Written by Nathan Vanderpool
These articles reflect the work of initial participants in the Respond Network. Special thanks to: Ben Ang, Kathryn Devany, Soryu Forall, Cheryl Hsu, Rafe Kelly, Steve March, Layman Pascal, Bonnitta Roy, Beena Sharma, Nathan Snyder, Stephanie Sousloff, Zak Stein, Daniel Thorson, and John Vervaeke.
<aside> 🧙 Wisdom is a process of harmonizing 👁️ View, ❤️ Care, and 🤲 Action.
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<aside> 🧙 Wisdom deepens by 📻 Tuning In to the 🪴 Well-being of 👫 Relationships.
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The first Respond gathering was held in August of 2022, and opened with a ritual. Nine wisdom teachers met at MAPLE (a monestary in Vermont). They were led into a meditation hall where monks were seated in a semi-circle around a bowl of water. Each of the teachers was given a chair, a glass of water, and a different kind of flower. The teachers stood up one by one, and spoke to why the gathering was important to them.
Each teacher made commitments about how they would participate, took a drink of the water from their glass, and poured the rest of the water into the bowl. Then they placed their flower into the bowl. The water represented the universal process of wisdom. And every teacher’s flower was different, representing the personal expression of wisdom that came through them.
As with each of these teachers, the universal process of wisdom will find a unique expression as it unfolds in you. Becoming “more wise” is a never-ending journey that takes place among mentors and peers. Wisdom practices can help you along the way.
Wisdom Practices put the theory into action—they are tools that help you become more wise. But no single practice is enough for cultivating personal wisdom. Instead, you need to engage in an 🏵️ Ecology of Wisdom Practices, an approach that counter-balances the strengths and weaknesses of any specific practice.
An Ecology of Practices (EoP) is like a workout routine—you use specific machines at the gym to work groups of muscles. Taken together, this process unlocks your genetic potential to say, compete in an Triathlon. A well rounded EoP helps you access your personal wisdom and participate more skillfully in the game of life.
You can learn more about building an 🏵️ Ecology of Practices in the “Less Foolish” course, offered by Respond. The course outlines four capacities that allow you to navigate complexity and increase meaning in your life.
If you have questions about the course, or how to participate in Respond, contact Nathan Vanderpool using one of the following channels:
twitter: @craythan
email: [email protected]
Telegram / Signal / Whatsapp: +4917654622093