transcultural

The Wheel of Intercultural Art of Living

The Wheel of Intercultural Art of Living visualizes the philosophy and mission of the QfWf

The wheel was developed as a multidimensional and multifaceted approach to the intercultural art of living with the help of the following:

  • Colours/medium – representing the five natural elements (earth, water, air, fire and ether)
  • One focus — the circle with an edge and a centre that represents the dynamics of the wheel two-dimensionally with a centripetal direction from periphery to centre and vice versa as a centrifugal movement —
  • The wheel consists of sixteen spokes representing wisdom traditions
Under the Wheel the six pictograms as the dimensions

The sixteen spokes use the pictograms drawn by Louis Van Marissing to refer to wisdom traditions from East and West, North and South. The Wheel vizualizes these different approaches to wisdom, acknowledging its many different forms from various cultural traditions: wisdom as quest and not as a ‘canon’ of dogmas in a holy book.

These religious and spiritual roads, philosophical and mythological directions are expressed both verbally as well as artistic. The different forms of expressions are typified by the six dimensions, also indicated by pictograms under the Wheel: visions, myths, rituals, symbols, praxis (arts, meditation and crafts), actuality and personal experience.

Increasingly, the three Quests have begun to flow together: the development of the programme for the annual Meeting Day (Quest 3) runs hand in hand with the collection of wisdom from all corners of the world (Quest 1) and the development of intercultural programmes (Quest 2) in artistic and educational forms — texts, images, stories, music, …. In this way, an annual theme around Global Citizenship emerges every year on the QfWf digital platform The Golden Ratio.

Symbolic bridges between cultures

The wheel visualises intercultural bridges through the symbolism of the five elements: these are depicted as five elementary fields with their own pictogram (eye, heart, spiral, hand, lemniscate) symbolising natural wisdom that makes us human, and, within them, the spokes of sixteen (inter)cultural paths to wisdom.

The QfWf dissociates itself from racial and ethnocentric provisions by presenting the language play of the five elements emphatically as a symbolic arrangement of the Wheel. Within this, sixteen wisdom paths are assigned in an associative way, without wanting to interpret the (folk) nature of cultures, tribes and peoples. The focus of the QfWf is to develop intercultural exchange and connections on the basis of a symbolism that occurs as a mythical and artistic language in almost all cultures. In this way, the QfWf remains outside philosophical, theological and political debates about the appreciation of cultures. Whereas the intercultural symbolic language touches the soul and thereby it makes the old wisdom from all corners of the world alive for actual contexts.

Symbolism of the five elements

In almost all cultures, the natural elements in mythical, philosophical and religious stories play a basic role. That is why the five elements in the Wheel form pillars for building inter- and transcultural connections. Compared to the Western natural philosophical debate, these concepts are given a dynamic and symbolic meaning in the three Quests.

As can be heard in original and heroic stories from almost all cultures, the process of separating and reconnecting the elements symbolizes an alchemy as a process of creation. A natural order arises out of an original chaos, emptiness or by a divine creation. Also, in all wisdom traditions, paths to a good life have been developed – aimed at connection from within – which are called differently: ‘salvation’, ‘enlightenment’, ‘moksha’, ‘compassion’, ‘humanity’, ‘walhalla’, ‘the eternal hunting ground’, ‘The kingdom of God’, ‘Heaven’, … This ‘mystery of scuaring the circle’ is expressed by the archetypal form of the Wheel and its symbolic depiction of the intercultural art of living:

  • The four elementary fields – earth, water, air and fire – symbolise a movement towards the periphery, the four corners of the world, where the value of diversity becomes visible. The movement towards the centre, through three groups of (inter)cultural paths on the elemental fields of earth, water, air and fire, focuses on the coherence between cultures and the development of transcultural connections.
  • The fifth elementary field – ether – symbolizes in the centre the place of connection from within (the place that is not a place, the unity of opposites, the philosophia perrenis). Visualized with four pictograms are encounters between cultures 3 through history and time, manifesting themselves as interfaces, intersections and rifts in history and between eras.

Rotating around the core, the Rad visualizes the development of
intercultural art of living from the three layers:

  • Layer 1: the five elementary fields of wisdom
  • Layer 2: the sixteen (inter)cultural paths to wisdom
  • Layer 3: the six dimensions

From the perspective of the Wheel, religious, scientific, literary, artisanal, philosophical and artistic expressions appear equally as symbolic forms and building blocks for intercultural connections. The diversity of cultural expressions and visions on the good life are symbolically arranged as an intercultural art of living by means of the Wheel:
* by symbolically characterizing the five ‘elementary’ fields 
* by linking expressions of wisdom and (inter)cultural wisdom paths to these five fields
* by visualizing an ‘in-between’ a space for dialogue and exchange based on cultural forms of wisdom.

