An Unlikely Agent of Wisdom

Wisdom abounds in the words of the biggest fool. However, to perceive such encoded insight, one often needs either to be wise, or merely to be the Universe’s intended receiver of the message.

~ meditation ~ by alicepopkorn

Let’s say I were the trickster god—Coyote or Loki, for example—playfully exercising the awareness of a budding adept with a riddle, or if I were the guardian at the gate of wisdom, insuring no entrance by anyone not ready to wield the key to enlightenment. Where do you imagine would be the best place for me to hide the words of the most profound insights of the Universe?

There is no unlikely agent of wisdom. Only those we are least likely to recognize.

Perhaps you might suggest I would hide the words on the lips of your enemy, someone that you dislike intensely or have contempt for. Sure, if you were not actively pursuing wisdom that might work. From the face of this person that you were so preconditioned to hearing loathsome trifles, the trickster could slip across the vital information that you needed, and because of the source you might discount that truth without ever really hearing what was said. However, once someone is earnestly open to insight—and their perceptiveness keenly stimulated—Coyote could not be certain that you would not notice the variance between the standard content of the speaker and this ‘hidden’ wisdom.

A drunk or a lunatic, maybe? No. That’s even easier to decipher than from our enemy. Over time, seekers have become used to the idea of the archetypal insight mixed in with the ravings of babblers. Neither would I chance hiding the vital insight in the words of children, actions of nature, into dream, or into art. People are often overanxious to read insight into these. Since such things are regularly scrutinized for import, as Loki I would not use any of those—unless for the purpose of misdirection, to present useless information that would be erroneously assumed to have value.

Consider this quote from Lao Tzu:

There i not need to run outside for better seeing,

Nor to peer from a window.

Rather abide at the center of your being,

For the more you leave it, the less you learn.

Have you noticed a pattern in the possibilities suggested for places to hide the secret? That pattern shows our general expectation of sources wisdom, and therefore suggests the best possible hiding place. These suggested hiding places were all outside of ourselves!

One need not be wise to be the agent of wisdom.*

Consider where you go to seek out answers for the majority of the most substantial quandaries of your own life. Now order a sequential list of those sources in your mind, going from the one most trusted to the least. Once you have completed your list, please tell me if you were on that list. Unfortunately, when the tough questions need answering, most of us have defined ourselves as an “unlikely agent of wisdom.”

As trickster, I would hide the most profound mysteries of the Universe, that which would most quickly bring any individual to enlightenment, on the lips of that very individual, in the middle of the most mundane chatter. I am often stunned by the insights offered by others, seemingly without their awareness of the value of what they have said. I have also been dumbfounded by what has just come out of my own mouth or pen (I’m referring to the positive surprises just now).

You must listen to learn. And when you speak, also listen.

If you are willing, you may be surprised what you will learn.

Within you may be the teacher you seek. Surely, it is not the conscious mind, but then that is never all that you are.

This article is an excerpt from Strike a Chord of Silence

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CG Walters primarily writes fiction that focuses on the multidimensionality of our loves and our lives.

Autographed/signed copies of CG's "Highly Recommended" (Midwest Book Review) Sacred Vow are available from the author– or purchase as ebook or from Amazon as Kindle version or printed copy.

Strike a Chord of Silence is his new book of metaphysical maxims and essays.