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Age and Wisdom
Sabby
Explorer
As we were younger we were always told and made to believe that age = wisdom, such as the archetype of the "old wise man" and they we must always obey our elders because they are much more wise. I can understand that as you become older you understand more about the world and the way it works, but does this make you more wise? A small unconditioned child feels unconditional love, the absence of fear (besides of course original fear such as survival and being born), peace with nature and every other being, and a strong connection to spirit. Are these not the absolute essentials and basically description of a wise being. If these aspects were cultivated and nurtured through-out their entire lives they would only yet to gain more wisdom.
But with the way children have been and are being conditioned in current society i feel like (obviously and of course not the case with all, especially many spiritual people) the "old wise man" is leaps and bounds less wise as he or she was when they entered this world.
But with the way children have been and are being conditioned in current society i feel like (obviously and of course not the case with all, especially many spiritual people) the "old wise man" is leaps and bounds less wise as he or she was when they entered this world.
1
Comments
Nevertheless, it's still true that there's no fool like an old fool.
Bitterness and uncontrolled appetitites can do a lot to hold people back from progress along the path of wisdom. Actually, love is the Key, for Wisdom and Love come together on the same wavelength. In much the same way as both heat and light come together in the same Sunray, so come this Love/Wisdomness (Warmth/Wisdomray).
The infant (or animal in nature) seems to exude both of these qualities in such a natural, full way that we may be deceived. That's what Wilber's Pre/Trans fallacy addresses.
Are we bitter about something in our lives? Let it go! Else it will get in the way of our true spiritual goal. Bitterness gets in the way of our communication with others and breaks down the channels of communication. When that happens, we are adrift. If we nurture a hurt within ourselves, the cradle of loving consciousness is coverered with the embers of resentment and we smolder rather than come afire.
Amazing comments, thankyou
Ok.... Experiences good and bad, if contemplated to see what they are in truth, can yield some wisdom. Not all, for man cannot possibly become a god to be worshiped while alive.
All the lessons we learn through our life are of value, so that they can be contemplated until we once again can return to the light-heartednessness of a child
@Karasti But, I feel it is a different understanding. An elder person will understand more at an intellectual level, whereas a child would understand with their heart.
You often hear that children who are very sick exude a sense of wisdom that the rest of us lack. I think that is true. I think when you experience so much for a little kid, you become wise in areas the rest of us never experience. I also think kids are much more inclined to natural compassion than adults are. But it's not as if you have to trade that in as you get older. They can be taught to hang onto all those qualities.
Kids differ a lot. It depends on how they are raised, too. Kids raised in typical American homes have more problems sitting still because they aren't taught to. Because there are too many choices, too many distractions and they are never taught how...because their parents aren't taught how. They can be taught though and a lot of kids do better behavior wise if they are given time to themselves and learn how to recognize the need for it. My 4 year old meditates with me. He will sit for a bit, though it's taken a long time to get there. But in the past few years as a family we've decided to have more quiet time, less distraction. When we first put it in, it was really difficult for everyone, we were all climbing the walls. But as we settled into it, we all look forward to it now. Anyhow, kids can most certainly learn how to be quiet and how to meditate
It goes into a bit of detail about his history, it's an interesting story, then it goes into the bit about the kids in schools. The younger kids start, the less time they might be able to sit at first (like all of us, lol) but they get a lot of out it.
Kids say wise thing but when did an arhat last ask you, 'why can't I put my head in a microwave'.
Even adults have more sense.
An adult who has digested their experience becomes wise. Most of us are in a condition of indigestion.
The arhat has the spontaneity of the child, the digested wisdom of the adult and the experience open to all Gnostics.
:wave:
So yeah, that's exciting karasti to hear how your family has brought more relaxing rather than distractions. Even recently in my meditation I found it positive to say 'let me relax' rather than 'let go into space'... the different words just did it differently for me. I imagine your kids are learning to find the peace within their minds rather than just constant stimulus. Cool.