Exchange, development and cross-fertilization take place along five elementary fields by rearranging wisdom from religious and cultural traditions according to their cultural- historical origins on the one hand, and, on the other hand, according to intercultural and transcultural forms of wisdom as seen from the elementary symbolism of the Wheel. For example, the Tree of life is a transcultural symbol that expresses both a kinship between cultures as well as a concrete form of a particular expression of a Tree of life as recognized within a specific culture.

The five elementary fields of wisdom

The wheel with the five elementary fields

The symbolism of the five elements generates a bridge language between cultures with the aim of further developing an intercultural art of living.
Just as in the poetry of mystics as well as in mythical stories in all corners of the world the symbolism of the eye and the earth, of the heart and the water of life, of the spiral and (inner) space, of the hand and the (inner) fire, and of the lemniscate and the field of ether (akasha) serve as symbolic expressions of wisdom:

  • The green quadrant with the eye is associatively connected to the earth and unlocks a symbolism around eye power, the seeing of the (strange) other, earthly and grounded;
  • The blue quadrant with the heart is associated with water and opens up a symbolism around heart power, spontaneous expression including flowing and counter-flowing movements;
  • The yellow quadrant with the spiral is associated with the air and opens up a symbolism around light and darkness and the rhythm of breathing;
  • The red quadrant with the hand is associated with the fire and opens up a symbolism around fire (offerings) and the power of transformation;
  • The white circle around the centre with the lemniscate is associated with ether and opens up a symbolism around an eternal movement of cultural-historical appearances and links ether as the fleeting cosmic element.

The five fields have been characterized as forms of the art of living with the help of symbolic icons:

  • Earth – the eye – a meaningful field of natural connection and physical, grounded presence;
  • Water – the heart – a symbolic field giving meaning to lovingly meandering together with the natural currents and counter currents;
  • Air – the head (spiral) – a meaningful field of breathing, coordination inside and outside, insight and being attentive;
  • Fire – the hand – a meaningful field of sacrifice, transformation and acting change;
  • Ether – the quintessence (lemniscate) – a meaningful field of the interplay of the four elements, of alchemy and encounters, connections and fault lines.

Wisdom traditions and wisdom are given a place on the elementary fields of wisdom and the sixteen (inter)cultural wisdom paths appear as the spokes of the Wheel.

Wisdom traditions – from Buddhism to Nordic mythology, from Christian rituals to Indian myths – can be organized according to their cultural-historical origins as well as a source for developing an intercultural art of living in the context of globalizing society.

The intercultural art of living is growing from its cultural-historical roots and will be nourished from (inter)cultural studies by which wisdom traditions can be kept alive in a global context.

Both personal expressions and stories handed down as contextually embedded wisdoms, as well as practical and art-based forms of the art of living, are given a symbolic rearrangement by means of the Wheel: as inspirational examples of ‘elementary’ – earthly, meandering, airy, fiery, ethereal – expressions and forms on how to live life well.

The symbols in the Wheel (namely the eye, the heart, the spiral, the hand and the lemniscate) therefore represent, both on a collective and personal level, the elementary existential qualities for the development of a basic attitude of openness and interest, around a pivot of love and wisdom, the quintessence, the loving willingness to connect, meet and open up for intercultural dialogue.

The development of intercultural art of living through the Wheel

In the philosophy of the Wheel, these elementary existential qualities – of the open heart, the embodied eye, the hand of co-creation, the attentive path spiraling in and out, and the lemniscate of living encounters and the infinite creation of meaning – form the indispensable pivotal points for the development of an intercultural art of living and transcultural forms of living the good life. The QfWf stimulates this development with educational and artistic materials in order to stimulate an open cosmopolitan society. By highlighting both the cultural-historical roots of wisdom and to keep the natural wisdom alive between people in groups and communities as a (collective) art of living. Therefore, the Wheel points to a culturally connecting symbolic language of the soul: with ‘elementary’ symbolism of the — earthly, meandering, airy, fiery, ethereal — good life

Cultural diversity is visible on the periphery of the Wheel. Towards the centre the elementary fields and intercultural bars (spokes) touch the hub (pivotal point). The hub symbolizes a transcultural dimension that transcends cultural determinants. Through the colourful differences there is an elementary focus on what connects people: by moving beyond the opposites on the surface level of (collective) opinions and interests to the deep dimension of humanity and loving wisdom (the pivot) in the centre; where the opposites coincide, the quintessence.

By means of ‘bricolage’ (the way an engineer (bricoleur) uses just the available tools and materials to make structures) with insights and forms of praxis of multiple cultures one can develop a global society for the purpose of becoming human (becoming who you are) and developing local communities with a cosmopolitan spirit.

For example, with regard to a focus on ‘the right middle’ (Aristotle) according to the practical wisdom (‘phronèsis’) of the community, there is a relationship between Greek classical virtue ethics with insights from Ubuntu and from Confucianism and values of ‘communitas’.

