Golden Ratio Collections — Animal Wisdom Collection — Wisdom Collection
Books of Wisdom for the Cosmopolis
With the Golden Ratio Collections, the QfWf aims to give voice to the intercultural art of living, to counterbalance the hardening social debate. By expressing a cosmopolitan ethos and initiating practices of world citizenschip to unite people and show transcultural values, connecting cultures.
Harsh voices and destructive forces on the geopolitical stage are threatening both humanity and the entire planet, with all its winged, scaly, hairy and arthropod inhabitants. As a response(-ability), the QfWf-authors with Wild Hair of the (Animal) Wisdom Collections provide answers of humanization and ecological awareness. In doing so, the QfWf aims to contribute to the good life in the cosmopolis – with values of inclusion, cultural diversity and global responsibility.
By cocreation, the QfWf wants to propagate this mission as an intercultural community through artistic forms: by drawing, musical expressions, dancing and Arts Dialogues as well as by disseminating the developed artistic and intercultural materials as inspiring examples in wider circles of concern. Just as Dirk de Wachter undelines in our interview with him the power of hope we do believe an ethos of world citizenship can overcome the destructive forces.
With this in mind, the Quest for Wisdom foundation has launched the Golden Ratio Collections that stimulate cosmopolitan and ecological awareness, reciprocity and respect for other beings within the cyclical processes of our Mother Earth.
Animal Wisdom Storytelling
The mythical significance of animals as bearers of wisdom and natural power are linking pins between cultures, showing the beauty of cultural diversity. The transcultural perspective of Animal Wisdom Storytelling has inspired the QfWf-authors to collect old and new narratives about animals, enhancing ecological and cosmopolitan values. Examples of stories are presented on the Animal Wisdom website and explained in more detail in the Animal Wisdom (e-)book Collection:
- Dieren Wijsheid ― uit Noord, Zuid, Oost en West
- Wisdom of Animals ― North, South, East and West
- Buddha as an Animal ― Boeddha wijsheid met vertellingen uit de boeddhistische Jatakatamala.
- Caught in the Cosmic Web — Ghanaian Folk Tales in the Twenty-First Century
- Gevangen in het Kosmische Web — Ghanese Volksverhalen in de 21e Eeuw
- Jewels of Indian Folklore ― Blurring and Blending of Cultures
- Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons
Golden Ratio Collections
The Quest for Wisdom aims to pass on old wisdom to new generations in appealing, contemporary forms. The QfWf-Circle of authors have realized this mission with the Golden Ratio Collections published as (e)books in the (Animal) Wisdom Collection — since 2024 on a yearly theme of social importance in artistic and musical forms, to be collected on the QfWF-platform The Golden Ratio.
Amor Fati, containing “playing wisdom for the cosmopolis” opens the Wisdom Collection. This first book of the Series describes the QfWf background philosophy of the Wheel of intercultural life art of living. Greg Suffanti’s English-language intercultural reflections on his watercolour series give the reader — together with the visual work of Agnes Roothaan, Louis van Marissing, Annelie van Steenbergen, Caroline Young, Nour Kayali, Klaske Rehorst, Josee Tesser, Elin Maljaars, Maya Plas & Mitra Muijen around the mythic-philosophical themes of Amor Fati — a surprising route of the imagination through the book. As a welcome gift, QfWf-Friends receive this book with an annual donation of € 45.
The Wisdom Collection consists of twelve volumes. Worldwide, cultures have developed wisdom traditions containing artistic, philosophical and spiritual forms expressing the art of living with different perspectives. The QfWf aims to unveil these precious treasures in a unique and artistic way for a hopeful cosmopolitan future to happen. 
- Amor Fati: by Heidi Muijen exploring the Quest For Wisdom vision;
- Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en: by Fred de Haas, enlightening the historical colonial context of the Caribean intercultural identities, poetry and music.
- Amor Mundi: documenting the QfWf-project on “Global Citizenship”;
- Walking Two Roads, Accord and Separation in Chinese and Western Thought; an intercultural exploration by Hans van Rappard.
- Russische Zigeunerromances: by Fred de Haas, presenting the Gypsy romances with its rich cross-cultural and historical sources;
- Middeleeuwse Chirurgie in Woord en Beeld: by Marcel Reyners with drawings by Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385-1468) with the text of “The Method of Medicine” by Albucasis (936-1013).
- Ik ben iemand die intens leefde … — Bloemlezing: gedichten en illustraties: a collection of poems and mandala’s by Marianne Sorgedrager, expressing a deep cosmic connection.
- Knipoogjes: Korte en luchtige tijdreisjes in gezelschap van Henry Bergson, columns of Rosalie de Wildt about serious issues with a humoristic touch;
- Het duurde maar even … – Gedichten die mij raakten: translated poems by Fred de Haas of about 40 poets from Creol, German, French, Galician, Papiamento, Portuguese, Spanisch and Russian …;
- Eye of the Tiger – Colorful Heritage of the Far East with a unique collection of Chinese paintings of Caroline Young with historical and mythical stories from the Far East.
- Plempius Vopiscus Fortunatus: Amsterdammer, Hoogleraar te Leuven (1633-1671) by Marcel Reyners about the development of medicine in the context of historical transition.
- Op reis met een expat: 20 jaren onderweg op 3 continenten by Marie-Claire Marx about travelling to Cambodja, Albania and Kenia highlighting the cultural and historival background of these countries.
Purchase of Educative Materials
The Quest for Wisdom-Brochure shows the up to date collections to be purchased in the Shop.
One hundred percent of the money raised by the sale of all of the products will be used in realising our upcoming QfWf educational projects, all of which are non-profit and run by volunteers.
Update 2026-08