pragmatic wisdom

When I was getting the cushions out to prepare for tonight's meditation, I had this reflection: in the end, there is only ever one mind one has to deal with, and that is the present mind. It's not "this mind" or "that mind", it's only mind. All too often, there is this tendency to think that the mind is confined to this self, which is limited in space and time, but no matter where we are, there we are. There is no other "there", over  there, or off in some other place. What follows from this is that when there is adversity in life, or when one encounters uncertainty, it's important to ask the right lines of inquiry: not "what am I supposed to learn from this?", but rather, "what parts of this experience foster the best in me?" or "what can I make of this that brings out the natural wisdom of the mind?"
   To use an example: a lot of people consult fortune tellers or psychics to try to determine their path of success in life. As they start to do so, they begin to try to figure out what their karma is: why they got to be what they are now, and even asking for assistance to learn how they can achieve better karma or results. The problem with this approach is that the more a person relies on this kind of thinking, the more they think there is something "out there" which they need to learn in order to be whole: a missing puzzle piece, for instance. While there is some merit to this idea, it can also lead to feelings of dependency, as when we were young and we were continually looking for ways to complete the puzzles in our lives, because we didn't think we were ever good enough to do so on our own. What if we already had the resources within us and the wisdom to make decisions, and what we really need to do is trust and have faith that our present mind has the ability to be okay and sort things through? More to the point, what would happen if we realized that there is simply no special spirit "out there" with special answers, but that the real work is to trust this present mind and the wisdom of simply being present?
   Perhaps pragmatic wisdom, then, is the wisdom of starting with where we are and then asking: how can we see the things in our life in such a way that we bring out our most responsible, virtuous and beneficial traits? It's not about what's is "true", what one's "fate" is, what I am "meant to do", etc....more like, what aspects or interpretations of the world I find myself in now can help me to be the best person I can be? For instance, if I am not feeling good about the political situation around me, I can either start writing hateful or vindictive letters to world leaders and get into an emotional foam, or I can look at it this way: what I can learn from this is how to settle my life in the midst of turmoil and figure out, in collaboration with others, ways to make things better or more workable for those around me. In this way, setting an example would be the one way I can influence the political situations in the broader society. Why is this second way more beneficial than the first? It's because I don't burn myself out or fume while trying to influence those in power to give up their power. Instead, I use the powers of patience and compassion within to create "mini" and sustainable communities of peace around me, thus setting a framework for how I would like to be, how I would like to be treated, and how I want everyone to live and be left to live according to their deepest aspirations.
   When I am acting and thinking, am I thinking there is a "Big Brother" who is to be influenced or turned around? Or am I thinking of what this mind can do and be in this present moment, in all its manifestations? If the former, I will be forever frustrated, because such a big power is always going to be elusive and seem so much bigger than who I think I am. If the latter, then I am working with the abilities and limitations I have, and become more intimate with who I am, thus paving the way for a harmonious relationship with the world.