A Golden Section of Wisdom

The wheel with the five elementary fields and sixteen spokes, depicting intercultural roads

The Wheel represents therefore above all a performative philosophy: a vision that emerges in co-creation through the language of the arts: a sym-philosophizing to be developed in intercultural circles of concern.

In the Wheel, the wisdom traditions are both contextually embedded according to their cultural-historical origins, depicted as sixteen spokes as examples of paths and sources for intercultural wisdom. This ambiguous positioning arises from the symbolical bridges, the symbolic language of the five elements, providing a twofold orientation: both towards philosophical unity and transcultural forms of life, as well as towards the periphery of cultural diversity. The inter- and transcultural dynamics at the corners of the elementary fields is symbolically characterized with pictograms.

There are two levels of developing wisdom:
At the collective level of wisdom traditions:

  • earthly paths of wisdoms give expression to a grounded quality and embodied see,
  • meandering roads of wisdom are expressive of a heart-quality: coagulating and liquefying the status quo,
  • wisdom of the air and breathing that expresses the rhythmically inwards and outwards spiralling connection of natural being with the macrocosm,
  • fiery ways with wisdoms that give expression to community ethos and co-creating (hands on) qualities,
  • ethereal pathways expressing an eternal lemniscate movement of finding meaning: volatilizing and deconstructing and then materializing and socially
    constructing again;

on the individual level of the personal art of living:

In a globalising society, people can draw on various wisdom traditions without the need to join as an adept of a particular tradition. Wisdom paths in all corners of the world give direction to personal growth as well as the collective forms of wisdom, like rituals and storytelling. The Wheel is meant as a compass to be able to orientate oneself in the diversity of directions. The five elementary fields open up intercultural fields of finding meaning through exploring various cultural wisdom traditions and transcultural values.

The Wheel provides symbolic signposts for personal growth through the development of elementary existential qualities of natural and intercultural wisdom:

  • eye-power through the embodied seeing and from imagination (mythos)
  • the open heart, depicting compassion and enthusiasm (compassion and pathos)
  • the spiral, depicting resonance and tuning in to the rhythm of breathing, connecting inside with outside (logos)
  • the hand, depicting action and starting a change with movement from within and hands-on (ethos and cocreation)
  • the lemniscates, depicting the space between ‘frames’ and the infinite process of giving meaning and meeting ‘the other’ (quintessence).
The sixteen (inter)cultural paths to wisdom are grouped per elementary field.
They are represented with their own icon.

The elementary field earth and the (inter)cultural earth roads

Earth roads in the Wheel

In the elementary field of ‘earth’ three icons have been placed that characterize wisdom paths of tribes and peoples living traditionally from natural contexts. In prehistoric times this ‘pre- modern’ way of life was spread all over the earth. As a result of modernization and colonization, this way of life has been reduced, but is also alive as wisdom from within each human being, and can still be found mainly within: African; Indian; and Aboriginal peoples, Maori and other indigenous peoples of Oceania.

Earth roads

The elementary field of water and the (inter)cultural water roads

Water roads in the Wheel

In the elementary field ‘water’ three icons have been placed that characterize wisdom roads as the natural movement of ‘go with the flow’ as well as the cosmic laws following ways of life (such as astrology).
These meandering wisdom roads can still be found as wisdom from within, as well as, for example, be recognized in wisdom traditions such as: Confucian; Dao; and Sufi movements.

water wegen

The elementary field air and the (inter)cultural air roads

Air roads in the Wheel

In the elementary field ‘air’ three icons have been placed that characterize wisdom roads as pathways of insight and breath based on wisdom traditions. This orientation can often be recognized in connection with the symbolism of light and darkness within your soul, as well as in the following perspectives: 
Buddhist, advaita vedanta; gnosis, mystical and hermetic philosophy; Germanic, Celtic and Nordic mythology.

Air roads

The elementary field of fire and the (inter)cultural fire roads

Fire roads in the Wheel

In the elementary field of ‘fire’ three icons have been placed that characterize religious and spiritual traditions, in which, especially, the meaning of fire and the struggle between good and evil, sacrifices and transformation play an important role. This orientation can be found in each individual in a different way, as well as recognized within cultural wisdom traditions such as:
animist-shamanist; Hindu; and monotheistic – zoroastrian, jewish, christian and islamic – directions.

Fire roads

The ether field and the (inter)cultural ether roads

Ether roads in the Wheel

The ‘ether field’ symbolically refers to the fact that the longing for connection and the quest for wisdom – although culturally different and colourfully designed – occur in all human beings and cultures and is nourished by:
encounters between cultures, and profile gets through interfaces, intersections and fractures in history and
between eras.

ether roads

The six dimensions

The six dimensions of the Wheel characterize wisdom in many forms on the continuum between theory and practice; multi-layered by means of different medial forms – verbal, musical, visual, ritual, narrative, dancing, … – in which the quest for wisdom is expressed.

