Excerpts from Dr. Ted Cibik’s  ongoing Taoist Lecture series at Inner StrengthRetreat Center in Leechburg, PA on Wisdom and Ignorance

Two of the greatest detriments to our sanity, peace andhappiness are Ignorance, and through Ignorance, the inability to manifest ourWisdom. This creates, what I like to call, being off-center.

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama Stated, ”…..I believe thatall suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in theselfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction.”

In this regard, Ignorance causes reality of situations tobecome distorted – especially in the mind of the afflicted. As Thich Hat Hanhstates:  “ Reality is merely anillusion, albeit a very persistent one.”

When I am speaking of ignorance, I am not just speaking ofbeing discourteous or rude, or even easily angered, although this can be aby-product of the form of ignorance I am referring.

The ignorance I am referring to is lacking awareness,especially within - the inability to get to know yourself on a deep personallevel – to become your own best friend. The “demons” within can be a constantthreat to the masks we wear in the form of ego. Any violation of that mask orthreat to the ego, can cause an internal anger to rise up and manifest itselfin inflicting pain, being unkind or uncompassionate to others. This can be inthe form of hurtful actions (physical) or emotional weapons called words, eitherway, damage can ensue to those we profess to love. Often then, people movefurther and further away from us and we “feel” detachement, as they are nolonger our friends. I believe that we must be friends first with those we love:spouse, brother, sister, mother father etc.

So often we look for that “best friend” external - fromanother source, as it cannot possibly be within me. How can I like, let alonelove myself, or even want to be alone with myself (a quiet mindful relationshipwith self) when I, deep down, loathe who I am? So we search for someone to fillthat void of what we want/need in our lives and expect that person to performto our expectations in the form of a partner or friend or colleague. My, thoseare some pretty big shoes to fill and quite an unfair burden I might add.

This loathing is a result of Fear (See Inner Strength Lecture onFear at www.inner-strength.org) 

Fearmakes it almost impossible to be “alone with your self” – your mind. As soon aswe are quiet and alone with our thoughts – for example, we have to distractourselves with “being busy”,  - a basicFear of self.

We always fear that which is unknown. It is unfortunate thatmany times, this is ourselves.

Ignorance is not just impotence of real wisdom. It is alsothe refusal to want to know – which can stem from Fear.

I see this syndrome a lot in my practice – and notsurprising is one of the true catalysts of disease - mental and physical. Theinability to love that, which God created, causes such misery and suffering onour planet. This suffering causes other behaviors now manifesting external: alcoholism,drug addiction, gambling, depression, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), Fibromyalgia,cancers, neurological disorders – the list goes on.

To be clear: I am not saying that this IS the cause, but itcan manifest this way - as evident in many client cases that I have worked with -and abated their suffering. Oh,the mind is so complex and the spirit even more. The beauty of being human, inall its’ wondrous glory, is indeed confusing with its’ complexity.