Wisdom as a Way of Life

The next paper I had to write for my PhD was about what “Wisdom as a Way of Life” means to me. What I first came up with was that wisdom would be the knowledge and insight that my experience and intuition has taught me as I delve beneath the surface of life. Explaining this in terms of the ideals and beliefs that I have and then relating the thoughts and feelings that I experience as I try to live my life as a reflection of these ideals, was my first goal.

The discoveries that I make in living a wisdom way of life are grounded in a belief system, but are substantiated through practice. Therefore, I whole-heartedly agree with philosophers when they say that wisdom is a pursuit rather than a possession. I also agree with Emerson who writes “all my best ideas were stolen by the ancients.” As a result, I wanted to rely on the expression of my heart, rather than the creation of an essay of ideas for my paper.

But I started with an overview of what I believe: At some point in our development human beings lost an intimate connection with the Beloved along with the habit of seeing the pattern of the whole. Thus, we look for knowledge, for principles, both scientific and spiritual (or religious), to explain our purpose and our longing for Oneness. However, unless we rediscover the wisdom that comes with relating to the Beloved, unless we come to reflect the harmony and goodness that is the Source and pattern of creation, we will not be able to achieve our own potential.

When we go back to our roots, to our connection with the Source, we discover the true wisdom of our own creation and belonging. This wisdom is reflected in the principles from which the very universe was created. One such principle is what Brian Swimme calls “allurement”—the simple attraction of one for another with the purpose of creating something more diversified and whole. The essence of allurement—which began with the out-breathing of the Big Bang, and the in-breathing of gravity—wraps us in an ever-expanding spiral of relational giving and receiving. This is the moment when we are touched and embraced by the very universe itself—a moment of grace, Thomas Berry calls it—one we can recapture every day. That is our responsibility.

I believe the most fundamental characteristic of this world is allurement, or in our case, love. Love is unselfish, always thinks of the larger picture, and is always living for the sake of others. This is the nature we were created with, and developing this kind of character is something that we have yet to attain. To relearn this original ideal and heart of love we must develop it within the experience of a truly loving family. We not only lost our connection with the Beloved and with nature, we also lost love—our ability to love as parents, as children, as brothers and sisters, as husband and wife.

Actually, contemplating the idea of wisdom further, I began to entertain the notion that wisdom is not knowledge at all. In my perception, knowledge is based on the understanding of the principles and laws that manage and maintain the physical or substantial world, and the spiritual or insubstantial, perhaps other-dimensional, world. Our experience of these worlds (and this is not implying that there are two distinct worlds, but rather two aspects of the same world) helps us express these principles in scientific and spiritual terms.

Practicing, or putting into action what we have experienced, helps us live in harmony within the structure and pattern that makes up the whole. Remembering is the groundwork or foundation for our experiences that connects us with our roots, with our inheritance, and gives us a sense of place within the schema of the cosmos.

However, wisdom is beyond knowledge or experience or remembering. I believe wisdom is embraced during that moment of awe that comes with the openness to receive the wonder and greatness of the universe. The heart of wisdom is the realization of I Am as I open to receive the love emanating from the Heart of the Beloved, believing that I Am, in all my individuality, also in Oneness with the Source. Living beyond the boundaries of control or understanding, a wisdom way of life exists within the flow of creativity that is the source of love, life and lineage.

This is wisdom, as I know it. The only thing I can be sure of is that I know nothing from myself, but I can, at moments, be open to the whole, for I have the stuff of stars in my lungs, and the lava of love in my veins, and I have surely felt the Beloved’s kiss in the early morning mist and in the wonder of my daughter’s love.