By giving space to the diversity of medial expression, the various wisdom traditions can be highlighted in a multifaceted way, showing inter- and subcultural forms, dominant and minority voices.

For example, the elementary field of air (insight) show different paths, such as a variety of forms of ‘Buddhism’ from Zen Buddhism to mindfulness. The diverse wisdom traditions include both visions as well as forms of praxis, a mythology and other narratives and stories, cultural customs and rituals, musical and other artistic expressions of wisdom. The six dimensions of the Wheel are:

  • visions, philosophy
  • stories, myths,
  • rituals, rituality
  • symbols, symbolism
  • praxis, arts and crafts
  • social actuality and/or a personal vision or survival.

With these six dimensions, the Wheel expresses (inter)cultural diversity from the historical roots as well as current practices and expressions of the art of living, shown on the continuum between theory and practice.

The six dimensions

The complete wheel

  • the five elementary fields,
  • the sixteen (inter)cultural avenues
  • the six dimensions

The three layers form the complete Wheel of intercultural art of living.

 

The complete wheel of intercultural art of living

The Wheel makes visible how the periphery shows cultural diversity and the core presents connections from within, such as the transcultural value of ‘compassion’. The in- between space (between the periphery and the inner core) evokes intercultural dialogues and a cosmopolitan art of living through a Golden Ratio of wisdom traditions, like the budding of a flower which is always through nourishment from cultural roots.

update 2025-02

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Quest 1: Wisdom Web

The Wisdom Web is dedicated to the intercultural art of living.

At its core are values of inclusion of different cultures and the beauty of being different.

At the Wisdom Web, wisdom from all over the world is collected and presented in a special symbolic way.

In this sense, collecting, arranging, developing and presenting — via the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living — takes place in a very unique way, emphatically distinguished and handled differently than, for example, Wikipedia and other (open source) encyclopedias do.

In doing so, the QfWf wants to contribute to intercultural connections based on the realization that these:

  • grow through awareness of the historical roots of cultures,
  • thrive on interest in other cultures and wisdom traditions and
  • bear fruit through encounters and cross-cultural perspectives.

The Wisdom Web continues to grow organically, with a rich palette of philosophical, artistic and spiritual expression and reflections, which concretize the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living.
This is accomplished thanks to the input of various QfWf-authors[1]

update 2022-07

[1] QfWf authors are authors, actors, artists, designers, drafters, photographers, illustrators, video and film makers and other producers of text, images, sound, and stakeholders who make the texts and other materials available to a QfWf-site have made.

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Quest 2: The Golden Ratio

Wisdom from all over the world

Cultures from all over the world have symbols of natural wisdom and beauty, such as the Golden Ratio. This ancient wisdom is passed on through proverbs — for example, with a cultural expression of the Golden Rule: “What you would not want done to you, do not do so to another”, as well as in (animal) stories with a moral from the story: such as how to become as clever as the fox, the crow, the spider and the …. Also, in seasonal rituals for harvest and the solstices with light festivals in which the passage through the four seasons is celebrated in culturally diverse forms. The Quest for Wisdom seeks to gather ancient symbolic wisdom from cultural traditions from all corners of the world in order to cocreatively develop:

  • contemporary artistic forms as an intercultural language for the benefit of diversity and inclusion
  • transcultural practices for global citizenship 

The artistic educational materials

By focussing on uniting principles like the Golden Ratio and the Golden Rule in culturally diverse materials, the facilitation of personal growth and community building is highlighted and transformed from the collected ancient wisdom in intercultural and (post)modern ways (Quest 1) by developing and presenting these in artistic and educational forms on the Encounter Days, through workshops and on the QfWf video channel (Quest 3) — on a collaborative Quest for Wisdom in order to:

  • to give a platform for the wisdom from different cultures and traditions
  • to enhance intercultural communication and interaction
  • to develop unifying transcultural practices by means of the arts and philosophies

The Golden Ratio as Quest 2 consists of an artistically designed and culturally diverse palette of materials that are grouped around particular themes; such as the wisdom taught through play, proverbs, myths and animal stories. The QfWf has developed, thanks to the collected wisdom as Quest 1 and subsidies for projects, two series of (e)books: the Animal Wisdom Collection and the Wisdom Collection. Since 2024, the three Quests are flowing together on The Golden Ratio, a digital platform dedicated to the personal and collective art of living in the cosmopolis. The QfWf hopes to realize an Intercultural Meeting House as expression of Global Citizenship as a promising future project.

