Steps to wisdom

Many of us are looking and longing for an understanding, a road map, how to achieve greater harmony and a more satisfying life experience. The following description of this universal human problem is based on both old and modern concepts. Let’s call it Steps to Wisdom. It represents  my own understanding of thoughts and methods from ancient philosophy and teachings, from the rich treasures of Christianity and Buddhism, from the views of Yoga philosophy and from modern psychologic and psychoterapeutic concepts. The theme they all have in common is a persons growing and maturing to a deeper and more evolved understanding of herself and the world, visible and invisible. The object of this purpose, man, is very old. Supposedly working methods from different ages, directed at the harmonic function of man, should therefore have at least some similarities in their effects. And they often do. Much of the differences we can see will of course depend on theoretic models of existence and world in different cultures and different times but also on language and words people use when they try to describe mental experiences. The experienced functions of mind and soul are private and always hard to explain with well defined words or to prove with objective facts. In our communication with others we have to use symbolic images, whether they are verbal or material. This is the language of mysticism. But this will always reflect the culture where it has originated and is therefore not always easy for others to understand.

Words in themselves are symbols which help us to understand each other. How we define them is crucial. Every word and every sentence carries a meaning which, superficially seen, can be understood by everyone who has knowledge of the actual language. But the same word may still be defined differently by different people. On the other hand can the same basic thought be expressed with words and sounds that have no likeness at all, as in different languages. Language is a tool of the intellect. Putting together words to sentences which convey complicated contend is a great achievement of the intellect. The language of intuition is on the other hand based on mental images and symbols and these images are usually loaded with emotion. While words, the language of the intellect, are working well in conveying knowledge of details, mental images will function better in transmitting knowledge of the whole. That is why concepts and teachings which aim at personal development are using lots of symbolic images. With their help we will be able to communicate the depths of our mind in a more efficient way.

The language of symbolic images usually mirrors different cultures. But there are mental images which can be understood in the same way by most humans irrespective of their cultural surroundings. C.G. Jung (1874-1961) called them Archetypes. Many of these are included in the imagery of great religions and other philosophic and spiritual doctrines.

If we accept the ancient treasures of human knowledge as a supplement to modern knowledge of ourselves and our world it would even in our time be possible to create practical methods for the development of the mind with their help. Methods that aim for more than just physical health or better relations. The importance of such methods would be to start up and maintain a process leading us human beings towards greater understanding of our own wholeness and our place in a greater context of self, society and world. It would give us a chance to live in a more personal way and lead to a more satisfying and harmonious life. Such a personal road to wisdom does not necessarily compete with officially accepted teachings in our time but may lead to a better understanding of them. Reaching the depth of mind in this way, and be able to return there, can give an understanding of the teachings of an old master. Sadly enough does it not always explain what this masters latter-day disciples are pursuing.

Knowledge of life, and how to live, is nowadays preferably offered in portions and sold in packages adjusted to the market. Seen as help to human growth and maturing this has its limitations. To live and to grow are coherent processes which can’t be divided. A theoretic concept has to be broken down into different parts for the intellect to grasp, that is unavoidable. But a persons experience of her own process of maturing has to be seen as one. It is however definitely possible, even without academic merits, to understand the natural course of conscious human self-development. Theories may be very useful but life experience is better. And someone who has lived and suffered, and has not been afraid to draw conclusions from this, may because of  this experience be able to stimulate someone else to find the path to her own core.

It is crucial for everyone of us to understand and accept that we ourselves, and everything in our life, are parts of a greater whole. Without this understanding it is difficult to awaken and strengthen the motivation to make choices which lead to a more harmonic life-experience. Instead our ancestral survival reactions, colored by anxiety or anger, will choose our actions. And this will of course make it much harder to adapt harmoniously to the movements of the world.

Phases of a natural personal development.

Growth and maturing has a built-in order. An achieved level of insight has to be strengthened by, and integrated with, corresponding actions before the next level can be reached. A person living undisturbed by personal crisis or catastrophe may not be very engaged in thoughts about self-development. But in difficult situations the only way to go on with life may be a deeper insight. This requires awareness of what has happened and is happening. It also requires an understanding of the significance of our own actions. These are of course to a large extent dependent on the contents of the mind. So we have to look inwards in order to get a better understanding of the actual situation. In looking back when the crisis has passed we can also understand our own process of maturing. Living becomes learning.

Step 1

The first inevitable step that has to be taken on the road to self-perception and maturing is to train oneself in being present in the moment. This implies simultaneous awareness of body, thoughts and feelings as often as possible. In modern theories this is called Mindfulness. We strengthen our awareness of what  is going on in mind, body and world in a given moment. The reward will be increased ability to concentrate on what is actually happening. This approach will be reinforced by training awareness of respiration and trying to breathe in a physiologically accurate way. All together this makes it possible to find moments of inner stillness and rest.

Step 2

The second step should lead to a mental security which is not only depending on the actual situation in the external world. But this is usually not possible before we have developed the ability to achieve mental calm. Only in mental stillness can we rediscover our deepest personality, the trustworthy experience of an identity which is not dependent on appraisal from without. If we succeed in strengthening this deep recognition of existence, it can’t easily be changed by others. A lasting foundation of security will come into existence within us.

Step 3

Step three makes it possible to turn once again from our inner regions to our social life, now based on a belief in the non-negotiable fact of our own existence. We are prepared to re-assess our approach to people, world and life And we are prepared to learn new ways to think and act, creating harmony instead of division. In this period there is great need of increased knowledge and understanding of our own genetically aquired survival mechanisms, of self-defence and stress and of the mechanisms in human relations.

Step 4

Step four will eventually lead to a changed attitude to life. We want to become reconciled with the hardship we had to go through and with things we fear may wait for us in the future. And so we move, perhaps for many years, towards a greater integration of light and darkness in our lives. Without grief and bitterness we will increasingly accept that happiness and suffering, as well as life and death, are parts of one whole and that we ourselves are living at its heart.

Practical studies in the school of life differ from studies in the type of schools we are used to. Again and again are we forced to go back, finding that we made the same old mistake once more. We take two steps forwards and one step back, two steps forwards and one step back …

But each time we will understand a little more of the whole. That is if we want to understand. In this way our knowledge and insight will increase, as well as the ability to live in greater harmony.