Light Your Own Candle

Your most profound education will not come from lecture halls, or from formal degrees, or from any institution of stone and statute. It will come from that burning flame within, that relentless pursuit of understanding that cannot be extinguished.

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Transcript

In 1780s Scotland, young Mary Fairfax was barely allowed to read. Her father believed education would destroy a girl's health. He allowed her just one hour of reading per day. At night, she would secretly study mathematics by candlelight. She taught herself algebra and geometry from books she borrowed. Her family mocked her interests, and her first husband forbade her studies.

But Mary's insatiable curiosity couldn't be contained. She burned to learn. After becoming a widow at 27, she intensified her self-education, absorbing scientific texts and corresponding with leading mathematicians. The numbers spoke to her. She taught herself French to read advanced mathematical works and conducted experiments in her kitchen. Nothing could stop her now.

Despite never attending university, she went on to become Mary Somerville. The woman whose mathematical works were used at Cambridge University, who was among the first women admitted to the Royal Astronomical Society, and whose brilliance prompted the word "scientist" to be coined.

Formal education has its place. It provides structure, social connections, and foundational knowledge. But it's self-education that truly transforms lives. Mary Somerville didn't wait for permission. She didn’t wait for proper credentials. She followed her curiosity wherever it led.

She experimented, questioned, and proved theories for herself. Her approach to learning was both humble and rigorous. She studied the works of great thinkers while insisting on verifying everything through her own investigations. She, as Yogi Ramacharaka taught, “accepted nothing as final until proven; and was wise to profit by the advice and experience of those who have gone before.”

Today, we have advantages Somerville could only dream of. Libraries, podcasts, online courses, documentaries, audiobooks, newsletters, videos. Knowledge surrounds us. But like her, we must take initiative. Read widely, but don't stop there. Compare perspectives, challenge assumptions, and most importantly, put knowledge into practice.

Cultivate curiosity across multiple domains. Like Somerville, who, besides mathematics, explored astronomy, geology, geography, and even art. Each field enriched her understanding of others. Each helped her make connections others missed.

Through self-education, Somerville developed a deeper understanding of reality. She expressed late in life that age had not diminished her passion for learning. At 89, she was still studying higher algebra.

Your most profound education will not come from lecture halls, or from formal degrees, or from any institution of stone and statute. It will come from that burning flame within, that relentless pursuit of understanding that cannot be extinguished.