Have you ever wondered where wisdom is found?

Where are you and your group of seekers going to look for wisdom?

I’ve come to believe wisdom dwells nearly everywhere and nowhere; kind of like the idea of quality in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

There’s a scene in The Last Samurai where Tom Cruise describes with awe these Japanese people who have turned nearly every aspect of life into an art form; whether it’s arranging flowers, drinking tea, writing, fighting, or planting, everything is done with discipline and an eye toward beauty and simplicity.

I want my life to be like that.

I tend to think of my own life in terms of domains: spirit, mind, body, and emotion; social, vocational, financial, and household.  I have “practices” I associate with each.  I would like to discuss each of these in the context of a “practice group.”  But how?

Consider for a moment the scope of these domains:

• Spirit: scripture, prayer, service, worship, vision, planning
• Mind: reading, writing, art, math, and science
• Body: athletics, fine arts, martial arts, yoga
• Emotion: meditation, aerobics, therapy
• Social: family, friends, acquaintances, and affiliations
• Vocational: formal education, certifications, continuing education
• Financial: budgeting, financial statements, investing
• Household: meals, organizing, cleaning, and maintaining the home

The point is, I think wisdom is present in each of these, but perhaps isn’t necessarily predicated of any one of them.  Do you discuss all of these under the auspices of one group, or many?

The idea of having one group address all these ideas appeals to me, because I think one circle informs all the others.  Franklin’s Junto addressed many of these, and was very active in the community.  The goal is for the group to act on these conversations.