Wisdom is Right-Action
Truth Leads to Right Action
To know thyself is part of philosophy which is the love of wisdom. Wisdom is not simply knowledge, but acting on our knowledge and living a certain way, in right-action based on truth. True philosophy is based in truth and determines our conduct in life. A way of living not based in truth is not a philosophy but an ideology. The love of wisdom in order to behave and conduct our lives in a way that is conducive to producing goodness is what drives all other disciplines of understanding such as alchemy, Kabbalah, astrology, Tarot, Freemasonry, etc. The search for truth and understanding is also a search for answering the question “who are you?” What we do, how we act and behave as we manifest our consciousness is a part of who we are. Wisdom is doing something with what you know.
“To know and not to do, is not to know.”
– Wang Yangming
There is a difference between knowledge and understanding, and properly applying that knowledge and understand. The application of knowledge is action. Knowledge must be unified with action at some point in order for something to results from that understanding. Otherwise, it is just an understanding that leads to nothing. Nothing will end up changing, as action through will is required for things to change. This change can be internal as well as external, but action needs to be applied with knowledge and understanding. Having accurate understanding of what ‘is’ in reality is the first step. Knowledge and understanding is not power in itself. Right-action chosen, aligned, decided and determined by accurate understanding imbues that knowledge with power. Once we know, what are we going to do with what we know? Right action is knowing and understanding properly first and then acting upon it. You can act from a position of lack of knowledge and understanding and hope to get the results you want, but since you don’t know enough about the situation have to produce the results you want and start of the results you’re getting then acting from a position of ignorance is not likely to produce postings we really want. Only by understanding the core foundational root causal factors can we come to a position of accurate understanding in order to apply proper solutions.
Aligning with Natural Law and truth will provide us with the right action to take.
“Under analysis a person discovers that situations consist of elements, some of which are wrong and others right. If he sorts out and examines those elements, truth is easily separated from error. Some tasks of sorting are more difficult than others, but only because they are more complicated. They have more elements; therefore, they take more time to analyze, or perhaps the individual lacks knowledge of how to deal with them.
Often it is hard to collect all the pertinent facts. Some facts must be filled in by speculation, and here it is important that the speculation be done by a scrupulous person. If those analyses are continued long enough, there finally emerges a clear pattern of distinctions between right and wrong. Those who act before a clear pattern emerges are the persons whose irresponsibility is causing much of society’s trouble.”
– Right is Might by Richard W. Wetherill, pg. 23
Knowledge and understanding can be used irresponsibly to spread deception and keep people ignorant and under control or it can be used for good to elevate, expand and evolve consciousness. Accepting the concept that there is negative information prevents one from embracing the truth in all its beauty and horror, light and dark, good and bad. Refusing to look at the shadow, darkness, demon and negative that dwells inside of each of us (consciousness, psyche, mind and heart), will halt the spiritual journey and path towards truth and prevent us from getting to the “heart of the matter.” The only way out of the problems we have created is by confronting them, and in the end, the source is each of us. Knowing ourselves by looking in the mirror into the heart of darkness allows us to face that which needs to be transmuted, sublimated, transformed, healed or purified. Turning our backs to the hard uncomfortable truths is not solution. We can learn and develop the wisdom to know what the right action to take is.
Etymology of Wisdom
You can see that in the etymology and use of the word, it is essentially about right-action, not just knowledge or thought, but correct action in the world, not foolish incorrect action and behaviors that lead us to create more self-inflicted suffering.
“way of proceeding, manner,” Old English wise, ultimately from the same source as wise (adj.). Cf. Old Saxon wisa, Old Frisian wis, Danish vis, Middle Dutch wise, Dutch wijs, Old High German wisa, German Weise “way, manner.” Most common in English now as a suffix (e.g. likewise). For sense evolution from “to see” to “way of proceeding,” cf. cognate Greek eidos “form, shape, kind,” also “course of action.” Ground sense is “to see/know the way.”
wisdom (countable and uncountable, plural wisdoms)
- (uncountable) An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
- (countable) A piece of wise advice.
- The discretionary use of knowledge for the greatest good.
- The ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way, especially to different situations from that in which the knowledge was gained.
- The ability to make a decision based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding.
- (theology) The ability to know and apply spiritual truths.
“discretionary use of knowledge for the greatest good”
“ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way”
“ability to make a decision based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding”
“ability to know and apply spiritual truths”
French:
Noun
sagesse f
- wisdom
English:
Noun
sagacity (usually uncountable, plural sagacities)
- The quality of being sage, wise, or able to make good decisions.