The Golden Ratio in different forms:

Golden Ratio Playfulness — Board Games and Dialogue Tables

Golden Ratio Collections — (E) Books of Wisdom

Purchase of Educative Materials

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 2025-02

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Projects

Golden Ratio — Game for Wisdom — Animal Wisdom — Projects — Soul Circle

Dirk de Wachter

Each year, the Quest for Wisdom foundation develops an intercultural programme around a socially relevant theme to realize its goal of promoting the art of living as global citizens. We present the Golden Ratio programmes both through various (artistic and digital) media, and in live encounters. 

Honorary member Dirk De Wachter

Fresh from my liver bubbles the feeling that these initiatives are essential for a society, bottom-up encounters, where humanity appears in difference.
Warmheartedly,

Personal communication, 4th of April 2019

Global Citizenship of the Street: 2023-2024

Greg Suffanti telling about his Migrant-Aquarelles

In our Report on an experiment “Global Citizenship of the Street” the development of our QfWf-project has been described as an triptych in three phases. The first phase consisted of remembering the colonial past of slavery by means of research and essays by Fred de Haas. This author adds historical and intercultural background to the deplorable facts, as well as the beauty of Caribean poetry and music, reflecting the transforming intercultural identities. Josee Tesser made drawings on the different themes, with a touch of sharpness and humour. The result is a book to be published in 2025 as (Post) Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en as a coproduction with Garant Publishers. The collecting constructive ingrediënts and the world dreams of Global Citizenship by the

Indigenous Surinamese group Wehpokamanong Presentation Amor Mundi 28 sept.2024 OBA

QfWf-Soul circle with painting, singing, dancing and other (inter)cultural expressions was documented in the book Amor Mundi (phase 2). Another ingredient we have explored, consists of Art Dialogues around the board-game Know Thyself, interculturally developed in try outs into Amor Fati, game and book, also highlighting the Wheel on the intercultural art of living. These books helped to develop an intercultural programme to be shared with social groups and partnering organizations in an experimental way. It resulted in two events in the fall of 2024: communication through artistic expression with the Ukrainian refugees, living at the Regenbooggroep and for global citizens of the street in the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, located in Weesp and Reigersbos (fase 3).

QfWf-Regenboog Paradijsvogel-Kosmisch Ei – Camile Smeets

In this way the QfWf-project group presented Art as a means to wonder and organized a travelling exhibition around Amor Mundi and the presentation of the book and game Amor Fati ― playful wisdom for the cosmopolis. In 2025 more stories, practices and dreams of global citizens will be gathered and published on The Golden Ratio. The intercultural artistic programme was a cocreation with collaborative partners Culturele Droomwevers and Curinesa, autonomous artists, like Camile Smeets — who made together with the QfWf-projectgroup a ceramic statue of the Rainbow Paradise Bird with Cosmic Egg — as well as with the indigenous Surinames Cultural Group in Weesp Wehpokamanong, who is dedicated to transfer the cultural heritage to younger generations.

Animal wisdom-programme ― narratives for both young and old

The Fonds voor Zuidoost has — in collaboration with the Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds — provided the QfWf in 2020 a small grant to support her programme on intercultural storytelling Animal Wisdom, espcially during the Corona lockdown:

“Fund Amsterdam Southeast is unanimously enthusiastic about your project. Although they think the project is ambitious, they find it a worthy initiative. They like how you use this project to introduce children to the multicolored multicultural society.
In the eyes of the neighbourhood committee, you are making an important intercultural contribution that can be used in many schools.
There is confidence in the organization and in the lessons that have already been developed.
They welcome your digitization and wish you good luck.”

Tekening Nour Kayali 2021 voor Animal Wisdom

The Interculturele Storytelling Programma was to be presented as an intercultural lesson for students in which animal stories from the four corners of the world were gathered. Its goal was to transform examples of the old storytelling traditions into educative artistic forms for actual contexts and the young generation, in order to let them discover both the beauty of cultural diversity, as well as transcultural paterns between the divers storytelling and wisdom traditions. During the Corona lockdown the artistically developed materials were gathered on a specially designed website Animal Wisdom. On it you wil find Animal Stories from different cultures, such as the Great Goose Rap from the Buddhist Jatakatamala tradition, as well as information on their (inter) cultural and historical context.

An Intercultural lesson

The wisdom of the octopus is a symbol for Animal Wisdom — Chrisje Ronde

The intercultural lesson on Animal Wisdom serves as an example and intercultural perspective, to be developed further into educative modules for (world-) citizenship; both for primary and secondary schools. The educative materials are presented through different media and arts, to stimulate the imagination and to show how narratives and symbols of animal wisdom, such as the intelligence of the octopus as well as of the fox and of the spider Anansi, transcends cultural borders. The intercultural Animal Wisdom programme shows colourful unity wthin the diversity of cultural traditions.

