Our philosophy

Seven Circles of Wisdom assumes that

• WISDOM entails a holistic, integrated perspective on knowledge. Cognitive, rational knowledge, so dominant in our society, is just one -and a limited- part of the domain of human knowledge. Seven Circles of Wisdom recognizes six main sources of knowledge: emotional, theoretical, practical, tacit, rational & intuitive. Taken together, these six sources of knowledge lead to that seventh dimension of knowledge: WISDOM.
• intuitive knowledge is sometimes a more relevant source than rational knowledge that, in return, becomes powerful when used to make sense of intuitive knowledge and to make it operational
• knowledge about social reality is very rarely universal or eternal. Rather, social knowledge is often contextualized and the result of a participative, intersubjective process of knowledge construction and truth-finding. It is this particular concept of knowledge that Seven Circles of Wisdom wishes to support and enhance.

Seven Circles of Wisdom maintains the following epistemological perspective

• Following Foucault and others, it considers knowledge as a social practice. Knowledge is not written in stone, rarely universal and unchangeable. It is the result of research, discussion, agreement and standardization. Knowledge construction is a matter of searching for truth(es) within a particular community and context. This requires a holistic approach to knowledge, that integrates theoretical, practical, rational, tacit, emotional and intuitive knowledge in order to reach WISDOM.

Seven Circles of Wisdom employs the following methodological instruments

• Critical discourse analysis
• Narrative enquiry
• The Circle Way
• Participatory action research
• Theory U
• Appreciative Inquiry

Taken together, these methodologies help to close the gap between theory and practice. The focus is on qualitative research, using quantitative research when needed. Seven Circles of Wisdom  specializes in setting up solid but flexible research designs to support a participative research project that will make the data speak more fluently and will help the research community to reach a profound and multi-facetted understanding of the research topic, including ways to implement the results.

Seven Circles of Wisdom 

maintains the following ontological assumptions

• Human and other forms of life are embedded in a cosmology that is beyond human contorol.
• We are all born in a system that was there before us, that is bigger than us and our capacity to organize it to our own will.
• The world is not a (free) market to be exploited freely and unlimitted.
• It is our duty  to share this world with all those who live on it, and to leave it a decent place for future generations.
• In our era of radical change, decrease of available resources and growing intolerance, Seven Circles of Wisdom holds the view that this task requires  a lot of  WISDOM.