CHAPTER 4Conciencia: Knowing Oneself and Cultivating Personal Awareness

THE BRILLIANT MEXICAN ARTIST Diego Rivera sketched a powerful black-and-white etching titled “Conciencia.” He rendered a young teacher holding beautiful apples in her mantle surrounded by eager children. Rivera, a symbolic artist, included an open book, suggesting the quest for knowledge. The title “Conciencia” implies we must look for deeper meaning. Conciencia can be translated as “consciousness,” “awareness,” and “self-knowledge.” Rivera’s portrayal suggests the teacher as our inner guide. The children symbolize our pure and receptive self, poised to learn and grow. The apples are pearls of knowledge.

The concepts of confianza and personalismo point to two critical questions ...

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