The project was presented in 2021 in the Library of Amsterdam South-East with two workshops with an introductory and follow up programme:

Workshop 1: When Animals Narrate Cultures …
Workshop 2: Animals as Wisdom Seekers

The introductory workshop can be downloaded for free as an Intercultural Lesson on Animal Wisdom and the advanced workshop can be given by QfWf-professionals, contributing to “Citizenship, cultural diversity and inclusion” as described in the report on the QfWf-storytelling-Project-Animal WIsdom.

Animal Wisdom — e-books

Worldwide animal stories convey both wisdom about animal coexistence, promoting ecological awareness, as well as serving as a mirror for human society. As such they call attention to issues of diversity and inclusion in education. To this end, there has been a spinn of to the intercultural animal wisdom teaching module, resulting in the QfWf-series of (e)books. The Animal Wisdom series is generic in scope so that it can be applied in many educational contexts – such as secondary education and (higher) education. An Animal Wisdom game is under construction.

Purchase of educative materials

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.

Game for wisdom ― the Wheel of the intercultural art of living

The first project of the Quest for Wisdom consisted of the development of the Game for Wisdom in the year of her foundation in 2016. The core of this game was the Wheel of the intercultural art of living in order to categorize the mythical stories, symbols and proverbs from all corners of the world without ranking them in a way suggesting cultural superiority.

To play the game, you are invited to explore your vision on happiness by means of seven questions, confronting you with met different visions from cultures from all corners of the world. As a result the Wheel of the intercultural art of living is leading you to one of the 20 stories and 80 symbols that are integrated in this game.

QfWf-podcasts en more on The Golden Ratio

Mitra Muijen

De QfWf presents on her digitale platform The Golden Ratio Podcast Every year the QfWf-theme on the intercultural art of living is discussed with an expert in the field or other global citizens with wild hair in an authentic way. 

In order to spread the Quest for Wisdom mission on global citizenship, more digital and educative means are developed to reach the younger generation, such as games and animaties. Our goal is to enhance opennes for cultural diversity and inclusion as part and parcel of the 21e-century capabilites in education.

A concept for an (digital, hybrid or face-to-face) game, introducing the intercultural storytelling programme Animal wisdom — Animal Wisdom-pranks.

Fenix and the art of transformatie – Nour Kayali

Due to the application for funding from the KNAW Pilotfonds Wetenschapscommunicatie door Wetenschappers the QfWF is building a network with researchers from the University Leiden and the African Research Institute of Óbudai University in Budapest, Hongary.
The Universiteit Leiden has published on the QfWf-projects in her online news. On the Annual Meeting Days of 2020 and 2021 more Animal Wisdom content is developed with storytelling, dance, play, music and art.
Please, take a look at the QfWf-video-channel with animations and videos.

Update 2025-02

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Game for Wisdom

Golden Ratio — Game for Wisdom — Animal Wisdom — Projects — Soul Circle

Turn the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living!

Free as a Bird – Annelie van Steenbergen

The Game for Wisdom is based on mythical narratives, proverbs and intercultural symbols that encompass visions of happiness to explore your own art of living.

Twenty stories and eighty symbols from all corners of the world are categorized according to the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living. Through reflecting on questions and visualizations of elemental wisdom, players arrive at one of the 20 stories and are assigned to a personal path, that is mirrored in the narrative assigned by the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living. They then choose one of four symbols from that story as an intercultural symbolic signpost. In total, the game consists of 80 different symbols from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.

How to play the Game for Wisdom

Animals from the woods ― symbol for natural wisdom

The Game for Wisdom invites players to reflect on (their own and others’) views on happiness in life through means of seven questions.

These revolve around themes of the art of living:

  • To which natural element do you feel connected most (earth, water, air, fire, ether)?
  • Is your attitude to life more towards being proactive or go-with-the-flow?
  • Which elemental motto gives direction on your life’s path?
  • Which strong quality encourages you for further development and which weaker quality do you want to develop more?
  • In which direction are you heading as your path to happiness?
  • See how a narrative envisions your path in this direction, according to the Wheel of the intercultural art of living;
  • Which intercultural symbol from this story, assigned by the Wheel of the intercultural art of living, would you choose as a signpost for your personal art of living?
  • Would you like to receive the full story and the symbol by mail in order to tap into the meaning of the symbolic signpost – possibly in a conversation with a Quest for Wisdom foundation counsellor?
    Please contact us for free: info@questforwisdom.org
Heart, symbol of being open and listening to your own heart

The aim of the Game for Wisdom is to review the particular course you’ve taken in your life (and career) as seen from the perspective of (inter)cultural mythological and philosophical wisdom.

The symbolism of the game forms a valuable mirror, which can be further explored through dialogue for the development of the intercultural art of living individually, as well as of a peer group or family, or as a work or sports team.

