WISDOM QUEST
ON A QUEST FOR WISDOM
The world we know is changing quicker than we can grasp it. Challenges everywhere. Ecological collapse. Economic turmoil. Mistrust, societal divide and instability. A widening disparity of wealth and power. Technologies transforming our lives, able to cause great harm - if in the wrong hands.
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It is hard to stay calm watching all this unfold at an unprecedented speed. The urge is to sprint into action and do something about it. And yes, concrete action is needed. However, not anything will do but the right moves need to be made - this is a strategically important time for the future of our species, and time as well as making steps into the right direction are of the essence. Identifying the root causes of the ailments is key, seeing very clear despite all fog and distractions and acting in unity will be decisive for the next era on this planet.
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This is a time to be wise. And an opportunity for us to shift into an Age of Wisdom in which we use the assets we have - our time, brain, technology and capital - wisely and in unity for the wellbeing of people and planet. With this, we’d truly live up to our potential as "Homo sapiens”, wise beings.
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So what is wisdom? How do we acquire wisdom? What is a wise way to live, to think, to take decisions, to lead, to relate with each other and nature?
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We have decided to look for answers to these questions this year by visiting Elders from various Wisdom Traditions. As We believe that there is deep wisdom in what survived the trends and storms of time.
Switzerland
I had so many in-depths conversations this time in #davos - it was intriguing. Probably due to me starting most conversations with contemplations & questions around #wisdom.
Why? Because I believe that wisdom is a quality that truly makes us "Homo sapiens" - wise beings, a quality worth putting a greater focus on - as it might be the one quality crucial for us to evolve as a species in a way that provides a beautiful quality of life for everyone and in harmony with our inner and outer #nature. I think it's time to evolve beyond knowledge - especially of interest in times of #ai, one of the top themes during the #wef23 week.
So what is wisdom? Here is the synthesis of my thoughts and input I got from a diverse range of people - such as business people, AI experts, impact investors, biodiversity specialists, social entrepreneurs, and even a buddhist lama who was present (truly present, by the way) throughout the week.
"Wisdom is clarity of mind in tune with one´s heart and aware of one's role and responsibility in life. It has several components: Knowledge, experience, insights taken from the prior two, followed by aligned, coherent decisions and actions. All based on an inner compass that takes into consideration one's own path and needs as well as those of others. It is an inner stillness that has an intricate knowing of our interconnectedness, and that allows a deep understanding of one's inner system as well as an ease to view life from an eagle´s and a system´s perspective"
Wondering what your take is on this?
P.S. Writing from the airport by the way - off to my Wisdom Quest in South & Central America. #mexico , #brazil , #guatemala , #colombia. Happy to connect with "Wisdom Keepers" and #impactinvestors there.