WisdOM - AN INTRODUCTION
The QUEST
".....and now come the days of the King. May they be blessed." Lord of the Rings
After years of blood shed, loss, and sadness their came an era of peace to Middle Earth. Do you remember this moment ? It was at the end of "Return of the King" the last movie in the "Lord of the Ring" trilogy. Aragorn and the people of Middle Earth enjoyed a hard won unity; a unity that came with experience, maturity and faith in love.
Every legend leads us to this point; a time when "a hard won" happiness is reached. In a fairy tale ... it would be happily ever after. In real life it is more like the final phase of a cycle...until life blows her trumpet and we embark on yet another quest.
What does one receive in those hard years of reaching a place of peace ? Wisdom.
Wisdom has been shared from generation to generation. We used to tell stories around the campfires, then we had bed time stories by candlelight, candles were replaced by electrical bed side lamps, now we have Alexa, Kindle and audiobooks. The art of how to live and live well is shared in many different ways. Yet we need to translate wisdom into action and create systems that can support humanity to thrive.
This is when exploration, willingness to learn and understanding deepens our ability to comprehend the world and respond to it with greater intelligence. The story tellers and film makers could help us out here. What does an enlightened leader and society look like ?
If Peter Jackson handed Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler a script - "The age of the King and Queen" what would their government, policies and court look like. An era of peace suggests people know how to live with themselves and each other. A system which works is created, supported to evolve, and maintained. These times on Earth are about creating the frameworks. It is a process of bringing together a polarised world, with patience, and tolerance for a greater good. A recognition that it is up to us to create our own happiness. To lead ourselves towards a future we wish to live in.
Such a transition calls for maturity.
The maturity to disengage from our own fears and stresses that clutter our clarity of thought and drown the voice of intuition. A path of justice asks us to recognise our own biases and prejudice. It spot lights roots of human pain. We have to learn to let go, forgive, and free ourselves to choose again.
This freedom is the gift that allows us to create our happiness.
Our maturity will allow us to be responsible for our emotions, thoughts, words and actions to celebrate, sustain, and respect all life. A bad start does not need to bleed and tarnish the potential of tomorrow. We have the free will to choose. We need to know how to hold it together and choose wisely.
The foundation for such a society is wisdom.
Hence, the first pillar of the Heart of Gaia is - Wisdom.
Wisdom TRAILS
A gap between the thoughts
as the day breaks
A retreat
to capture the bigger picture at stake
Taking time with family
to renew
To walk along the river bank
with possessions few
To follow a trail
across vast terrain
And listen to the bird call
a sunrise quatrain
To walk with confidence
and head held high
A celebration with nature
has helped us thrive
Giving us time
to rustle through fall
Absorbing the colours
while releasing to life's waltz
Sliding into winter
Its cold and chill
An inner journey
a necessity to be still.
In pursuit of a connection
free of any bills
To look again
with open eyes
To touch the life force
and be willing to try
To value the soil
that sustains life
And follow the path
trusting sun, earth, water and sky
Reaching the ocean
a vast expansion to the eye
And ride into waves
that envelop your soul
They take you deep
to the ocean floor
You see your self
and realise.
I am me
a valuable prize.
Beyond the surface
Explorations of depth
We live in times where a superficial level of knowledge is easily available and consumed. The are many platforms which also enable us to share our opinions easily. We risk playing in shallow pool of expertise. To make wise choices we need to understand the depth and interconnectedness of life. Let us invest in depth.
The connection
Our potential and our vulnerability
Today we have more tools to connect with each other than ever before. These tools can empower us to collaborate across countries and bring the best of talent to uplift society. We can be happier than ever before.
Yet, loneliness, depression and lack of opportunity for some is a sad but true reality.
How do we optimise all that is available to us without getting lost in the quest. I believe the secret is a commitment to daily practices that support personal growth and allow us to become wise.