Most people believe that intelligence is measured by I.Q. or other cognitive evaluations. Since the western enlightenment, we have come to believe that intelligence is captured through intellectual analysis and logic.
This is only partially true. Although one needs to learn to free one’s self from confusion and emotional reasoning, true intelligence is “measured” through the way a person - lives -intelligently. In that sense, a person can achieve a “living intelligence” and only have an I.Q of 100 or perhaps, even a 90.
We must also cover the other intelligences that have been described in the literature, such as musical intelligence, mechanical intelligence and so forth. Although one can describe these as intelligences, they are intrinsically, technical. In other words, they pertain to practical techniques and do not necessarily result in any living intelligence. A person can be a master musician (and composer), but have been through five divorces, is depressed and addicted to alcohol. This, I would not consider a Living Intelligence, although this person has a specific technical, artistic intelligence.
What are the nature of these Intelligences and can I describe some of them? These are questions I would presume you would be interested in having answered. These intelligences are what would be considered “emotional and social” intelligences that transcend conventional I.Q and also specific technical intelligences.
To answer: they are harnessed, contacted or realized through deeper aspects of the mind, when there is true self-observation and an appropriate training. This may seem strange to the reader, for we believe that intelligence or knowledge is gained through our conventional educational system. Again, as in the other intelligences mentioned, they do not necessarily lead to or cause any living intelligence.
Just think of a typical college student: she can get fantastic grades, and be popular, but have no idea of how to act in the world. Once can think of these deeper Intelligences as forms of “wisdom”; one certain does not learn how to be wise through a conventional education, even at a highly prestigious intitution, such as our Ivy League schools. We learn knowledge, and cultural indoctrination, but not really any type of living intelligence, unless we find a teacher-mentor that can initiate us into this intelligence.
Where can one get this “education”, in order to realize these Intelligences? Through the art of Self-Observation, which also involves many sub-trainings that are utilized to transform many of our basic structures of experience. And these structures, or what the ancients called the “faculties” also contain processes that are beyond the intellect, or even knowledge.
In other words, one can realize a deeper form of Intelligence and not even think at all! This does not imply that one will stop thought altogether; it just points to the truth that many of our potential styles of living wisdom occurs, through the transcendence of our normal personal forms of knowledge.
We are usually engrossed in a compelling manner, by all sorts of thoughts, feelings and memories that are literally bombarding our minds, in such a way, that we often do not know how to act or truly live in the world intelligently. The best we can do is “learn from experience” and maybe by the time we are 60 or 70, we can finally achieve some form of social and emotional insight.
However, one can be trained at an even younger age, how to directly access these intelligences without waiting for decades. We begin by observing our own minds, feelings, attitudes, motivations and actions. We learn to watch without pre-determined judgements and then apply various trainings that cover all the important structures of our experience, such as Identity, thought, feeling, volition, attention and instinct.
Many of these intelligences we have already contacted in our daily life, but do not know how to continue them or to contact them at needed moments. The reason is that we not only are vulnerable to our predetermined and conditioned habits of mind, emotion and body, but we do not have the training to reach them. They often occur on their own, and we do not know why they arrived or why they went away. With the appropriate understanding and training, one will directly realize why they arrive and why they went away - and bring them back, consciously.
What are some of these Qualities? There is no official list, but here is a good general outline: Autonomy, Authenticity, Stability, Alertness, Objectivity, Gratefulness, Abundance, Simplicity, Rootedness, Trust, Care, Joy, Confidence, Regality, Purity, Humility, Resourcefulness, Resiliency, Service, Cooperation, Gracefulness, Depth, Order, Discipline, Brilliance, Freedom, Surrender, Peace, Enthusiasm, Order, Love, Patience, Generosity and Compassion.
We experience some of these, from time to time, but they seem to go away of their own accord, outside of our own will. They appear to bring some form of meaning, but they often go away and we are left with only conflict, confusion and complications in our lives.
How do we access these intelligences in a conscious way? When we train correctly and transform our ordinary structures of living, the “centers” or “faculties”, then these intelligences will arise. When we contact the unregulated aspects of these structures, usually when the ego is involved with the conventional, conditioned personality, these Qualities will distort into their excess or deficiency.
A Quality is in excess when it is “too much” or in wrong mode. For example, too much Confidence is Arrogance.
A Quality that is in deficiency mode is “too little”, or not sufficiently utilized. For example, not enough Confidence is Self-deprecation. Not enough Autonomy is Co-dependence, and so forth.
Qualities are what make life “feel” meaningful. It is often the case, where it is not the activity or success of that activity that is important, but what Quality is expressed. We often need unsuccessful circumstances to bring out needed Qualities.
These Qualities, or primordial Patterns are what not only make life meaningful, but allow us to feel a deeper intelligence, also known as “Wisdom”, an ancient term. We find this not when we hold external beliefs, but the ability to search the mind completely and have the honesty and fearlessness to look directly at who we are.
William Edwards
Author, Trainer
The Skill of Wisdom
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