Professional use of the Game for Wisdom

Are you interested in using the game in a professional environment yourself? Inquire about possibilities: info@questforwisdom.org

Purchase: Wisdom Shop

Update 2025-02

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Workshops and Masterclasses

Meet — Meeting Day — Workshops en Masterclasses — QfWf-Soul-Circle — Video-channel and Newsletter

The Quintessence Game introducing Amor Fati — Art Dialogues around the Dialogue Table — Intercultural Communication, Adinkra Masterclass — Hybrid play forms with the game Quest for Wisdom — Golden Ratio Educational 

The Board Game on Global Citizenship: Amor Fati

Addressing life themes with symbolism across the boundaries of cultures

A workshop under QfWf guidance

Art Dialogues around the board game Amor Fati

Amor Fati is a board game to enhance the intercultural art of living: you undertake a journey across a colourful landscape full of symbolism and along the way you pick up intercultural visions and mythical wisdom.

Around the Amor Fati game board, you travel through seven game rounds that address life themes and exchange associations and experience with your travel companions for a wise way of dealing with the questions life poses.

On the journey you explore the tension between amor fati as fate of your destiny and the freedom to shape life yourself:

  • In a workshop to get acquainted with the intercultural art of living.
  • In a master class to learn how to guide this game form yourself.
  • From one full day to 9 half days, suitable for individuals, groups and teams

The Quintessence Game

As an introduction to the cosmopolitan art of living of Amor Fati’s there is a shorter play mode can encompassing a (half) daily Quest through the Quintessence Game

This is a wisdom card game that introduces the art of living as a group of global citizen with three different layouts and conversation formats:

  • Quintessence: how to connect the wisdom of earth, of water, of air and of fire to the unsaid of the fifth element?
  • Your Quest? Explore an issue with each other by allowing chance or fate to play a role in your exploring the question behind the question!
  • Oracles: How to unlock ancient wisdom from the four corners of the world by being the oracle for each other?

Interested? Please, contact us : info@questforwisdom.org or order directly in our Wisdom Shop

Art Dialogues around the Play Table

From Drive to Resilience

A workshop under QfWf-guidance

Sitting around the Play Table with creative materials

Around the Amor Fati game board, full of mythical-philosophical symbolism, you explore the intercultural art of living, with the aim of promoting meaningful encounters and enriching conversations as global citizens.

The board game is developed by Heidi Muijen as Human, know yourself from 2006 onwards in her philosophical counselling practice Thymia, resulting in six game forms of playing around life-themes. These are still available as a workshop as a means for personal and professional growth.

The six mythical-philosophical workshop themes:

Whereas Amor Fati is a play for which you need up to 9 half days time, there are introductory forms to get acquainted with Amor Fati from half a day to 4 half days, suitable for individuals, groups and teams:

  • Elemental Wisdom — Gnosis game: a quest for wisdom!
  • The Art of Encountering — Mask game: the strange other!
  • Follow your ‘Hero’s Paths’ — Hero game: play yourself!
  • Elementary way’s of research — Compassion game: the good life!
  • The Art of Dreaming — Dream game: Follow your wish!
  • Envisioning your view of life — Vision game: attune to your inner compass!

More information, Requests and to Purchase: info@questforwisdom.org

Art Dialogues around the Dialogue Table

From Imagination to Vision

Workshop with the Playful Dialogue tablecloth

 

A workshop under QfWf-guidance

Around a colourful Dialogue Tablecloth full of transcultural symbolism ― around myths and philosophical and spiritual perspectives from all coners of the world. These aim to uncover the important questions behind opinions: Explore your differences in framing an issue on a quest towards the core of sense making with intercultural perspectives!

What is your Quest? is played in four rounds by means of symbolic objects and two sets of cards with Western and Intercultural perspectives from East, West, North, South.

By reflecting on the images and symbolism on the Dialogue Tablecloth, a delay of reaction is created and the conversation tilts from simply ventilating opinions, to questioning and hearing the polyphony and layering in different meanings.

Dialogues in personal and professional settings

Workshop on location

Around the playful dialogue tablecloth you engage in a dialogue, with a team, your family, a group of friends on a discovering journey. There are four dialogue rounds, with intercultural symbolism and perspectives, such as: elementary wisdom, the search in the labyrinth of life, meaningful encounters on the journey of life, how do you interpret signs as a language of the soul, listening to your moral compass.

  • In a workshop one becomes acquainted with a playful form of dialogue.
  • In a master class you learn to use a playful form around the dialogue tablecloth yourself as a professional.
  • From half a day to 4 half days, either in Dutch or in English
  • Suitable for individuals and groups: friends and family and (sports and working) teams.
  • You either explore a common issue or each participant explores their own question.

Through the QfWf-dialogue game The Four Winds an Educational Team of the University of Applied Sciences has explored the issue of “Inclusive Communication with our students and with each other, how?”.

