Today’s post is by Dr. Andrew Thorn, author of U-wun-ge-lay-ma: A Guide to Next-level Living (CLICK HERE to get your copy). Here’s Dr. Thorn…
Charles P. Steinmetz, (1865 – 1923) a German-American mathematician and electrical engineer, whose work as a scientist significantly influenced the expansion of the electrical power industry in the United States, was once asked, by the founder of Babson College in Massachusetts, what line of research he thought would see the greatest development during the course of the next 100 years.
Here is what Mr. Steinmetz is reported to have said:
“I think the greatest discovery will be made along spiritual lines. Here is a force which history clearly teaches has been the greatest power in the development of men. Yet we have merely been playing with it and have never seriously studied it as we have the physical forces. Someday, people will learn that material things do not bring happiness and are of little use in the making men and women creative and powerful. Then the scientists of the world will turn their laboratories over to the study of God and prayer and the spiritual forces, which as of yet have hardly been scratched. When this day comes, the world will see more advancement in one generation than it has seen in the past four.”
Unfortunately, as a society, instead of moving toward spiritual topics, we have moved away from them. Sadly, the major pursuits of the last 30 years have been largely focused on the acquisition of material wealth. We are now feeling the pain of those pursuits. As predicted we are discovering that the material conquests of life do not bring us much happiness.
Yet for some reason, the topic of spirituality is often considered taboo. It is now a divisive topic and extreme measures are often taken to avoid it.
Spiritual Intelligence
I want to break that taboo and speak openly about spirituality. Because it can be a very intangible topic, it is difficult to define what it really is. That is why we need to study it more. Spirituality is an enlightened focus on who we really are. It helps us understand the purpose of our existence and to see things as they really are. When we develop spiritual intelligence we enjoy an increased ability to pick out the actions, experiences, beliefs, and values that create greater meaning and purpose in our individual lives. This power of discernment expands our ability to understand our eternal natures. As we come to know who we really are, the great questions of life come into focus and we find ourselves aligned with divine purpose and legacy.
There Is Something More Than Achievement
The shiny prizes of the world, including its pleasures, power, praise, money, and fame, have always been and always will be attractive, but they are not enough. Those that reach the top of Mount Achievement, often find a dull world devoid of meaning. The sacrifice to gain what the material world has to offer, proves time and time again to be too steep a price to pay. Most of us now realize that the pursuit of doing at the expense of being does not deliver happiness.
The question of what is this human life experience really all about is answered best, by and through the development of spiritual intelligence. The pursuit of Spiritual Intelligence focuses us on personal meaning making experiences. It ensures that individuals know what they want, and more importantly, that they know who they are. This enables the spiritually intelligent individual to clearly express what his or her impact will be in the world.
A person who possesses high levels of spiritual intelligence easily identifies with his or her Higher Self or Spirit rather than with the ego. They have less need to seek after their own interests. This fosters the capacity to serve and develop others.
Nearly every organization I work with is concerned about developing higher levels of accountability. A spiritually intelligent person is empowered with a greater capacity for problem solving. It is natural for them to cope better with stressful situations because they know that what they are doing is only what they do and not who they are. As a result they are freer to act and to be, which results in greater productivity and engagement.
Thinking, Feeling, Being
We cannot solely rely on the development of cognitive and emotional intelligence to make us whole. By themselves, they are not enough. As long as the development of spiritual intelligence is considered unimportant or old-fashioned, we will continue to feel like we are missing something. We cannot be complete without developing greater levels of individual and collective spiritual intelligence.
It is worth noting that the words “health,” “wholeness,” “holiness” and “healing” all come from the same root. All of these come about because of who we are and not because of what we do.
The French philosopher Teilhard de Chardin once said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” This quote inspires me. It gives me great hope and purpose. It generates meaning in a world where meaning is sometimes difficult to make.
To be spiritually intelligent is to be fully engaged in becoming the best you – because it facilitates your ability to know exactly who the best you is.
