“It Takes One to Know One..”

“It Takes One to Know One..”
Nick Pfennigwerth

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes one to know one?” I'm sure you have before. You were probably among a group of people and some moron was talking about last night's public address to the Nation. This guy was emphasizing on the opinion of how Obama is going to just raise taxes and create an even further pit fall for this Nation.

This person goes on and talks about Obama's unmoral ethics, his inability to lead a country, and his indecisiviness that will hurt our nation when it matters the most. “What about his plan for alternative fuels and new energy? What about his plan for Universal Health Care? How about his idea for creating new jobs?” You ask yourself. “He seems like a good leader to me.”

You sit there and observe how everyone is getting sucked in to this persons bashing of our President and all you see are the trance like stares and heads nodding and agreeing with every word coming out of this persons mouth.

As you sit there, at this political rally, you think to yourself, “Are you kidding me? These people voted for this person a year ago and now they are bashing him and labeling him unethical, a moron, unfit to run a country, indecisive, and so on.”
takes-one-to-know-one

Then, under your breath, you say, “I guess it takes one to know one.”

Somebody in the negative bashing group says, “Excuse me? Did you say something?”

You reply, “Oh-no...I was just thinking out-loud. It was nothing.”

Finally, you sit there for a few more seconds and say again, “It takes one to know one...It takes one to know one...Wait! It takes one to know one? Then, what does this say about me!?!”

You get up and exit stage right vowing to never participate in something like that again.

“It takes one to know one.” How true is that on so many levels? I began investigating the truth behind that saying and after what I've discovered, I decided to make that October's mantra for me.

Go ahead and write that down, “It takes one to know one”, and carry it around with you for a week. Whenever you think of something, say something, make an observation, judge, have an experience, or participate in an event, say to yourself, “It takes one to know one.”

When I did this, I started to become aware of the person I really was. I understood that there is no “out there” only “inside me.” In other words, you are the projector and the movie screen is your life. So, what movie are you projecting onto the screen of life?

I got so hung-up on this concept I tested it for a whole week. After listening to someone speak or observing an event or experience, I would say silently to myself, “It takes one to know one.” It was an obsession, but I had to know if it was an accurate way to measure my self image and projection of life.

Half of the time I didn't like what I've found. However, the other half I was pleased to say that I was proud of the movie playing on my screen.

It takes one (that's you) to know one (that's the person, place, event, or experience you are observing and labeling.)

Just the other day I was at the grocery store looking for the ingredients to ham and potato chowder. However, if you ask anyone in New Hampshire where the “chowder” mix is they'll give you a blank stare. You have to say “chowda”, then they'll give you precise and accurate directions to the goods (just teasing, I love New Hampshire :)

Anyway, I was browsing in the organic vegetable isle looking for a few organic onions and green peppers, when I couldn't help to over hear a conversation a woman was having with her daughter.

It went something like this. The Daughter (probably 8 years old): “Mommy...this onion looks good, I want that one.” The Mother: “Sweety, we are on a tight budget and near broke. We can't afford the organic food.”

I stood there for a few seconds thinking, “I can't afford it? Broke? She's programming her daughter to be part of the most widespread sickness of them all: poverty.” Judgment and label after label kept flowing into my mind until I caught myself and said, “It takes one to know one.”

Immediately my eyes popped! And I thought, “Holy s**t! I'm the very thing I'm judging and condemning!...It takes one to know one!”

Since it was in my experience, and I know that my experiences are nothing more than a projection of myself, then “It takes one..” (which is me) “to know one” (which is the Mother) means on some level that “being broke” or “can't afford it” was still part of me.

Now, what I just said is a tough pill to swallow. What I'm basically saying is you are not separate from anything. Everything you see and label outside yourself is an inner projection of your self image.

And I can back up that last paragraph with this simple question: “How can you label and judge anything without first thinking that judgment about yourself?”

Since the only thing you truly own is your thinking, then that judgment and label is a part owner of you.

O.k., how many readers dropped off after that statement? Stick with me, I promise this article is life transforming.

There was also a moment the other day when I was sitting in a canoe, all alone, in the middle of a lake in up-state Maine. I was completely off the grid with no cellphone service, no electricity, and no concept of time.
upstate-maine

I was sitting there, writing, and admiring the peace and beauty of the mountains, different color trees, and the picturesque, breath-taking view. I call it “God's Country” because this is something man can never create.

Then, I remembered my October's mantra and quietly said to myself, “It takes one to know one.” And a calming, loving peacefulness showered me and I thought, “Yea...it takes one to know one...” Meaning, if I can think and observe this vast beauty and peace, then I must be this beauty and peace.

I observed the beauty, I thought the beauty, therefore on some level I am the beauty.

Go ahead and try this out for a week. As best as you can, whenever you think something, judge, label, observe, interact, or have an experience, say to yourself, “It takes one to know one.” Then, understand that you are uncovering a truth about you. It's who you are!

If a reoccurring experience, judgment, or label keeps on happening, for example, you notice how many idiot drivers there are on the road each time you go out, then all I have to say is, “It takes one to know one!”

This is just a tool to help you uncover your truth --who you are. In other words, did you ever notice that when there is a problem you are there? You're there because the problem is you. Change yourself, change your world. Change the movie and the movie screen changes, too.

Since you attract who you are and not what you want, then you must know who you truly are, so you can change to who you want to become.

It takes one to know one.


Nick Pfennigwerth
Creative Wealth Building
http://www.creative-wealthbuilding.com/aboutme.html