After 22 years of helping patients live free of physical pain, Manoj Krishna, M.D. put down the scalpel and turned his attention to alleviating psychological pain—by helping people tap into their own wisdom.
If ever there was a relevant book for spine and orthopedic surgeons in today’s world, this is it.
It’s called the HumanWisdom project.
Learning how to tap into your own native wisdom, explains Dr. Krishna, comes from a deeper understanding of yourself. That, in turn, can lead to enhanced self-awareness, much lower rates of suffering (surgeons certainly understand suffering—personally), anxiety and at the end of this journey, the very best version of oneself.
The Switch
“In 2015 I was driving home after a 10-hour surgery when I heard a story on the radio of a hospital in the Middle East that had been bombed. When I heard the chaos and all the children screaming, I was overcome with this thought, ‘We humans need to do better…and we can.’”
For three more years Dr. Krishna continued performing spine surgery, in between musing about how we humans might use our collective intelligence to bring about peace in the world. “These thoughts wouldn’t go away,” he told OTW. “I was getting the message that this was my calling.”
After transitioning out of medicine, Dr. Krishna wrote a book, “Understanding Me, Understanding You.”
(His second book, “Stress Free,” was released this summer.)
His premise? “We are all conditioned by our environments, but we are not typically aware that we are being conditioned and we get attached to our conditioning/role.”
“Republican/Democrat, Palestinian/Israeli, etc. When I become attached then I want to be with my tribe. It’s no one’s fault—it’s just how the mind is wired. When we wake up in the morning, we are already launched into a conditioned role. I say, ‘Let me question this so that I can decide what’s right for me and be in charge of my own life.’”
Non-attachment
The key, states Dr. Krishna, is to see the danger of being attached to one’s identity. “When we are solidly attached to our own opinions then there is conflict in our own lives, and in the world. At the HumanWisdom Project, we are facilitating the process of making the unconscious, conscious and enabling people to use their wisdom to make the right choices for their lives.’’
Describing the typically unconscious and hidden patterns of thinking that operate in the background of our psyches, Dr. Krishna tells OTW, “This is similar to a computer. The contents of the hard drive are unique to each computer, but we are not aware of the common operating system in the background.”
“Similarly, we are aware of the content of our memory, but not the hidden drivers that operate in the background shaping our lives—like our conditioning, our emotional needs, our inner boredom, our attachment to our identities, and our mind which compares all the time.”
“These are the same in all human beings. This understanding awakens wisdom and compassion. All the problems we face for which there is no easy answer begin in our thinking so a deeper understanding of ourselves and how our minds work can help us prevent them and address them more easily.”
With avowedly lofty goals, the HumanWisdom Project is targeting stress, anxiety, addiction, personal and work relationships, mental health prevention, communication skills, leadership skills, staff recruitment and retention, and more.
“We know that 70–80% of people report feeling stressed,” states Dr. Krishna. “Not only does this add to their own personal burden, but it reduces productivity, increases sickness absence, and makes people more likely to be triggered by small events. A deeper understanding of the origins of stress in our thinking can help people avoid it altogether, manage it better, and show up for family and at work as an overall healthier and happier individual.”
Focusing and Calming the Roaming Mind
“The mind is always fishing around for new stimulation as the old loses its luster,” comments Dr. Krishna to OTW. “We might get on social media and become envious of someone and/or feel inadequate. We blame others for how we feel. You might meditate today but tomorrow you see other images or situations than only deepen these unhelpful emotions. Understanding that our feeling of envy is not caused by others, but by our mind comparing all the time, brings freedom and lasting benefits.”
Currently loaded with 60 modules, the HumanWisdom app has 6,000 screens covering every aspect of the life journey. “What’s unique about this platform,” states Dr. Krishna, “is its width and depth. It’s not just helping you feel good today—it’s taking you deeper to understand why you don’t feel good in the first place, thus laying the foundation for a more fulfilling future. It also helps you develop soft skills you need to be successful in the world.”
Door Openers
The HumanWisdom app, divided into eight sections based on interest, offers a question/challenge orientation. Why questions? Because, says Dr. Krishna, they open the door to wisdom. “Asking the right questions helps us notice what is happening in our own thinking and aids us in finding patterns that don’t serve us—and then finding ones that do.”
Users answer a 10-question survey and receive a “Wisdom Score” that sheds light on how anxious they are feeling, how they are managing their emotions, their level of calm, and how they cope with criticism. The survey can be repeated on a monthly basis.
Describing the HumanWisdom app as a “wisdom coach in your pocket,” Dr. Krishna tells OTW, “For organizations, there is a 5-step process of engagement: Find out what challenges you wish to address, agree a plan of engagement with management, train facilitators in your organization who will drive change, give the HumanWisdom app to all staff, conduct regular assessments of engagement, progress, and change.”
With 70 trained HumanWisdom Coaches in 9 countries and no shortage of pressing issues, the future looks busy for Dr. Krishna’s project. “There are widespread applications such as hospitals, staff, and HMOs. If staff are helped to reduce their stress and increase their life satisfaction, then that will trickle down to patient care, not to mention that they will be more likely to remain in their jobs. As for patients, we know that 50% of patients seek medical treatment due to stress-related issues. If someone has a toothache, for example, they have two problems—the toothache PLUS the stress ABOUT it. Patients could be given access to the app as part of their care. This could reduce healthcare costs and improve outcomes.”
Understanding the Stress Equation
As for the stress equation, says Dr. Krishna, it is just the difference between how things are, and how I want them to be. “If I can grasp this, then I can do one of two things: either accept things as they are or change my reaction to the situation. This clarity and simplicity can bring us peace of mind.”
When asked about his most rewarding success to date, Dr. Krishna speaks of a 13-year-old schoolgirl. “She told me, ‘I thought I wasn’t intelligent, but after listening to you I see that it’s about the complete human being I am.’”
Dr. Krishna went on to ask her, “How would your life change if you were in charge…and you only compared yourself with others when absolutely necessary?”
“I would be free,” she said.
“My passion is to give people tools to live their best lives, in peace with themselves, others, and the earth,” he adds.
“Be your own guru,” says Dr. Krishna…“be free.”
To find out more about the Human Wisdom Project visit humanwisdom.me or download the HumanWisdom app. To follow the project on social media.
