We begin the task of reconstructing Augustine's inner ourney by reflecting on the concept of self presented in his magisterial text, On the Trinity. The work is first and foremost theological, as it goes to great lengths to explain what Augustine considers to be the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity:

We certainly seek a trinity, - not any trinity, but that Trinity which is God, and the true and supreme and only God. Let my hearers then wait, for we are still seeking. And no one justly finds fault with such a search, if at least he who seeks that which either to know or to utter is most difficult, is steadfast in the faith.[1]

His journey to find the Trinity causes him to turn away from the exterior world of physical perceptions, to the inner world of the soul. To be sure, the soul serves as an inadequate mirror for the Holy Trinity, and we soon discover that Augustine, despite uncovering a staggering degree of inner trinities, finds that the only triad which can be analogous to the "Trinity which is God" is the "Trinity which is God", itself. We get a sense from Augustine that these analogies are the best we humans can discover, and he finds comfort in these examples, as "our feeble mind perhaps can gaze upon these more familiarly and more easily" than can it gaze upon the Trinity itself.[2]  

The Power for the Journey - Pneumatic Epistemology

In the first section,[20] Augustine argues that dialogues are used to teach and remind, but the words which are part of any given dialogue are merely symbols which signify the underlying meaning of a communication event.[21] He concludes that speech acts are only symbolic gestures, because nothing can be known apart from the use of symbols.[22] Symbols, or the underlying meaning of symbols, are the important elements of the dialogue and not simply the words which are their signifiers.[23] Words, Augustine concludes, really are of no real value, because they represent something other than themselves.The humorous example of this problem is illustrated when Augustine attempts to convince Adeodatus that he is not a man (homo), because the word is simply the amalgamation of two syllables (ho-mo). Adeodatus is a man, but he is more than a man. He is not simply the name, 'man' but is the thing which underlies the symbol of man. Furthermore, Augustine states that

as soon as those words are pronounced, I cannot but think that the conclusion has reference to what is signified by these two syllables (ho-mo) and that by reason of the rule which naturally has dominance, namely, that when signs are heard the attention is directed to the realities signified.[24]

The use of words is a tricky matter, as words can easily become minced, and meaning can be difficult to find amidst the slough. Augustine states:

treating words by means of words is as complicated a business as interlocking and rubbing the fingers of one hand with the fingers of the other, where it is scarcely discernible, except by the one doing it, which fingers are itching and which are relieving the itch.[25]

Despite their shortcomings, words have a function in teaching and communicating, but their role is always subservient to the greater role of instruction.[26]

Words exist that we may use them; but we use them for the purpose of teaching. Just as teaching is superior to talking, so talking is superior to words. Therefore, instruction, is far superior to words.[27]

Augustine also examines how communication can occur on a non-verbal level, which goes even further to support his thesis that words are not the same as communication events.[28]

There are interesting descriptions of people who illustrate things through signs, which are incomplete descriptions of the things they describe, but still allow communication and learning to occur on the part of the inquirer.[29]

It is thought by Augustine that when one perceives the whole via an incomplete (as in the case of the fowler who shows a bystander how he does his craft, and the bystander learns by watching), that there is something within the learner which fills in the missing bits of knowledge. Because words (which are the individual units of discourse) leave large gaps in the meaning transmitted, something besides dialogue must accomplish understanding. This leads Augustine to infer that the 'something besides' is in fact a supernatural force which operates behind the scenes.If it is not even with words that one teaches[30], and if one cannot teach another, than God is the only one who is truly the teacher of the soul.[31] Words, communication acts, and dialogues only prompt us to seek the truth within us, which is rooted in God.[32] The only 'teacher' is Christ, who dwells in our inner mind, and is himself the source of truth and the light of reason. The one who is taught is not taught by words or signs or by a human teacher, but 'by the realities themselves, made manifest to him by God revealing them to his inner self.'[33]

In this way, Augustine follows the example of Jesus who in Matthew said:

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.  And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.[34]

Augustine builds upon this command of Jesus and asserts that based upon his pneumatic epistemology; there can be no unmediated instruction by teachers to students, but only instruction which is directly facilitated through the Teacher, namely Jesus Christ. At least, this is the sentiment of Augustine's dialogue partner Adeodatus:

As for me, I have learned, thanks to being reminded by your words, that words do no more than prompt man to learn, and that what appears to be, to a considerable extent, the thought of the speaker expressing himself, really amounts to extremely little. Moreover, as to whether what is said is true, He alone teaches who when He spoke externally reminded us that He dwells within us. I shall now, with His help, Love Him and the more ardently the more I progress in learning.[35]