What does the idea of Spiritual Intelligence mean to you? Why do you think that as a society we are so afraid to discuss it? What do you think must happen before we can become comfortable with this topic? How much time do you spend making quality spiritual discoveries? I hope you will spend some time pondering these questions. I look forward to your thoughts.
- Dr. Andrew Thorn is the founder of Telios Corporation and creator of The Telios Experience™. He holds a PhD in Consulting Psychology, a Masters in Personal and Executive Coaching, and a Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. Dr. Thorn is also the author of U-wun-ge-lay-ma: A Guide to Next-level Living and the upcoming book Who Do You Want To Be When You Grow Whole? The Future of Meaning and Purpose.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
I Hear A Calling
I have ruminated over this entry for weeks now. I wanted to
write about myself but that’s a somewhat untouched subject for me. I always
write about things, not about me. I feel vulnerable and like this is a big
risk.
I talked to Dana about how I felt writing about myself and
she said “just write it, say exactly what you just said and just write.” That made me feel better but not
completely confident.
My question to Dana was “but doesn’t everyone feel the same?” Her answer was NO! Not everyone feels that same way so you
have to write it.
Since I was young, I felt a strong sense of calling. I thought everyone did. Didn’t everyone have a calling to be a
strong leader, to influence others, and to find the giftedness in others and
help make it into something great?
Doesn’t everyone awaken at night with ideas of how to do these
things? Isn’t everyone like me?
Dana says NO!
The older I get the more I realize she’s correct. Not everyone feels driven like I feel.
Not everyone believes in the inherent giftedness of others, and not everyone
works daily to sharpen themselves, in order to be ready for action.
I just thought everyone had the same drive. I should have clued in when, each new
year’s day I ask Ray things like “what did you learn in the past year and what
are you going to accomplish in the upcoming year?” Ray: blank
stare. He is sometimes forced to
treat me like the overly excited puppy that I can be-scolding me to sit when I
can hardly stop jumping up and down.
“I do not have any goals Libby” he replies. WHAT?!? How can
that be I exclaim? This coming
after I’ve spent weeks preparing my end of year reflection and beginning to
think about my new year’s challenges and goals.
How can you NOT be preparing for the new year? How can you
NOT be setting goals and readying to refine yourself more? Well, that’s just the way it is for
some folks. It is ok to not feel
the drive-God gifts in different ways.
He simply gives me a drive.
He compels me to share my gifts freely and to constantly sharpen those
gifts. Not everyone is as “out
there” as I tend to be and that’s ok.
So to those who feel the call-who have a “knowing” that
there is a higher calling for them, I know how you feel. For those who feel “special” as I’ve
felt, you are! It is ok to feel
called upon to do great work. It is ok to feel a burden for the work that must
get done. And to feel the weight of serving as an example and a light in this
world-I bow to you. I greet the divine in you and ask that you greet the divine
in me.
Blessings to us all-because it takes us all. Each one has a
purpose to fulfill and each one is uniquely gifted. What a joy and what a calling. It is an honor to respond.
This brief poem came from d365.org's daily devotional on 1-29-13
May your gifts burn like a fire,
Bringing warmth to everyone you meet.
May your gifts light the world
And reveal the goodness of God.
May your gifts today be embraced
And expressed
With creativity,
Making you useful in God's mercy.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Thinking About My One Little Word
Journey
Really this life is a process by which
day-by-day we are on this journey. Acknowledging the small things is the
recognition of the Big Thing. It
is hearing the birds chiping while you are putting your make up on, smelling
the scent of fresh air while you check your email in the afternoon, and feeling
fresh laundry dried on the line that makes the difference between a life of
gratitude and a life of numbness.
Pursuit
I will pursue my goals with passion. I get excited. I tell everyone about my new
thing. I move from one new adventure
to another. Usually through books.
I love learning new things, I love pursuing knowledge. I love!
Search
I will discover the unknown. The unkown in me and the unknown
outside of me. Both hold amazing understanding and knowledge. I enjoy the discovery. The Lord leads
me in my quest for new knowledge.