Een teamdag rond het dialoogtafelkleed Vier Winden over het thema interculturele communicatie
With the team around the Dialogue Tablecloth Four Winds

One of the responses:

“Talking with images, or from images is sometimes easier, if you don’t know the meaning of symbols at first …. Beautiful work forms, special experiences, cheerful …. Staying with your feelings, not everything has to have a meaning in your head …. It brings you surprisingly close to the core. Norms, values, beliefs …. Free, playful, associative. Instructive how images can evoke so many different emotions.”

Requests: info@questforwisdom.org
Or purchase directly in our shop: Vier Winden of Four Winds

The Art of Dialogue

Playing materials of the Dialogue Four Winds

The Dialogue Table was developed by Heidi Muijen from 2010 onwards in her philosophical counselling practice Thymia, resulting in different forms of playful dialogues for the purpose of investigating personal, professional and social issues. The workshops around the Dialogue Tablecloth are designed to stimulate the imagination and with creative exercises, so that the participants are focussing on questioning their own frame of reference behind the issues at stake. 

There are shorter (thematic) Dialogue forms, playfully tackling life themes, that are still available as a workshop as a means of personal and professional growth:

  • The Images in Dialogue  — in four dialogue rounds to the core of an issue.
  • The Quest —  dialogues around a triptych Past – Present – Future.
  • The Pythiagame — a creative oracle game to explore your own wisdom.
  • The Existential game — follow your own path to the good life according to ethical perspectives.

More information, Requests and to Purchase: info@questforwisdom.org

Intercultural Communication, Adinkra Masterclass

A contemplative game that is both challenging and fun

A workshop under QfWf-guidance

  • With Adinkra — an intercultural communication game in 2 rounds.
  • A workshop offers an exercise in an indirect form of communication and an introduction to traditional African wisdoms — in particular the symbols and proverbs of the Akan in Ghana.
  • In a masterclass one learns to use this form of play professionally
  • Lasts from 1 to 2 half-days, suitable for groups and teams.
  • Purchase and Request: info@questforwisdom.org

Together with your team, family or other network, you first follow an introduction given by Dr. Louise Müller — an expert in the field of African and intercultural philosophy — about the background of Adinkra, the Asante culture and various philosophies of Ghana.

Also, it is possible to play Adinkra online with each other.
You can see how this intercultural communication game can also work as a digitally powerful game, by connecting within your own network!
A few impressions from participants:

“Great to experience this and see what is possible digitally.”
“Nice and creative initiative. Beautiful things also arise to keep in touch with each other.”
“It’s great that we are not being fooled by the corona virus and still meet each other in this way.”
“Very inspiring and surprisingly fun!!!”

Klassiek Adinkra symbool — funtumfunafu-denkyemfunafu

Louise Müller on the game Adinkra:

“Adinkra, with image-rich proverbs and powerful symbols from Ghanaian culture, allows people to experience the wisdom of the Akan philosophy in a playful way”.

Workshops, guest lessons and master classes, also on location.

For teambuilding, company outings, masterclasses in cultural diversity, intercultural communication and high-context culture exercises using adinkra.

Dr. Louise F. Müller also gives workshops, guest lessons and masterclasses on location and tailored to the purpose of the meeting and the target group.

Including: an association, a club of friends, a family reunion, a cultural team outing, team training intercultural differences; guest lectures for students, teachers and other professionals, administrators and managers, who take inclusion to heart and want to further develop their skills in cultural diversity.

Workshops and masterclasses both live and online!
Requests and to Purchase: info@questforwisdom.org

Hybrid play with the Game for Wisdom

Find your course in life through the Art of Living

A workshop under QfWf-guidance

The Game for Wisdom can be combined with face to face meetings― as an activity introducting the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living!
Is suitable for individuals, groups and teams for the purpose of setting your course in life and career.

The game consists of seven rounds with questions based on intercultural symbols and stories from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.

The Game for Wisdom can be combined:

  • Hybrid Game for Wisdom as a Pre-conference acticity
    On a Quest as team for a full day or as a pre-conference activity; also in a hybrid form of training in combination with a masterclass
  • In a workshop in order to become acquainted with dialogue and play as a means of developing the intercultural art of living. Using intercultural symbols and stories from wisdom traditions from the East, West, North and South.
  • In a masterclass one learns to use this form of play professionally.

Requiring at least ½ half a day;
Also it is possible to organise a meeting of up to 3 days if desired, suitable for individuals, groups and teams.

More information, Requests and to Purchase: info@questforwisdom.org

Golden Ratio Educational — Courses and Teaching Modules

Intercultural education, workshops on how to innovate the curriculum

With Ecological Wisdom, Global Citizenship and 21st Century Skills taken from Ancient Traditions:

  • For Basic education in primary and secondary education
  • For MBO and HBO
  • Further reading information.

Update 2025-02

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