Noetic Truth

[00:00:01] Welcome to Business, Finance and Soul. My name is Shaun Enders and I'm a curious entrepreneur. I love exploring business, personal finance and consciousness. I'll jump around topics, offer my opinions and occasionally interview interesting people. Looking forward to going on this journey. Let's be curious together.

[00:00:26] Welcome back to Business, Finance and Soul. I appreciate you being here. If you're listening to this on its live release, it's Thanksgiving week in 2024. And I hope you're enjoying some time with family, taking some downtime.

[00:00:40] I'm personally doing some reflection on this year. And as we get closer to wrapping up December, we're going through the holidays. I'm having some moments of where I'm just reflecting on this entire year. It's been a crazy year for me on a personal and professional level. So many highs and lows.

[00:01:04] I've lost good people this year, friends and family. I've had other good close friends of mine lose members of their family that have just been devastating. I've had some setbacks in my professional life, in the business, and we've had some amazing joys on a personal level as a family in a whole.

[00:01:32] So there's been the full range, the full spectrum of emotions. And I think that's the texture of life. Some years, it just seems to ascend. And other years, it seems to be more nuanced, sometimes just straight up bad.

[00:01:52] And I'm happy with how things are unfolding. I'm happy with how I'm responding to adversity and life in general.

[00:02:04] And it got me thinking of something called noetic truth. And it's really these moments where I've been pressed. And yet I had a very strong inner knowing that my decision making was sound.

[00:02:30] There's something profoundly mysterious about the way we humans navigate the world.

[00:02:36] You know, beneath the surface of logic and reason lies our own internal compass.

[00:02:42] It's a subtle, often unexplainable knowing that can be referred to as noetic truth.

[00:02:50] I've talked about this in the past of intuition, that inner compass, that guidance system.

[00:02:58] It's not taught. It's not learned in the traditional sense.

[00:03:03] It simply is waiting for us to notice it.

[00:03:08] But I want to explore where this inner knowledge comes from and how it's really shaped the human existence.

[00:03:16] And I think to explore the origins of noetic truth, we've got to kind of look at it through multiple lenses.

[00:03:24] We've got to look at it through our biology, our spirituality, our philosophy, and also history.

[00:03:32] Because each one offers a unique perspective.

[00:03:36] Yet they converge in one very remarkable fact.

[00:03:42] That this truth is both universal and it's timeless.

[00:03:47] And I think that's the beauty of what I want to explore today.

[00:03:52] Because when you look at the biological aspects and the origin of our own noetic truth,

[00:04:03] you could argue that it really has its roots in our own evolution.

[00:04:08] Because early humans had to rely on instinct and intuition to survive.

[00:04:14] Because imagine a hunter, gatherer, sensing danger, really in the stillness of a forest,

[00:04:21] or being on a hunting ground and feeling drawn to something,

[00:04:29] but not having any tangible proof.

[00:04:32] They had to have this inner sense of intuition, this gut feeling.

[00:04:38] Although it might not be rational, it was there and it was vital for their own survival.

[00:04:47] And so when you look at modern day, we have neuroscientists that can actually break down

[00:04:55] and offer some insight, which really suggests that there's kind of the subconscious mind

[00:05:05] that is processing a massive amount of information, far more than we're consciously aware of.

[00:05:13] And this can lead to moments of unexplainable clarity.

[00:05:20] I know I've had them.

[00:05:22] I have them.

[00:05:24] I have to still myself.

[00:05:26] I have to quiet my mind.

[00:05:29] I actually, a few years ago, read Malcolm Gladwell's Blink.

[00:05:34] And I thought this was great because this book articulates and explores how split-second decisions

[00:05:43] guided by intuition often yield better outcomes than overanalyzed choices.

[00:05:50] And that really aligns with the idea that noetic truth is hardwired into us.

[00:05:54] It's not just a survival mechanism, but it's a tool for thriving in complex environments.

[00:06:00] So I was using the example there of a hunter-gatherer society of where if you were out trying to find your food for yourself or your tribe,

[00:06:15] and you didn't have proof that there was something over the horizon, if there was something in the forest,

[00:06:22] you had to trust your senses that what you believe would be there in order to kill or bring back as food.

