Spiritual Intelligence means the need to search for the meaning of life and the connection of the being with the universe.
In the daily routine of getting up to work, exercising our functions that guarantee our physical sustenance, we end up ignoring our spiritual existence and the importance it has in our life.
We live life as if we belong to two different worlds, the physical world where we need to deal with day-to-day issues, and the spiritual world, which we remember once or a few times a week when we decide to connect to our spirituality when attending the church or meditating. But we need to understand that we are one, and that the well-being of the physical body depends directly on the emotional and spiritual well-being.
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Intelligence is much more than IQ:
Psychology points to the existence of several types of intelligence, but most people when thinking about intelligence only consider the rational part: that linked to the ability to understand, analyze, reason, and apply knowledge.
IQ: Intelligence Quotient
Standard intelligence, measured by IQ tests, is responsible for measuring our ability to think, to make calculations, to reason under pressure. This is where our knowledge of physics, mathematics, history, etc. is judged. Its functional is the brain. But there are other intelligence types.
EQ: Emotional Intellignce
We have, for example, emotional intelligence, which is simpler to understand. Emotional intelligence is that linked to self-knowledge and the management of emotions, where the person is self-aware and can deal with the most diverse emotions in a wise way.
Those who have emotional intelligence can generate empathy with the most diverse people, control emotions, communicate well and balance thoughts and actions, and do not act without thinking. This intelligence, which was also new recently, measures our heart, how we manage our emotions and how we are prepared for life. Its functional is the heart.
SQ: Spiritual Intelligence
And finally, we have spiritual intelligence, one of the topics that have been most studied in the universities of psychology and psychiatry. Its functional, the “soul,” is studied, that is, how it fits and is active for our life.
Spiritual intelligence is less widespread, although it is of paramount importance as it provides guidance to other types of intelligence. It signifies the need to search for the meaning of life and the connection of being with the universe.
The Spiritist Doctrine teaches its followers to consider material life as a mere reflection of spiritual life, that perennial reality of the spirit. Spiritual intelligence means understanding that there are no two realities, only one being manifesting at different levels of vibration, acting on different universes that coexist in the same space-time complex. The reality of life after death already shows how the spirit overlaps physical reality.
Specialist Danah Zohar is one of the most influential names in this field. In her latest research, she deciphered at least 10 characteristics that every high-SQ person has, that is, the most spiritually intelligent people:
- They are full of compassion
- They are spontaneous and without fear
- They see things more broadly and universally
- They are not afraid to ask “why?”
- They nourish physical, material, and emotional independence
- They are in favor of diversity
- They are holistic
- They know how to take advantage of the bad aspects in their life
- They follow their ideals and never abandon their values
- They seek self-knowledge and disseminate it
As you could see, Spiritual Intelligence presupposes a vast and global view of the human being. The holistic aspect of understanding the whole without neglecting each part is essential, as it permeates all the paths of this intelligence.
Respect for diversity, for example, is proof of this. When we respect everything that is diverse, we know how to recognize minorities, small details, and minimal things, one of the bricks for the construction of a great castle of self-knowledge.
“The first duty of intelligence is to doubt itself.”
~ Albert Einstein
A universal mind, when it develops exponentially, will never be the same. It expands until it reaches its own grace.
The importance of spiritual intelligence:
A person who is aware of his spiritual intelligence is able to perceive that the spirit constantly seeks evolution, is aware of the need for progress in all areas of knowledge and human activity.
This makes him seek improvements all the time, and that is why this intelligence is so valued in the world of psychology and business. Those who have spiritual intelligence constantly seek to improve themselves and understand the paths that physical life takes through this greater awareness that they acquire from their spirit.
How to develop your spiritual intelligence?
Philosopher Francesc Torralba, specialist, and consultant for the Pontifical Council for Culture, wrote a book explaining this concept and how it can be powerful.
Torralba pointed out 10 key points that must be taken into account in order to develop spiritual intelligence and profit from it wisely. Read on for a brief summary of each one.
1. If questions: Is it worth living?
What do you expect from life? The answer to this question makes clear the character of each human being. Everyone expects something, has a meaning in life, and the sincere answer to the question shows a series of values that we have in mind.
Only human beings are able to ask this question, no other animal has this type of reasoning, so ask yourself questions and know their values and motivations.
2. Other questions (and other answers):
The philosopher goes deeper, proposes other complex but powerful questions, such as: Why am I in the world? Do I have a mission? What is the meaning of my existence? What do I expect after death? Why so much suffering? (in my life or in the world)
Is it worth fighting? Does life deserve to be lived? No one is required to have an answer to all of these questions, but they are powerful for exercising our spiritual intelligence. All of them help in the philosophical development of each person.
Recommended Book for You:
Living the Legendary Life.
3. The ability to know how to distance yourself:
When the author speaks of distance, it is not a matter of distance physically, but mentally. Knowing how to distance yourself from a situation is essential to better understand it. It is like that situation: “The outsider can judge the situation with different eyes”.
Taking distance from an issue, a situation, a fight, positively influences our judgment, making us more impartial. It helps us in not getting emotionally involved with something and letting our spiritual intelligence act in a positive way to make decisions.
4. The ability to go beyond:
Francesc Torralba calls this capacity for self-transcendence. For him, it is not to be content, to see beyond, and to have hope. It is about overcoming the limits, not believing in them, and wanting to overcome them.
It is a capacity that goes beyond religious meaning, anyone can awaken that capacity in themselves.
5. The consciousness (admiration) of existence:
The human being has an innate and unique power of admiration. Other beings, such as irrational plants and animals, exist but are unaware of their existence. To admire something or someone, you need to be aware of your existence, the existence of the other, and have some distance.
A landscape, a work, a painting, a starry sky, a beautiful body, or any other beauty that causes us admiration requires a necessary distance and an awareness of existence. Have you ever admired anything or anyone today? When we become aware of our existence, we have a beautiful surprise. This surprise leads us to love and enjoy life, to transform the fact of being in the world as a project, a life project.
6. Self-knowledge:
Spiritual intelligence is the best path to self-knowledge. When we cultivate this intelligence, we come to know ourselves better, to understand our essence, to differentiate what is our personality and character from what is represented.
What we do and speak for is what is of our essence and what we manifest for a number of other issues (such as appearances, good impressions, rules of conduct, etc.).
7. The ability to value:
This is another uniquely human capacity. Ethical experience, the ability to decide what is right and what is wrong with values, is a foundation of emotional intelligence. We need to value this ability, review our values , and live up to them.
8. The aesthetic pleasure:
The human being is sensitive enough to delight in the natural beauty and artistic manifestations of each thing. You don’t see an irrational animal watching the sunset with the depth that a human being is capable of.
This is a primary impulse of ours, to seek the beauty, the goodness, and the meaning of these two factors in our lives. Do you admire your ability to see beauty?
9. Discovering the mysteries:
We are curious beings. When we are faced with a mystery, we immediately want to unravel it, to know what is behind it, to understand where the answer is to what intrigues us.
The human being wants to unravel the mysteries of the world and of people. When trying to understand, we ask questions, by asking questions we are able to have the depth to live with spiritual issues that are important for life.
10. The pursuit of wisdom:
For human beings, science is not enough. If that were enough, today there would be no spirituality and religiosity.
Spiritual intelligence is an orientation that allows us to be happy, even without understanding all the things in the world, but understanding a little more about ourselves and the relationships around us. It allows us to live our lives to the fullest.
