How Knowledge Becomes ~~~~~Wisdom~~~~~ Never before in the history of mankind has there been so much knowledge and information within our reach, yet very little time to ‘live’ it. We live within a sea of information, yet real wisdom comes in drops. Information is not enough. We need to deeply experience all that we see, hear and speak about in order to really grasp and understand the depths of it. It is only then that knowledge can be useful and become real wisdom; strength and power that no one can refute. In this information age, wisdom and the authority of experience are no longer valued, because people think they know everything. Google and Wikipedia are their 24hr online gurus. A distraught mother was complaining that her daughter who had recently given birth was taking parenting advice from articles on the Internet rather than from her. The Internet cannot take the place of real life experience or promise enlightenment. If knowledge and information were sufficient then we would not be seeking the advice of prophets and wise ones. It is perhaps self-evident that it is only when knowledge has been processed and assimilated–digested in full-and become part of one’s life can it be of any real and lasting use to the self and others. If we do not learn from what we know, we remain in ignorance and the vicious cycles continue. There is no shift in consciousness, in our behavior, or in our attitudes. And we repeat the same patterns, which give us the same outcomes each time. This is why some stay stuck, and others who choose to learn, grow. Living in the fast track means we want immediate results, even in our learning. Yet remember that the tree grows its rings over time and its growth cannot be accelerated, no matter what scientists may tell you. It takes time to reach its stage of maturity, just like a fine and valuable wine. Wisdom comes as a result of trusting the process of life and learning from it. In true wisdom, there is no fear, only love. No ego, only humility. With love and humility we learn to accept and embrace life with all of its challenges. We realize how much we don’t know, and how much we need to unlearn. Sometimes our fears can prevent us from learning, and fear comes from lack of self-knowledge and inner wisdom. If we are afraid then no matter how clever we may be, we are not learning what life is about. There is an Indian story of the mouse that found a piece of turmeric and thought he had become a grocer. This can be true for us also. We know a few things and become a ‘jack of all trades, but a master of none’. This attitude that we know it all prevents us from learning more. Just as we surround ourselves with possessions which give us a false sense of security, so too we surround ourselves with useless information to give us a sense of wisdom. But what is real wisdom and how far removed are we from it? Many may have a high IQ, but it is also important to have a high SQ–spiritual quotient. SQ is about putting spiritual values and common sense into practice in our lives. There are many intelligent people with degrees and titles but little wisdom to accompany them. If there were real intelligence within the self, there would not be bribery, corruption, rape or the like, because these things only work against the culprit in the long run. There seems to be a huge gap between ‘knowing it’ and ‘being it’. Few professions these days are taken up because of a real passion to serve or give. Many are attracted to the pay packets and prestige that comes with being an engineer, doctor or lawyer, rather than to living out the moral mission statement that accompanies it. Knowledge is important, but experiencing it is even more important. For example, knowing that I am a being of peace and love is not enough. I need to experience the peace and love and furthermore become the practical form of these qualities, so that others can also experience that from me. It’s Time… to turn knowledge into wisdom through experience. Let’s take time to reflect how much we know and how much we don’t. With love and humility let’s increase our spiritual IQ. It takes a wise person to understand the depth of wisdom! Aruna Ladva
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:38:15 +0000
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