[00:06:36] You had to have this kind of intuition.

[00:06:39] And that's the nomadic truth.

[00:06:42] What I've been through this year, there's been some arguments that could be made that it was my decision-making on a professional basis wasn't sound,

[00:06:53] but I'm reaping rewards based on just my inner knowing and my inner guidance.

[00:06:59] And I think that's really cool.

[00:07:02] From a spiritual perspective, you could argue that noetic truth is a divine gift.

[00:07:10] You know, it's an intrinsic link to higher power, some universal consciousness.

[00:07:19] If you think back to ancient Greece, Socrates spoke of an inner voice that guided his moral decisions.

[00:07:29] Native Americans, indigenous cultures often refer to this wisdom as being in tune with nature or the ancestors.

[00:07:38] We have this.

[00:07:40] We have this now.

[00:07:42] A deep spiritual connection that provides guidance and insight.

[00:07:47] And I think often that gets convoluted through religious indoctrinations or dogma.

[00:07:57] You know, sometimes if you're talking about spirituality from a human consciousness perspective or universal consciousness,

[00:08:08] it can seem to fall outside of the framework of structured religion.

[00:08:13] But it doesn't have to at all.

[00:08:15] What we're saying is that there is a collective somewhere, somehow.

[00:08:25] You know, one of my favorite examples is the concept of Satori in Zen Buddhism.

[00:08:30] And it's a sudden moment of enlightenment when one perceives the truth beyond logic and reason.

[00:08:38] And this is noetic truth in action.

[00:08:40] It's kind of, it's a profound realization that kind of reshapes the way that we see this world.

[00:08:49] And the reason I use the word collective is because we all share it.

[00:08:53] We all know it.

[00:08:55] It's kind of what binds us.

[00:09:01] Philosophers throughout history have kind of wrestled with the idea of innate knowledge.

[00:09:06] You know, Plato theorized that humans possess an eternal soul that carries the truth from one life to the next.

[00:09:16] And I think there's a lot to that.

[00:09:24] I mean, just saying it is powerful.

[00:09:27] And when you go down that path, you find that that statement is just the beginning of what can ultimately lead you to some very profound, life-changing decisions.

[00:09:47] You know, I think modern thinkers like Carl Jung expanded on that idea.

[00:09:55] And he introduced the concept of collective unconscious.

[00:10:01] It was a shared reservoir of wisdom and archetypes that influence our thoughts and behaviors.

[00:10:08] You know, Jung's theory suggests that noetic truth may not only be personal, but it could be communal.

[00:10:17] And that connects us to the broader human experience.

[00:10:20] So as I was saying, this collective knowledge, it's been explored.

[00:10:27] And there's something to this.

[00:10:33] As I was going through and learning more about noetic truth, I stumbled upon the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

[00:10:42] It's actually really amazing.

[00:10:44] I found out it's about an hour north of San Francisco.

[00:10:48] And it was founded by the sixth man to walk on the moon, Edgar Mitchell.

[00:10:55] He's an astronaut, of course.

[00:10:57] And he's exploring the relationship between consciousness and the physical world.

[00:11:03] And they're bringing science and spirituality together.

[00:11:09] I love that intersection.

[00:11:10] Because Mitchell's experience of awe and interconnectedness while looking at the earth from space inspired him to investigate the untapped potential of human awareness.

[00:11:20] And I think this is a really cool place to live.

[00:11:26] Because studies in noetic science delve into more of the phenomena like intuition and precognition.

[00:11:34] And the transformative power of meditation.

[00:11:38] I can speak to that.

[00:11:41] Because there's that reinforcement that the idea that noetic truth isn't just an abstract concept.

[00:11:49] It's measurable.

[00:11:50] And it's impactful force is felt in all of our lives.

[00:11:57] When I started meditating on a daily basis, what was that?

[00:12:03] Almost five years ago.

[00:12:05] Things changed for me.

[00:12:07] Much for the better.

[00:12:09] And it was measurable.

[00:12:12] My life has measurably changed.

[00:12:15] My connectedness to my children and my wife and my purpose have changed and transformed.

