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Forming collective wisdom

“You are like a conductor, gathering everyone’s talent.”

My partner said this to me yesterday. Over time I’ve learned that my wisdom alone is limited. I have my opinions, but they not best.

I’ve realised that best wisdom will emerge through discussion. My original idea will turn into something much greater through integrating people’s inputs.

The power of collective wisdom.

I am also fascinated with the idea of integrating everyone’s wisdom and collectively creating a positive force.

In this sense, I may be like a conductor bringing everyone’s uniqueness and beauty together.

Yesterday I was brainstorming about my upcoming seminar with a good friend of mine.

She has kindly edited my draft of the seminar and shared her thoughts. Her feedback is always valuable and expands my horizon of thinking.

I also appreciate her sensitivity to language – she has such a beautiful ability to articulate things. I am learning a lot how to say things.

I get a lot from talking with her, and she says she, too, learns a lot through helping me this way. 

The upcoming seminar is about self-compassion: How to work with a tender, sensitive self and live a life of compassion, courage and authenticity.

How to deal with our emotional pain is one of the main topics.

My friend asked me “What about physical pain? I’m in pain physically.”

This is a good question.

Body and mind are inseparable. Our emotional pain gets expressed as a physical pain at times.

When we are physically very ill, that affects our mind as well.

So I rang two friends who are a nurse and asked the same question.

One of them said “If pain is unbearable, of course using medicine is important. And another important thing is to develop an attitude to accept pain rather than fight it.

If you panic and try to get rid of pain, it will actually reinforce it.

So you need to tell yourself ‘It won’t last forever. I’m OK.’

It’s useful that you have some ways of coping with pain such as using hot pack, going to massage, resting in a dark room.”

Good advice!

It is my dream to build a kind of world where each of us feels fulfilled and free to be ourselves. I know how painful it is to feel reduced and restricted.

I believe we were all born to experience a joy of being true to ourselves. 

I would like to work towards realising this dream by collaborating with people around me and letting everyone’s beauty shine.

There are the “we” inside of all of us. 

I believe that true wisdom can be found in a place of “we,” a common ground between you and me.