There are different types of wisdom which influence and guide us through our daily lives. Many of us are familiar with these levels of learning. However, spiritual wisdom may take time and huge amounts of effort to understand.
I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about the differences between wisdom and intellect. There are also variances of intellect and wisdom as well including “book smarts” and “street sense”. You get the picture. But there’s a deeper revelation which can be found in spiritual wisdom. Here, you can really learn who you are and how you operate. With spiritual wisdom, you can reach enlightenment.
The hard knocks of spiritual wisdom
Spiritual wisdom is not easy to attain. It takes losing yourself to find yourself once more. It takes closing your physical eyes to open your spiritual ones. It goes against all the things familiar to your flesh. There are several uncomfortable truths concerning spiritual wisdom. Here are some of those truths.
1. Finding yourself is never easy
One uncomfortable truth of spiritual wisdom revolves around finding yourself. Yes, this is an old idea and most everyone knows the expression. Finding yourself, however, includes unlearning as much as learning. If you’re always surrounded by other people, you won’t be able to understand this truth and find your spiritual purpose.
Too many obstacles stand in the way of learning who you are – a spiritual being. You may base what you know of yourself on how others perceive you, and this is a huge influencer. This is also one of the things you have to overcome and deal with. It is truly uncomfortable when you find yourself because many times you have to lose people and things to do so.
2. Understanding pain during your own pain
When you were younger and someone shoved you to the ground with no warning and without any sound reason, did you get angry? Were you hurt by this action? I am sure you were, as was I when similar things happened to me. I felt the same human response when I was insulted, abused, and even neglected. Now, on to the truth which will liberate you.
Everyone on the planet feels pain at some time. Everyone endures sorrow and grief and they respond differently. I have learned over time that when someone is cruel to you, it doesn’t always mean they are evil. Sometimes the pain inflicted on you by others is a product of their response to their own pain.
A spiritual truth that can be difficult for you is utilizing forgiveness when you have been wronged. But if you can understand that someone is in pain, you can better utilize your response to their cruelty toward you. At times, you can even voice your forgiveness and try to learn their hardships.
3. Controlling your responses
One of the hardest things to master is self-control. Just as you learn to recognize the pain of others, you must learn to control your response to them. You must learn to remain calm during trying times, especially times when everything seems to be going wrong at the same time.
Being able to control your emotions avoids spreading negative energies to others. Energy works in both positive and negative ways and being able to choose the higher road promotes positive energies and improves the overall atmosphere.
4. Just be in the present moment
I guess being in the present moment doesn’t sound that difficult, but it is. Have you ever tried doing something and only thinking about the task at hand? Now, do you see what I mean? It’s more difficult than you think to dedicate yourself to what you’re doing at the present time.
If you can do this, you can avoid missing out on life, even if it’s just being present while having a cup of coffee. You should savor the moment, taste the rich and bitter taste of your warm drink. You should be HERE NOW and not be living in the future, disregarding the simplicity and beauty of each moment and task.
5. Feel the pain
Our first instinct when feeling pain is to run from it. Whether it’s physical or mental pain, we try to avoid feeling as much of this as possible. Here comes the truth! To truly experience wisdom, you must also be present in the painful moments.
When something hurts, you must feel it, examine it, and let it move through your being. You must face whatever brings heartbreak and then process these feelings.
The next step, after pain comes, is to learn how to heal. In order to heal properly, you must first feel the pain and let healing come naturally.
6. Rootwork
Every issue, every problem, and every situation starts at a base root. Unfortunately, we spend much of our time cutting away symptoms in an attempt to alleviate pain. We turn away from the situation as quickly as we can to avoid the pain. Again, pain is avoided in favor of a quick fix, while the real solution lies with the original cause of the problem.
Uncomfortable truths are revealed while searching for answers. These answers can sometimes come from childhood issues or roots. These are roots which run deep and so they have to be analyzed and broke apart to understand. It’s spiritual wisdom in one of its rawest forms.
Spiritual wisdom takes strength
There’s a need for strength in many areas of life, but when it comes to spiritual wisdom, it’s a whole different level. Although these truths may seem harsh and daunting, they are gateways to enlightenment.
No worries, it takes time to reach these levels of consciousness and they can be approached one at a time when you’re ready to grow. In the meantime, enjoy yourself – start by learning who you are and then go from there. Over time, you will realize how much you’ve achieved and how spiritual wisdom has left its imprint on your life.
References:
There’s an old maxim coined in the 60’s that says ‘be here now”. You can’t undo the past as there are no do overs. The future is a mystery to be revealed as time passes based on the wisdom of our decisions and the choices we make. So all we really have is the present to deal with moment by moment. So far as spirituality is concerned, there are currently about 4,200 religions in the world. It’s important to understand the difference between religion and spirituality. Want to have a clearer picture of who and what you are, read the translation of “Upanishads” by Eknath Easwaran, a former professor of English at U.C. Berkeley. You may be surprised to discover who and what we really are. Happy reading all you seekers of the truth.
Thank you, Gary. I try to stress the word, “spirituality” over religion on any given day. Religion reminds me more of those who force belief systems upon their followers. I have followed, and I have found that nothing takes the place of your own personal solo experience with your higher reality, higher self, the creator…or whatever you do or do not believe in. Thank you for the recommendation for reading. I will keep this in mind and probably partake of its knowledge.
Have a blessed day, Gary.
I have recently realised that I am going through this process and this article has given me some hope and strength, thank you Sherrie.
You are welcome, Kieran. It’s really tough out there but when you start to see your wisdom grow, it helps deal with issues in present time. Keep learning.