[00:12:23] And I have that strong sense that anyone else who has gone down a similar path felt very similar results.

[00:12:37] You know, the beauty of noetic truth is that it is deeply personal.

[00:12:41] It manifests in moments when logic falters.

[00:12:45] But clarity prevails.

[00:12:48] As I've shared, I felt that in my own life during decisions that seemed irrational to others yet found profoundly, but felt like profoundly right to me.

[00:13:02] And I think that I can share this.

[00:13:04] There's been times where things are going right.

[00:13:08] I've got to mix this up.

[00:13:09] I've got to change things.

[00:13:11] I've got to turn this, you know, what seems from the outside looking in stable scenario.

[00:13:20] I've got to flip that on its head.

[00:13:23] It helped me start my company when things were going fine.

[00:13:27] I was making good money.

[00:13:28] I had a good job.

[00:13:31] And I knew something inside of me was telling me to go a different direction.

[00:13:37] And it didn't make a lot of sense.

[00:13:39] I didn't actually have a lot of financial resources to lean on.

[00:13:44] And I felt that later.

[00:13:46] But I had to honor that.

[00:13:49] It helped me move my own noetic truth from the Northwest outside of Seattle to Boston.

[00:13:58] I felt a calling to go there.

[00:14:02] And when I did, I met my wife and we've been together for 25 years, over 25 years.

[00:14:08] That wouldn't have happened had I honored that.

[00:14:10] And then for my wife and I to move from the Northeast, from Boston to Southern California and San Diego and thrive here, didn't make a lot of sense.

[00:14:22] But it was personal and deeply influential.

[00:14:29] And I didn't know it at the time, but that was our noetic truth.

[00:14:34] That was our inner compass that we were honoring.

[00:14:38] And you have that too.

[00:14:40] And you should reflect on that in your own life and look at where and when that has transpired.

[00:14:47] And you can name it.

[00:14:48] And you can say, that was my noetic truth.

[00:14:51] That was my knowing.

[00:14:53] I did that.

[00:14:54] And that's actually really cool because maybe something looked perfect on paper, but it didn't align with your inner values.

[00:15:04] And to know that they just weren't intuitive moments, that those choices were more transformative, perhaps, than you even give them credit for.

[00:15:14] And they set you on a path that felt authentic and fulfilling.

[00:15:19] That can be getting into a relationship.

[00:15:22] It can be getting out of a relationship.

[00:15:24] It could be moving, moving jobs, careers, having children, traveling, throwing caution to the wind on something.

[00:15:34] I know you felt this.

[00:15:35] Everybody has.

[00:15:36] It's life.

[00:15:37] It's really cool.

[00:15:37] As I mentioned, it's what connects us.

[00:15:41] And one of the things that I think, even in subtle ways, it shows up are those moments where you call a friend out of the blue and then you find out they needed your support or they were thinking about you.

[00:15:55] It's just, it's amazing how that works.

[00:15:58] Those are the easy ones, right?

[00:16:00] Those are the times where I say, man, I always manifest the best parking spot because that seems so trivial.

[00:16:06] Like, I'm going to, I'm going to park here or there's a crowd and I'm not worried about, you know, where I'm going to pull up.

[00:16:13] I just, yeah, I just know I'm good.

[00:16:16] And that knowing I've shared that with other people and they're like, I get that same feeling.

[00:16:20] There's comfort in it.

[00:16:21] You just know everything's going to work out.

[00:16:23] You ever had those moments?

[00:16:24] It's just going to work out.

[00:16:25] I'm, I'm a hundred percent sure that it'll be good.

[00:16:29] And it is.

[00:16:31] And I think that's why honoring noetic truth matters.

[00:16:35] Because if you fail to honor that inner wisdom, it leaves you feeling empty, unfulfilled, maybe even lost.

[00:16:45] Life's challenges become heavier when you ignore the subtle nudges.

[00:16:51] You're getting led down a path and it might look successful, but it feels hollow.

[00:16:58] But conversely, when we listen, when we trust that deep-seated knowledge, we find that alignment, the purpose, the sense of wholeness.

[00:17:10] And noetic truth isn't always loud.

[00:17:11] It's more of a whisper.

