I am reading Stephen S. Hall's book Wisdom, from Philosophy to Neuroscience.
He says there are "Eight Neural Pillars of Wisdom."
They are:
1. Emotional regulation – the art of coping
2. Knowing what’s important – the neural mechanism of establishing value and making a judgment
3. Moral reasoning – the biology of judging right from wrong
4. Compassion – the biology of loving-kindness and empathy
5. Humility – the gift of perspective
6. Altruism – social justice, fairness and the wisdom of punishment
7. Patience – temptation, delayed gratification and the biology of learning to wait for larger rewards
8. Dealing with uncertainty – change, “meta-wisdom,” and the vulcanization of the human brain.
Meditation is one way to change our brain, to increase the reach of these pillars of wisdom.
Matthieu Ricard, an expert and scientifically studied master of meditation, points out that meditation is a form of cognitive exertion as demanding as weight lifting or long-distance running. He is surprised we don’t give our minds a proper workout.
“It seems odd that we have this incredible brain and yet spend so little time cultivating it.”
Contemplating his words, I feel shifting in the stones in the pillars of my mind.
Meditation time, perhaps?
