Wisdom Is the Gateway to Life

Written by Mark Shelvock and Monika J. Mandoki.

According to Plato, Socrates’ humility in The Apology is an expression of wisdom. Socrates famously declares that the only thing he knows is that he knows nothing. Realizing that we don’t know everything is often seen as a deep form of wisdom, one that comes from understanding that things are uncertain, change over time, and can be different for everyone. In other words, wisdom invites us to lean into the discomfort of not knowing.

Wisdom is not merely about the quantity of knowledge one possesses, but also how that knowledge is applied in the service of life. Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics, suggests that wisdom is concerned with how to live well. It involves the practical application of knowledge to life, and its essence lies not in what we know, but in what we do with that knowledge. Wisdom, then, also requires alignment between knowledge and behavior.

Source: Photo by Christopher Campbell / Unsplash

Living Well and Authentically

Wisdom further extends beyond knowing what you don't know and taking action on what you do know; being authentic is another key component of wisdom. Barušs, one of the foremost experts in psychology of consciousness and spirituality, emphasizes that we must become authentic to gain inner wisdom. This means freeing ourselves from societal pressures to conform, questioning generalized knowledge that doesn’t reflect our personal experience, and critically considering the advice we receive from others, including our parents.

The task of cultivating wisdom and authenticity means we do not simply fulfill the dreams others had for us or try to please others. Instead, we listen deeply to all that dwells within us. We are all here on this planet to become ourselves.

The tension between receiving care and maintaining individuality involves balancing external guidance while staying true to our own needs, values, and overall life situations. By accepting support while trusting our own intuition, we can make responsible choices that honor both our individual path and the wisdom of others.

This shows that reason alone cannot guide us, as we are more than just rational beings; we are shaped by passion, emotions, instincts, values, intuition, personality, health, spirituality, our unique bodies, and the intricate weave of our social, cultural, and historical experiences, among other variables. Wisdom calls us to embrace the full complexity of life — not only reason and intellect, although we recognize that critical thinking remains a vital companion on the journey.

Wisdom calls for honouring the full spectrum of human experiences, from the logical to the intuitive. This highlights the fact that wisdom is a dynamic interplay between reason and emotion, intellect and intuition, individuality and interconnectedness, the conscious and the unconscious. In this way, wisdom becomes a journey of deeper integration; not just of the mind, but of the totality of one’s being.

Following Your Own Path Is Not Selfish

Hollis, a Jungian analyst and expert in depth psychology, outlines how an authentic wise life always asks us to serve something bigger than our own sense of self. When people orient to themselves in a more intentional and introspective way, there is a yearning for not only meaningful self-expression, but to connect to something transcendent: creativity, love, community, nature, or even the collective unfolding of human consciousness.

While most of us crave certainty and comfort in some capacity, there is also something within each of us that is always pressing towards growth – a quiet insistence that our lives belong not only to ourselves but to something larger than us. Hollis invites us to reflect on what life asks of me right now, and how I can truly become who I am meant to be to meet my appointment with destiny? What is trying to unfold through me that could also benefit the world?

These are deeply personal questions to grapple with, but wisdom invites us to engage in the mystery of our lives and to change the world for the better.

Conclusion

It’s hard work following your own path and seeking to live a wise, authentic life. No one can truly tell you who you’re supposed to become, and that voice can only come from within. However, the cultivation of wisdom is certainly reinforced when we are surrounded by safe, loving, trusted people who are also devoted to aligning their knowledge with action and pursuing authenticity and lives of integrity.

Wisdom Essential Reads

How to Be Wise

Why Do I Suffer? Examining Self-Deception and Wisdom

Our gift to the world is our uniqueness.

Source: Dr. Monika J. Mandoki / Used with permission.

This article was written with Dr. Monika Judith Mandoki, who is both an academic and a fiction writer. Her writing is always focused on philosophical puzzles, be it in a complex philosophical environment or in people’s everyday lives. Mark and Monika are both devoted to helping people live authentic and wise lives.