Why is Life and nearly every aspect of it including Man’s systems so full of apparent contradiction? The answer is the lack of integration of both individuals and systems that have particles of truth and untruth in them into personal and systemic philosophies that while they recognize the dualities of Life they at the same time recognize the over all and underlying importance of ethics in human life and ethical policies in Man’s systems. As Wisdom is both the integrative process and the result of that integration as well it reduces the problem to Man and his systems lacking Wisdom. The best way to cut through most if not all of the apparencies and idiocies of Life would be to find and contemplate the aspects of the highest state of Wisdom possible, and then make that state the basis for one’s personal philosophy and the basic value for which policy be aligned in Man’s systems.

As I understand them the state of Grace in the Christian Wisdom tradition and the state of satori in the zen buddhist tradition are essentially the same incredibly powerful and yet humbling experience.  They are the complete integration of one’s own uncorrupted consciousness with and into Space and the present moment. Thus the experience of Grace/satori and an ethos based on them is the highest state of Wisdom and the best guide for both personal and systemic problems…that is if one is actually concerned with resolving problems instead of merely offering palliatives for them. In the last analysis one cannot palliate ethical problems like tolerating a human system that effects everyone like the economic/financial systems, especially when those systems dominate all men and require Mankind to serve them instead of they serving Mankind. Again such problems demand actual solutions. Grace and graciousness enable one to see conflicts, ambiguities and ironies and yet in most cases swiftly make correct, honest, tough minded and ethical judgements of particular situations and the same regarding systemic policies as well. Let us be guided by the ultimate in Wisdom.