Wisdom is a tree.

[Sajid Ali Khan]

Wisdom is a tree. The attributes of wisdom are its fruit. As man knows the attributes of wisdom man tries to teach these attributes. It is very difficult and frustrating to cultivate these attributes because it is the same as trying to produce bananas without the banana tree. Cultivate the tree and the bananas will emerge automatically.

I am of the opinion that one must be fully trained to play the game of life to the best of one’s fully developed potential. While the world is focused on researching and refining ways of how to develop one’s regular intelligence potential one’s other equally important emotional intelligence potential is more or less neglected. And as result most people live their lives struggling with a partially developed emotional intelligence potential. By the time experience grinds down this gap in potential they are ready to retire having missed out on playing the game of life as it is supposed to be played in full prime of life.

Most people are unaware that the means to a maximum ability to play the game of life lies in getting the right knowledge to develop one’s brain to the super mature level. And main stream science/education does not help either. Recently there was an article in the NY Times about some scientist having proved in one more way that relaxation helps the brain become more physically healthy. This is a more or less well established fact, yet the scientist says, “Relaxation may help …” Just imagine this well established fact yet the scientist states it with a ‘may’. Unfortunately it is not his mistake it is the culture of science that once some new insight emerges then instead of taking advantage of it the scientist asks the next question, ‘What next?’. It is like expanding the horizon and instead of cultivating the newly discovered field the gaze shifts to the new horizon. It is a perpetual quest to expand the horizons of science for its own sake.

There is a treasure trove of knowledge right under our chin which we can use to develop the science of emotional intelligence, which at the super mature mind/brain level is the science of wisdom, even the science of universal common sense (though many a times group common sense can be prejudiced and so we can say ‘the science of universal common sense’).

Man since ancient times did figure out that wisdom is the key to man’s emancipation and a good virtuous life. However man tried to define and figure out wisdom and as we did not succeed we decided to list all the attributes of wisdom. So the quest became, ‘How to teach the attributes of wisdom’. Now the very nature of wisdom is such that wisdom can be described as a tree where its attributes are the fruit of the wisdom tree. No wonder it is so very difficult and almost impossible to cultivate the attributes of wisdom like selflessness and humbleness; because it is the same as trying to grow my favorite fruit the mango with out growing the mango tree. No wonder main stream education gave up trying to teach wisdom.

Also just like life needs oxygen wisdom needs a nurturing environment to grow into a wisdom tree and sprout out automatically all its attributes of selfless love and grace etc. So the wisdom tree needs to get its roots nurtured from the womb onwards.

As some parents will always be inadequate to provide this nurturing environment and will only sprout the tree of ignorance we can develop ways to detect the absence of the wisdom tree and take steps to develop pre-K to 12 and beyond wisdom education. Which means making the brain squeaky clean; by removing of all traces of the tree of ignorance. Absence of the ignorance tree is the oxygen for the wisdom tree to sprout automatically.

We must establish a process where effective and urgently required/needed new knowledge contained in knols must be promoted in every possible manner. Consider this latest knol, 'Wisdom is a tree'. How can I claim that this contains urgently required knowledge. Just take the state of the world today. Lets take the conflict in the Middle East. Both sides are desperate for peace. They are trying for hundreds of years to produce peace which is an attribute of wisdom. They are trying to produce peace (fruit) without cultivating the fruit producing tree (wisdom)! They can keep trying to produce peace for another 1000 years but unless they create the environment to produce the wisdom tree they will and can never produce peace. It is the very nature of peace that it exists only on the wisdom tree. So they come to the peace table while all along their brains/minds are powered by the attributes of ignorance - hate and the desire for revenge etc. When the fruit from the tree of ignorance thrive they choke the fruit of the wisdom tree and it does not even bloom. (Someone must awaken both sides to the very nature of peace!). Peace is an all or nothing entity, it only comes with the wisdom package. Even today the states of Europe on the surface are at peace yet their defense budgets do not reflect peace! What a waste of resources at least partly due to ignorance of the very nature of peace.

There are three ways to achieve peace:

1) Both sides have a change of 'heart' (brain) and this is possible. (This is the best way for permanent peace)
2) Find out the wisdom way and stick to implementing it.
3) Or a stronger power enforces the wisdom way.