“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
In the most recent series here on Mountain Zen Den we’ve been talking about cultivating what we call your “Garden of Well-being”…
Today we will discuss cultivating Wisdom in our lives. What does this mean?
What picture comes to mind when you think of wisdom?… (Socrates, Aristotle, King Solomon, Confucius, Gandalf, Dumbledore, Yoda…“wise you are”, or maybe an owl…)
What does Wisdom look like? And why do we need to cultivate it anyway?
Wisdom has been defined as: “Knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action.” Meaning, it is Life Experience thoughtfully reflected upon, and then lived. It is the ability to make thoughtful observations, that is “If…then…” assumptions, to see the end outcome, or result of good and bad choices and decisions, and then make the right decision.
So how do we cultivate Wisdom in our Garden of Well-being?
You don’t have to be an old, white-bearded sage to begin cultivating Wisdom. (Especially if you’re a woman). It begins with Listening; truly listening, observing, thinking and reflecting on what is true and right, and then acting accordingly upon that observation.
If you can do it once, you can do it again, and then again and again until it becomes a habit, and then a personality trait, until one day you find yourself acting upon Wisdom on a regular basis, flourishing in your wise choices, and as a result, are happier than you’ve ever been. That is how you cultivate Wisdom.
Where can you find these traits of Wisdom in your daily life?
A good place to start is by reflecting on the Ancient Wisdom of the natural world…as seen in the endless changing of the seasons, the inner workings of the Universe, the planets and stars in their orbit, the stillness of the deserts, steadfastness of the oceans, the joy and flow of rivers and streams; in the continual growth and peace found in forests and woodlands; in the freedom of birds in flight and all wild things of the Earth; and even in our bodies, and the miraculous principles that allow us to procreate, give new life, grow, walk and run, and heal, and think, and work and play…
Wisdom is a 30,000 foot view. It is not only about gaining life experience, but about slowing down enough to stop and consider. To ponder and discern what is really going on and what really, truly matters in life. It is about returning to a Foundation of what is real vs. what is prevalent in the world today, and can only be seen with the eyes. True Wisdom looks like Mindfulness. And mindfulness begins with presence and awareness found in meditation.
The Jewish king, Solomon who is often referred to as the wisest man who ever lived sought wisdom as a jewel or treasure. He spent his life seeking it in pleasure and work and in building things, and not withholding one desire from himself. In the end, as he writes in the book of Ecclesiastes, he says that “Everything is vanity”, and that “Wisdom is better than strength.” He points out:
“It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.”
Finally he observed, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”
This time for everything can be seen in Nature. In the rising and setting of the sun. In the fruit that grows on the trees, and the seeds that fall to the ground. In the birds that carry and distribute the seeds, and the bees that pollinate the flowers. In the seasons. In the planting and growing of these seeds, and the harvesting of the crops. In the birth and life and death of all things.
The observation of all of this, and in the recognition of a Designer with a Hand greater than all, is the beginning of wisdom. And with wisdom comes acceptance, and with acceptance, peace. One of the greatest qualities of the wise person is their quality of Peace. Tranquility and deep, deep underlying joy that comes with alignment with the Universe.
Let’s tap into this peace and Wisdom through today’s meditation.
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