Psychology is the scientific study of the psyche. It is comprised of many subfields such as clinical psychology (which focuses on treating psychological and emotional distress), developmental psychology (examining psychological growth and how best to support it), personality (understanding how & why people are the way they are), biopsychology (the interface of neuroscience and our internal states), educational psychology (how people learn and the best practices for teaching), and social psychology (investigating how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others, group dynamics, attitudes, and social perception), among others. Wisdom studies is itself a broad field encompassing many disciplines, spanning philosophy, religion, art, and contemplative practice. Definitions of the nature of wisdom abound. However, from these myriad perspectives one may discern two underlying domains (akin to the two wings of a bird), namely, practical or applied wisdom, on the one hand, and contemplative wisdom, on the other (Walsh, 2000). The former may be seen as a kind of practical skill in living (e.g., phronesis in the ancient Greek tradition, and upaya in Buddhism), often born of deep self-examination and hard-won experience. The latter, contemplative wisdom (e.g., sophia and gnosis in Western traditions and prajna & jnana in Eastern traditions), can be understood as penetrative insight into the fundamental nature of self and reality, engendering radical breakthroughs to inner freedom and peace, and the alleviation of suffering. Taken together, and working in tandem, these two fields offer a treasure trove of powerful technologies and help in living a life endowed with meaning and purpose, heart and wisdom. Each enhances and compliments the other in their shared enterprise of fostering the health and flourishing of individuals and communities. At the skool community for Wisdom Psychology, we recognize and take advantage of this fact, drawing on both to provide a more rounded, fuller, and richer vision of what is possible for human beings at this time in history.

Welcome to the skool community for wisdom psychology. Please introduce yourself!