[00:17:14] It shows up in quiet moments of reflection.

[00:17:17] Maybe in nature.

[00:17:19] And you can get still.

[00:17:21] Or the depths of a struggle.

[00:17:25] You know, honoring it means pausing, listening, and trusting that within us lies a guide that has been with us since the beginning.

[00:17:35] And I think that's why it's so important to meditate.

[00:17:39] That's why it's so important to quiet the noise.

[00:17:43] To turn off whatever feed you're listening to.

[00:17:49] To stop for a moment.

[00:17:51] And this is why I push financial freedom so much.

[00:17:54] Because the greater the debt, the greater the financial pressure, the greater the need to perform,

[00:18:02] the more challenging it is to find stillness, to find quiet.

[00:18:07] Because you're consistently in a machine.

[00:18:09] You're a cog.

[00:18:10] You're constantly having to feed something to produce an outcome rather than finding stillness.

[00:18:19] And when you don't feel the crushing pressure of debt, you can relax a little bit.

[00:18:29] You can enjoy tapping in.

[00:18:33] If you don't meditate, that's fine.

[00:18:35] But you can find that feeling.

[00:18:39] And it can present itself.

[00:18:41] And you can listen.

[00:18:42] Because, as I mentioned, noetic truth isn't loud.

[00:18:45] It's a feeling.

[00:18:47] And it comes and goes.

[00:18:50] Like it literally shows up and then it might disappear.

[00:18:53] And you've got to honor it.

[00:18:56] You know, and that's the cool thing.

[00:18:57] Where did noetic truth come from?

[00:18:59] The truth is, it came from everywhere.

[00:19:01] Our biology, our spirituality, our shared humanity, and kind of the infinite mystery of consciousness itself.

[00:19:09] And that's why I wanted to talk about it today.

[00:19:14] Because we are all experiencing it.

[00:19:18] We're all gifted with it.

[00:19:20] There isn't one person that has more than another.

[00:19:24] It's just how do you honor it, truly?

[00:19:27] You know, how do you tap into it?

[00:19:30] How do you realistically understand that your gift, your ability is there, but you have to learn how to harness it and honor it in a way that is meaningful for you.

[00:19:50] So, I'm glad that we had this conversation.

[00:19:55] I know that you are a curious soul because you listen to this podcast.

[00:20:00] And I hope, especially during this holiday season where we have some opportunity to find quiet time, I know it's going to get busy.

[00:20:10] Life gets busy.

[00:20:12] But next year is going to be here so fast.

[00:20:15] January is going to arrive.

[00:20:16] And I don't want you to miss out on these moments of where you were able to honor your noetic truth.

[00:20:25] Listen, tap in, hear the whispers, and show up in a way that 2025, when you look back, you're like, wow.

[00:20:36] Like, I totally honored myself.

[00:20:38] I honored my inner wisdom, my knowledge.

[00:20:41] I moved fluidly.

[00:20:44] Again, it doesn't mean that life is always going to work out and it's going to unfold in a way that is just unimaginably great.

[00:20:51] That can happen too.

[00:20:52] But as I mentioned in the beginning of this episode, it's just really empowering even when you're having tough times.

[00:21:04] And this year was one of them for me in multiple facets.

[00:21:08] And as I look back, I'm just like, man, I'm cool with all of that because it set me up to really move and pivot in ways that got me excited about where I'm going.

[00:21:23] So I'm watching it in myself as an adult.

[00:21:27] I'm watching it in my kids too.

[00:21:28] And I think that's what's really neat.

[00:21:30] I'm watching both my son and daughter listen to their own inner wisdom.

[00:21:36] And I'm definitely looking at my role and making sure that I don't become that noise for them, that I can allow them and their own internal guidance system to empower their decisions.

[00:21:54] And that's pretty neat.

[00:21:55] And I hope the same for you.

[00:21:57] So happy Thanksgiving.

[00:22:00] I've got more episodes coming.

[00:22:01] I wouldn't say full happy holidays yet because I'm not done for the year.

[00:22:05] But right now, happy Thanksgiving.

[00:22:07] I hope you enjoy the day.

[00:22:09] And until next time, stay curious.