Allowing Wisdom to Emerge

When thinking about a person with wisdom who comes to mind?

Often for me it is a twinkling eyed elder whose wrinkles reveal a journey and discovery of inner peace, compassion, and insight. This archetype implies that wisdom is gained through longevity.

However, in teaching kids in schools I am reminded that wisdom is timeless, and if the conditions are right it can appear in a kindergartener or centurion.

If wisdom is timeless, then what are the conditions that obscure its omnipresence throughout the day?

In contemplative traditions it is postulated that wisdom is concealed by the inner conditions of incessant craving or desire for something outside of ourselves, ill-will, dullness, worry, and doubt.

When these conditions persist, it is observed that the natural clarity of mind that reflects wisdom is obscured like water infiltrated by dye, a rolling boil, moss, turbulent wind, and mud.

With respect to this observation of obscurations, the wise sage Lao Tzu advises,

Do you have the patience to wait
Till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
Till the right action arises by itself?

Thus, to begin a practice of wisdom in daily life we must first be able to observe the state of our mind and if we recognize it is obscured, can we allow it time to settle? Otherwise, what we say, think, or do may be tainted.

Of course, this is much easier said than done. One way to begin is by committing yourself each day to a practice of quietly noticing the breath. Through sustained breath awareness we learn how to release whatever is stirring up the mind and can gradually arrive back to a natural state where timeless wisdom may emerge.

In wisdom,
Ryan