfulness classes taught at elementary schools. Really big changes in just 40 years!

More and more of my new clients are open to and actively seeking help on a much deeper level than ever before. Formerly derisive family members are starting to ask respectful questions. The cat is out of the bag. People are looking for More. And this is just the beginning. The momentum is building. A tidal wave of average people-turned-seekers is on its way.

So practice and timing came together in my life — personal experience from practicing my sadhana, and enough people in the world ready to start their own personal practice. The time was right to distill into a book my foundational practices that could be helpful to others who are striving at a similar level of personal development. They are the essentials needed by every spiritual aspirant; introspection, affirmation (choosing your thoughts), meditation, dealing with habits, finding your dharma (life purpose), overcoming discouragement and failure, and surrendering to a Higher Power.

The book is all about practice. At the end of each chapter are techniques and exercises. They are simple enough to be doable for first-timers, and deep enough to provide fine-tuning help to veteran meditators. Every symphony is built upon the scales. Know offers exercises in daily practice of the scales. Performing them will help people make their own music, whatever particular teachings they are following.

The Masters of every path tell us we are not here to change the world; the world exists as a venue for us to discover our true Selves. It is my hope that people will use the tools in Know to change themselves by freeing themselves from ego and realizing their spiritual identities. And then go about doing whatever role in the world they are called to perform. As more people embrace personal transformation, the world will change automatically… much quicker and better than most people dare imagine possible.

Christopher Gibney is author of the book, Know: You Are More Than You Think. He is trained and credentialed in holistic healthcare, with a license in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine and a Doctorate in Homeopathic Medicine. During more than 30 years of private practice, he has helped hundreds of people, many with complex, chronic conditions.

In the 1990s, Christopher founded and directed a pioneering clinic with an integrative team of healthcare practitioners, including MDs, Nurse Practitioners, Acupuncturists, Homeopaths, Nutritionists, Psychotherapists, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, and more.

However, Christopher’s resume does not tell his story. His real story is very personal. It is about sharing life dramas in close relationships: 7 siblings, 21 first cousins, 27 nieces and nephews, dozens of culturally diverse friends, and 30 years of marriage.

And it is about walking his talk. Christopher has practiced meditation every day for over 40 years. He strives to live a balanced life of service and prosperous simplicity.

Christopher’s work is about understanding people’s deepest needs, about earning their trust, about helping them find their truth, and about giving them the tools to be their best selves.

Click here to visit Christopher’s website.