“Know Thyself” is a classic dictum. A moral guidepost of sorts. Inscribed at the entrance of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, it has challenged seekers throughout the ages to posit it’s true meaning and value.
Apollo was a mythical god known for making men aware of their own guilt and purifying them of it… of guiding them to know themselves. He presided over the passage of children into adulthood. Knowing oneself is a foundation of growth and allows you to bring the best of yourself to those around you. We think Apollo was on to something.
We’re not the only ones. Self-knowledge is a central tenet to many spiritual and religious beliefs. The concept has been explored by philosophers and theologians throughout the ages:
- Socrates saw self-knowledge as eminently relevant and famously proclaimed, “the life which is unexamined is not worth living.”
- Aristotle said, “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” “
- Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom.” Lao-Tzu
- “This is true knowledge, to seek the Self…To seek anything else is ignorance.” Bhagavad-Gita
- “He who knows himself knows God.” The prophet Muhammad
- “Examine yourself & understand who you are… Whoever does not know self, does not know anything. But whoever knows self, has acquired the knowledge of the universe.” Jesus, Book of Thomas (Gnostic Gospels)
In respect for the sages of the ages, we decided to get to know ourselves a little better at Faceplant Dreams. We want to know who we are so we can share the best of ourselves with our customers every day.
We gathered our Faceplant team and began our self-exploration. What is our passion? What makes Faceplant distinctive? What are our strengths? Weaknesses? We talked, brainstormed, debated, and made lists. Then we stepped away. We were still.
Answers became clear. Although we can’t confirm that they came from the oracles of Delphi, we found that beneath our signature fabrics and sustainable blends, were 4 foundational pillars that define our true nature.
