Welcome back to this series of meditations based on the seven principles that I work on every day in my life.
Today we are going to be looking at wisdom.
Wisdom is usually something people say that you get as you get older,
But wisdom is so much more than that.
Let's begin by getting into a seated comfortable position.
Close our eyes and take a few deep breaths.
As you inhale,
Focus on the movement of the air through your nose and into your chest.
Your chest rising and your abdomen rising and swelling to welcome that air.
As you exhale,
Allow your body to exhale into relaxation.
Inhale calm and exhale relaxation.
Relax your jaw,
Your face muscles.
Relax your shoulders,
Your neck and arms.
Relax your hips,
Your legs.
Now just take a moment to breathe.
We begin by asking what is wisdom at its base and is understanding.
We all have knowledge or experience with certain things and as we go through life we build experiences.
We build our knowledge base.
We learn and in doing this we become wiser when we understand that knowledge and experience.
When we understand how to apply it to life.
That is when we start to move towards wisdom.
You learn to be careful around a hot stove.
You learn that if you touch it you will get burned.
When we understand that and we share that with others we are sharing our wisdom.
If you have children think about a time when you taught them something based on something you experienced and your understanding of that experience.
You are sharing your wisdom with your children.
Teachers who don't just teach what is in a book but teach from their own personal experiences are teaching with wisdom.
Coaches that don't only coach based on strategies written in a book but also on what they know will and will not work in certain situations is wisdom.
Wisdom often gets confused with knowledge.
We can have lots of knowledge of something and no wisdom.
Because wisdom is an understanding of that knowledge.
You can read words in a book and learn something but unless we understand that learning and how that applies to life then we are not moving towards wisdom.
Wisdom is also knowing when to share and when not to share that knowledge.
Wisdom is seeking understanding of the knowledge we have.
Thinking not only about history for example but how it affects today would be an example of moving from knowledge to wisdom.
When people speak about common sense they are talking about wisdom.
Wisdom is a life-long learning journey.
We must keep our minds open to understanding in order to gain wisdom.
When we meditate we use our knowledge and thoughts to focus on gaining understanding about ourselves and the world around us.
So you might say that meditation is a path to wisdom.
It isn't the only path but it is a path all the same.
If we walk with wisdom we walk with understanding.
We consult with our wisdom when we make decisions.
We recognize our responsibilities to wisdom.
In some cultures wisdom is expressed in the idea of making decisions that are made with future generations in mind.
Using our current knowledge and our current experiences to understanding that knowledge and experience so that we can apply it with wisdom.
I want you to think of a person in your life that you think exemplifies wisdom or that you've always looked to as a wise person.
Perhaps it was a parent,
A friend,
An uncle,
An aunt.
Perhaps it's a sibling.
It does not mean to be an old person.
Wisdom knows no boundaries.
When you think of this person why did you think they were wise?
Did they just share their knowledge all the time and knew everything about everything?
Or did they find those opportune moments to share with you or with someone around you not only their knowledge but their understanding of that knowledge?
Is that what made them wise?
Take a moment just to picture that person and really explain to yourself what it is that you think makes them wise.
I often think of my father.
He was full of wisdom.
Some people might have said a little too much wisdom but he was always willing to share his knowledge and experiences,
To share his understanding.
He was willing to coach or teach or comfort someone based on his wisdom.
He had the knowledge to be kind and strong but he had the wisdom to know when to do both.
Thirteen years after his passing I still think about what he would say or do in certain situations.
His wisdom was that impactful.
It impacted more people than just me.
It impacted people he worked with,
His friends,
Strangers.
He was a positive person in so many people's lives because he shared his wisdom openly and freely.
So what makes you wise?
What makes you walk with wisdom?
How can we implement wisdom into our own lives?
The good news is that by meditating you've already begun that journey.
Anytime we focus inward,
Focus on being a better human,
Focus on calming the storms of emotions inside us,
These are all ways that we can turn our knowledge into understanding and thus into wisdom.
As you go through your days,
Keep wisdom in mind.
Not only where to find people to learn from but when and where to share your wisdom.
Look for ways to gain understanding on your knowledge.
And look for opportunities to listen to other people and their wisdom.
Make decisions based on wisdom rather than just reacting to things.
Take that time and allow yourself to have that time to make wisdom a key player in every decision-making process.
Most importantly,
We must keep our minds open and be welcoming to wisdom.
I hope you walk with wisdom every day.
Some days I succeed more than others and that's okay.
It is a lifelong journey of education and understanding.
When you are ready,
Bring your awareness back to this moment.
Open your eyes and move forward through your days with wisdom.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
