Wisdom for the 21st Century

Yuval Noah Harari has said that in the 21st century the challenge for the individual is to simply know yourself. Harari implies that in a an age where algorithms are increasingly more aware of our intentions and motivations it would be wise to look at our own biological algorithms and work on ways of making them better 

In short the 21st century demands that we cultivate our own wisdom, it becomes clearer that knowledge and especially information is no longer the driving force that dictate and governs the flow of power, the ability to make wise choices, know the intentionality behind our choices and actions and learn how we might understand the patterns that govern the flows of knowledge that impact our lives in every moment is now as crucial as ever.

Harari is essentially saying a narrative understanding of the world is still not an understanding of the reality that governs the narrative. Unfortunately Harari does not provide a clear solution to the cultivation of wisdom preferring instead to simply tell us to meditate more. The observation of the narrative does not account for the embodied pattern that might be under labouring for the narrative and so Harari gets it wrong here.

What solutions then might be on offer? What can help us to cultivate this wisdom?

Here we must enter Gary Hawke.

Gary’s therapeutic approach begins with a question, what is real? This question assumes that we can actually work out what is real from what is not real; this question also assumes that we as humans have access to the real. Gary approaches this inquiry with great seriousness and rigour; he cares about what is real for you the client and how together you might uncover that. I’ve noticed that while working with him I have come not only to understand the patterns that prevent growth and change but the change that happens to me just being immersed in this process, it is developmental and shines a light not only on our depth but the emergence of new and possible depths within us. Gary does not stay at the level of the narrative he goes much deeper, he genuinely cares about your growth and sits in what I can only call an embodied compassion while undergoing the therapeutic process.

Gary has been one of the greatest alleys mentors and aides in my life and I feel that the challenges that present themselves in the 21st century for the modern person are met with greater clarity and more understanding through his work.

Wisdom will be the new superpower in the 21st century and believe this process is a way of cultivating wisdom

Donald Clark