This is an excerpt from Peter J. Levine’s book Knowledge is Power: The Book of 21 Certainties. When you order your copy of The Mechanics of Happiness you will receive a copy of the additional book with our compliments in ebook form. Send us proof of purchase here and we’ll do the rest.

Knowledge Is Power –

the Book of 21 Certainties

From the Introduction:

Benjamin Franklin famously said “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” This is a partial view. There are certainties that govern our lives and are inescapable; like a fish in water we are the last to know that we swim in an ocean of certainty. Certain things will happen to us in our lifetime, whether it be short or long, whether they propel us to glory or infamy, there is no escaping the nature of the place into which we are born and live our lives. Our existence is defined by events that embrace and characterize who and what we are. These are absolutes whose influence is as pervasive as night and day or the coming and going of the seasons.

It is easy to think that we exist in a state of splendid isolation, that our actions are important only to us and have no implications beyond our immediate sphere. This is not the case. We are part of a remarkably intricate system of influence and relationships whose interactions with one another determine the path our individual lives follow and the direction that we take collectively. Despite our lives being guaranteed by certainties they remain invisible to many, obscured by ignorance. The only cure for ignorance is knowledge which in turn brings an increased sense of empowerment and points us in the direction of becoming liberated and achieving emancipation.

Knowledge is power and power is coded with responsibility. We find ourselves at the crossroads of an irresponsible past and an uncertain future which is why these certainties are so absolutely vital to understand. The delights and joys of living are not meant to be occasional pit stops, they represent the platform upon which we build our futures.

Humor is essential when considering these things because they are enormous in their implication and could quite easily overwhelm the casual observer. We live in challenging times and the best stance to adopt is one of reasoned impartiality. Until these and other certainties become clear to you, you cannot judge anyone or anything, so have a flexible countenance, things are what they are. Certainties are not always easy things to digest, some are uncomfortable and some are calls to action that you may not like. It is the nature of certainties to be impartial, they have no love of individuals, they are simply states of being that influence what we do and the world we live in.

However challenging it may seem at times, remember this: you have everything you need to cope, to survive, to adapt and to flourish in this environment. You are not alone, you never are, never were and never will be. You are surrounded and imbued with a benevolence that some call love, some call grace, some call the divine spark. Names are confusing, what is clear is that you are highly valued and given all that you need by a magnanimous creation that requires nothing of you other than you try from the best of yourself.

We are going to consider twenty one of these certainties here, the number twenty one has great significance. There is an element of mystery and chicanery that has come to embellish the areas of numbers and symbols unnecessarily. We have all been influenced by the showman or the magician and since the advent of mass media the most accomplished of these has had direct access to us all. It has suited their purposes to create an aura of untouchability and being possessed of ‘hidden powers’ not meant for mere mortals to know; great entertainment and great fun but, just as with the magician’s art, a misdirection of the audience’s attention and focus. Behind the enigma there exist simple truths. To give these twenty one certainties extra poignancy they are going to be related to the first twenty one years of a person’s life so that they become a lexicon of progression, a point of reference and a grid of comparison and assessment.

Why is it that twenty one has traditionally been the age of majority? Why do certain numbers have extra potency, lucky seven and unlucky thirteen for example, and is there any significance in the way these things relate to our own lives?

©Peter Levine