From Believing to Knowing: A Journey of Direct Experience

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

—John 8:32

Let me begin by saying this: we were not created to blindly believe—we were created to know. And knowing, true knowing, is not something handed to you from a pulpit, a book, or even a spiritual teacher. It is something awakened within you through direct experience. That’s the shift we’re here to explore today.

We live in a world steeped in belief systems. We are born into them, baptized into them, schooled in them. We believe what our parents believed, what our culture promotes, what our religious institutions declare. But here's the radical truth: belief is second-hand. It’s borrowed. It’s mental assent to someone else’s story.

Knowing, on the other hand—Gnosis—is something altogether different. It is personal. It is alive. It is transformational. Knowing does not ask for your agreement; it awakens your remembrance.

Let’s take a moment to feel that distinction.

When you believe, you often do so to avoid fear. We believe in heaven to avoid fearing death. We believe in a punishing god to explain suffering. But when you know, fear dissolves. Why? Because experience becomes your evidence. You no longer cling to doctrine—you stand on revelation.

I want you to hear this with your heart: Belief says “I hope it’s true.” Knowing says “I’ve tasted and seen.”

There’s an old saying: “A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument.” That’s the shift from belief to knowing.

Let’s use a simple metaphor. Imagine you’re reading a menu at a restaurant. You can read about the food. Believe it’s good. Even memorize the ingredients. But until you take a bite—until you experience it—you don’t know it. Spiritual truth is no different. It’s not meant to stay on the page. It’s meant to be lived, tasted, embodied.

I’m not here to add another belief to your shelf. I’m here to invite you to awaken what you already know deep in your being. The Gnostics taught that the spark of the Divine lies within each of us—not out there in some sky god, but in here, in the sanctuary of your soul. You don’t need to be told the truth—you need to be reminded of it.

So how do we shift from belief to knowing?

We go inward. We slow down. We practice stillness. Not to empty ourselves, but to remember ourselves. That’s why the Academy for Spiritual Awakening exists—not to give you answers, but to guide you to your own. Because once you’ve had your own encounter, you no longer need to defend it. Your knowing is enough.

Knowing is also humble. It doesn’t need to shout. It doesn't claim superiority. It simply is. A tree doesn't argue that it's a tree—it just stands rooted and bears fruit. Likewise, when you know something in spirit, it becomes evident in the fruit of your life—peace, clarity, compassion, courage.

Let me be clear: I’m not condemning belief. Belief can be a stepping stone. It can be the finger pointing to the moon. But don’t get stuck kissing the finger. Go to the moon. Go to the experience.

In closing, I challenge each of you: Question what you’ve been taught to believe. Not to reject it out of hand, but to test it with your own spiritual senses. Does it ring true in your heart? Does it empower you? Does it resonate with your direct experience of the Divine?

If it does—welcome it. If it doesn’t—release it.

Because ultimately, belief divides. But knowing unites. Belief creates denominations. Knowing births transformation.

And that’s what we’re after. Not better beliefs. But a deeper, truer, lived knowing of who you are, why you’re here, and the Divine Source that lives and breathes through you.

Thank you for walking this path of awakening with me.

Let us move from belief… into knowing.

Blessings and peace to you all.

David Hulse, Spiritual Guide
Academy for Spiritual Awakening
www.SanctuaryforAwakening.com