Wisdom in Action

One of the best qualities a human being can possess is undoubtedly wisdom. It can help lead a person to a happy and meaningful life. So, what does wisdom mean? Wisdom is the expression of knowledge, either in words or actions. We show wisdom in our reactions, actions, or words that we speak in our day-to-day lives. These are choices we make directly correlated to the amount of wisdom we have developed within ourselves.

There has been a lot of discussion on mental health nowadays. When we talk about mental well-being, we not only refer to our mind and our thinking ability but to the way we feel in any given situation. It is wisdom that teaches us how we should control our emotions, thoughts, actions, and words.

For this reason, the ancient universities of India, are one of the oldest in Human civilization if not the oldest. The importance of developing wisdom was given more importance than developing technical or subject matter expertise that is needed for good employment. The philosophers of that time realized the pursuit of material possessions is endless and without wisdom to say enough the person is perpetually trying to gain more material benefits. However, such pursuit by everyone in society only leads to societal conflict, not a good society. So the ancient Indian philosophers focused on developing atmikta or non-material outlook in people and seeking a deeper wiser outlook on life.

Wisdom and logic:
A strong mind comes governed by the power of not only logic but common sense. This comes from seeing things from another person’s point of view. Without that, an individual will only focus on the logic that benefits them. It is not only logic but common sense that is developed through wisdom. A reasonable mind will focus on facts and reasons and critically evaluate different perspectives of a given situation. Such minds can with regular practice keep their emotions in control and empower common sense, logic, and reasoning in decision making.

Wisdom and emotion:
Several situations arise in life that can overwhelm us emotionally. Do you know that an emotional mind is always ruled by sensitive feelings? Therefore, such feelings can make any person feel impulsive in certain situations. That person can even indulge in self-destructive actions. An emotional mind impacts your ability to think critically, rationally, and reasonably. Therefore, it is imperative to understand our emotions first and prevent them from throwing our judgment out of balance leading to improper analysis. One of the primary reasons we get emotional is because we take things personally due to our ego. The reason we get emotional is that we have taken things personally. Once we know that we are emotionally stressed, we must make conscious efforts to develop humility and avoid taking things personally. This prevents us from behaving irrationally and irresponsibly in a challenging situation.

Logic and emotion:
Wisdom is achieved when we develop a refined sense of good judgment that is honed with practical experience and knowledge. An uncontrolled mind that is easily affected by fears and temptations looks at the world very differently. Such an uncontrolled mind leads to many errors in judgment. Good logic comes when the mind is in control and based on proper principles that lead to success. A wise mind can balance both the logical and emotional perspectives of a situation. This state of mind is not ruled by emotions. Rather, you can view things more precisely and make a rational decision.

It is difficult, but not impossible to achieve a wise mind. All it needs is practice, practice, and practice. You have to focus on a few principle things to make your mind act wisely.

• Focus on the deep-breathing technique to shift your concentration – this helps to avoid reacting to situations in fearful, exciting, and panic mode.
• Be mindful of your thoughts – monitor what you think. This monitoring of your mind and even emotions help us to understand why we are not thinking or feeling emotionally balanced.
• Reflect on your actions. Pen down your thoughts and past experiences. Take a note of how you feel your emotions while remembering the experiences. You can learn a lot and commit to avoid making mistakes again or continue to behave in a good manner through such reflection.
• Live in the moment and make the most out of it.
• See failure as a stepping stone to success.

Wisdom is essential for a life worth living
There is an underlying knowledge in each one of our experiences. Thus, all you need is to understand this hidden potential in yourself and try to unearth it for your good. A wise mind will always help make life worth living.

Note: Also read about ethics and values as per Hindu Sanathana Dharma – Samanya Dharma, Apad Dharma, Vishesha Dharma 

You may also like to read:
What Can We Learn from Ancient Indian Civilization?
What is Wisdom? Or Being Wise!
How to Develop Wisdom?
Why is wisdom important?