Chapter 2


THE ESSENTIALS TO GETTING WISDOM

By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze


The Essentials
         The essentials to wisdom are:
1. Knowledge
2. Experience
3. Understanding
4. Insight
5. Foresight
6. Counsel
7. Skill
8. Means

Meaning Of Knowledge
         To know means to experience, see and recognise something. It is very much based on familiarity. We know things by facts, descriptions, information, skills or practice. It includes both the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
         Knowing involves several processes: perception, learning, communication, association and reasoning.
         Note that knowledge is very important in this age in which there seem to be so much confusion, misrepresentation and ignorance.
         Knowledge may be classified as pure and applied knowledge. Pure knowledge refers to knowing the Truth, while applied knowledge is using what a person knows to solve problems or achieve a desired end. It is applied knowledge that makes a person wise. Hence, all learned men are knowledgeable, but not all learned men are wise.

How To Get Knowledge
         You can gain knowledge by:
1. Observation
2. Reading wide
3. Study
4. Attending workshop/seminar/symposium
5. Attending public lectures and enlightenment
6. Practice
7. Listening
8. Acquiring experience

Meaning Of Experience
         Experience is a practical engagement or encounter. It is usually based on a wide variety of exercises in the form of direct encounter or practice.

How To Gain Experience
         You can gain experience by:
1. Training
2. Practice: Practice makes perfect
3. Trial and error
4. Observation
5. Exposing yourself to various opportunities

How To Acquire Skill
         A skill is the ability to carry out required processes or procedures, with the minimum use of time, energy and means. Everybody needs a broad range of skills in order to meaningfully contribute to the development of a modern society.

The Essentials
         You can acquire skill by:
1. Practice
2. Training
3. Learning from the experts.
4. Trial and error

Meaning Of Understanding
         Understanding is the ability to clearly explain and accurately predict situations, causes and effects. For example, one understands the weather if one is able to predict and to give explanation of some of its phenomenon, trends and realities, etc. One understands a message, content, reasoning or an argument, if one can consciously reproduce the information conveyed by the message, and as well explain the meanings of the contents.

How To Cultivate Understanding
         You can cultivate understanding by:
  1. Thinking: Be a thinking person

  2. Relating theories and learning to everyday real life situations.

  3. Listening

  4. Praying for the spirit of understanding
Meaning Of Insight
         Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect in a particular context, especially when there are complexities or unfamiliar relationships. Insight may be in the form of a piece of information, understanding the inner nature of things, an introspection, and the power to make acute observation and effective decisions. It can be an understanding of cause and effect by identifying relationships and behaviors within an event, or context.

How To Have Insight
         You can have insight by:
  1. Getting information

  2. Reading reports and feedbacks

  3. Investigating cases

  4. Receiving prophecy

  5. Unbiased Thinking
Meaning Of Foresight
         Foresight is the ability to judge correctly what is going to happen in the future and plan your actions based on this knowledge, especially in a way to avoid problems, difficulties or misfortune.

How To Develope Foresight
         You can develop foresight by:
  1. Seeking solutions to everyday problems

  2. Thinking

  3. Conducting research

  4. Being proactive

  5. Reading and understanding history

  6. Analysing trends and fashions

Meaning Of Counsel
         Counsel is usually based on reasoning, a term that refers to the capacity of human beings to make sense out of things or happenings, by establishing and verifying facts, and by changing or justifying practices, decisions and beliefs.

How To Provide Counsel
         You can provide counsel by:
1. Reasoning
2. Being knowledgeable
3. Being experienced
4. Praying

Reasoning
         Reasoning is the ability to make sense of things and events; being able to establish and verify facts; as well as to change or justify practices, institutions and beliefs.