Expedition
Trek
Sometimes it gets laborious. Sometimes it is
arduous. Sometimes I get tired. I
just give myself permission to step aside and rest, then continue the quest,
continue the journey.
Odyssey
Adventure
Exciting and new. Beginning and full of energy.
Exploration
A deeper level. Understanding. Digging deep. Sometimes holding your breath. Sometimes exhaling. The
exploration is the quest, the desire, the seeking.
search
Seeking.
Wanting. More, needing to
know more, to fully embrace, fully understand, fully be.
crusade
Carrying the banner. Wanting everyone to know. Announcing the new.
Stimulating the desire to know more, telling others, being the catalyst.
mission
Must carry on.
pilgrimage
Recurring dedication.
Must carry on.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Waiting and Anticipation, Part II
For most of
my life I viewed waiting as a bad thing.
I had the perspective of waiting or anticipation as a negative time when
nothing was happening. In studying God’s
word though, I’m beginning to realize that waiting can be an active and joyful
time. In the time of waiting God is
usually very busy. Rarely do our lives
happen in isolation but rather when we pass through life we often intersect the
lives of others. Our smile could mean
the difference in a person’s perception of a good day. Our speaking the truth in love might be the
difference in a substantial decision for someone. And our plans are often
fulfilled through others. So the Lord is
often involved in fulfilling the plan for our lives even when we think nothing
is going on. It might be, like the birth
of the Messiah, that a child is being born and growing in order to fulfill a
mission that impacts our lives.
I also used
to believe that a time of waiting had to be filled with worry. Now I’m learning what a waste of energy worry
is. Philippians 4:19 (The Message)
says:
And
now I have it all—and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus
were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar,
filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God no end. You can be sure that God
will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in
the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just
pours out into eternity. Yes.
Or
the NRSV version:
And
my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory
in Christ Jesus.
Now,
Jesus is a rich, rich person. Jesus will
fulfill my needs based on those riches.
Why worry then? The outcome is
already prescribed-I don’t need to be consumed with worry and negativity. My only job is to love the Lord and love my
fellow beings, the Lord will take care of the rest. No need to use the giftedness that God has
given me in negative or wasteful ways.
Rather be active in praising and pleasing the Lord. Don’t let the time of waiting be a time of waste. Be involved, be thankful, full of gratitude
because the Lord is active and so pleased you are his creation. He loves me and
he loves you so get involved in what He is doing and be ready for your
blessing!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Waiting and Anticipation
As the holiday season came into focus this year I made a
note to be more intentional with my state of mind and state of heart. I read and reread the story of the expectancy
of Christ’s birth and thought a good deal about how the national of Israel must
have felt as they waited for their Messiah.
With a history of enslavement, abuse, and lose of direction
it must have been challenging to wait with expectancy year after year for their
rescue. So often today we get so routine
with our prayers, with our worship, and with our adoration. We go through the
motions but does it change us? Does it
help us love God and love others more?
The chosen people of Israel knew their Messiah would come but year after
year they waited. The prayers may have
become just words to be repeated out of obligation but I would like to think
that there were some in the nation of Israel who felt that little tickle of
magic when they thought of the birth of their Messiah. How wonderful to have the people fully
reunited to God. How magical to have the God of the Universe connected to the
people again.
Today, over two thousand years later we Christians would be
well-served to re-ignite that magic, that shimmer of anticipation as we now
await the return of the Messiah. Let us
not fall into routine. Let us not recite
prayers as rote words. Let the words
soak into the very fiber of our beings.
Let our requests change us. Let the flame be fanned into a raging fire
of love for God and love for others.
Psalm 27:14 says (The Message) 13-14: I’m sure now
I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart.
Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)14 Wait
for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take
courage; wait for the Lord!
Just as David felt when writing this
passage, we must wait. We should be
intentional and ever dedicated to keeping that hopeful stance. Every day the Lord meets us with new blessings. Our blessings begin new every day and let us
take a mindset of gratitude. Let the
love renew your heart and recharge you.
Let your passions swell and your mind be renewed.
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