Spiritual Intelligence(Get in touch with your soul)

Most of us have heard of intelligence quotient and emotional quotient, now mainstream psychology and wellbeing experts suggest that we develop spiritual intelligence if we want to cope with the demands of the 21st century..

Spiritual intelligence has been addressed by a wide range of individuals from different fields and professions.One thing they all agree on is that spiritual intelligence has to do with the "wellbeing" of man in his physical and natural environment.
The term "spiritual intelligence" was coined by Danah Zohar,she introduced the idea in 1997 in her book"Rewiring the corporate world"she believes that spiritual intelligence is used to develop meaning,vision and values,such as compassion and integrity.

Wigglesworth and Candy (2012) defined spiritual intelligence as "the ability to behave with wisdom and compassion, while maintaining inner and outer peace,regardless of the situation".

Spiritual intelligence abbreviated as SQ is neither a religion or a modern day principle,it is basically about the "wholesome nature of man" it is the "pillar" on which mental and emotional intelligence rest.While emotional intelligence expresses your ability to understand your emotions and that of others.Spiritual intelligence defines your ability to maintain inner wellness at the heart of your soul.Being spiritually intelligent affects your physical environment because it translates into what others can feel and see.

Life in the 21st century tends to set us on a roller coaster,we want to do so much within the limited time we have that we end up exhausting our spirits.Our deepest fear is of coming and going and nobody knowing. We search for significance in different ways(money,cars,properties,power,etc).We think that if we can connect with someone special or have everything money can buy, we'll become special...there's a constant want or need nagging us out making us dwell on feelings of insufficiency, the truth is we can get lost in this ever changing world.

Spiritual intelligence helps us understand the purpose of our existence as individuals ."when we develop spiritual intelligence,we enjoy an increased ability to pick out the actions,experiences,beliefs and values that create greater purpose" as said by Mike Figuuolo. People who are spiritually intelligent live more fulfilled lives,they find deeper and meaningful purposes. They are optimistic and derive joy in helping others,they live for the greater good by adding value to their's and the lives of others.
But you will have to strive consciously for spiritual intelligence. Each morning,ask yourself :"what does life expect of me"? rather than "what can I expect of of life" (modelled on the famous words of John F Kennedy).

Spiritual intelligence has some very important qualities you can apply anywhere

Courage: "Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others"(Winston Churchill).The oxford advanced learners dictionary defines courage as'the ability to do something dangerous, or to face pain or opposition, without showing fear".(mind you,there might be fear,but we must learn to resist it)for example you might be in a toxic relationship or in job which drives you nuts( negatively) simply because you are scared you will loose security or respect. Let go of your fears,courage entails bravery,be bold enough to look further and wider.To do this we have to stop focusing on what we get out of situations and start asking ourselves how we can be of help in any situation.

Be Daring: Seize up challenges, come up with fresh ideas,take a deep dive or swim against the stream from time to time,be an individual. But at the same time,live your values,find fulfillment in yourself, other peoples can contribute to your life...but know that true and genuine happiness depends on you.

Integrity: Be honest and dependable.People must know who and what you are:don't change your values in every situation to manipulate others or certain situations, so that you are the only benefactor.For example,a concrete block manufacturer with no integrity can produce and sell substandard blocks just so he gains a profit.

Intuition: Use your" sixth sense"or gut feeling to complement your rational thoughts and decisions."Sometimes you only arrive at the right answer by delving into the vast knowledge of your subconscious. If you are able to see the long term effect of your decision, then you have well developed intuition.

Empathy: The ability to put yourself in someones else's shoes is an important component for building great relationships and service.This also means that you will be able to show kindness to others.Start by showing empathy to your self,look after yourself,then your relationships.Forgive your own faults.Then you will have more empathy with those of other people and avoid becoming too dependent on their judgement and approval.Then you will know your worth.

Wisdom:
"The differences about life depends,for the most part,not on what men do ,but upon the meaning and purpose of their acts.All are born,all die,all loose loved ones,nearly all marry and nearly all work,but the significance of these acts may vary enormously. The same physical act may be in one situation vulgar and in another holy.The same work may be elevating or degrading.The major question is not" what act do I perform"? But" in what frame do I put it"?Wisdom about life consist in taking the inevitable venture which are the very stuff of common existence, and glorifying them"
Elton Trueblood

Forgiveness: Tell others you are sorry and forgive them.Forgiveness is good for the soul.Never allow pride or ego get in the way.

Love:💝,love makes the world a beautiful place.love for your partner,love for your family,love for neighbours,love for community etc..

Accept change: A life without change is a stagnant life.Change is part of life,and a necessary factor for growth.

Manage Yourself:Time management is an essential quality of spiritual intelligence,you can't control time,but you can control what you do with your time.Learn to set goals,learn to set priorities, occupy yourself with things that really matter.

Be a great leader:Be a leader who understands what kind of leadership is required in different situations. A good leader never looses sight of his or her vision or values,no matter the challenge encountered.

(There's much more one can learn about spiritual intelligence, you can carry out a little research of yours 😉 .)

Spiritual intelligence encompasses a whole lot of valuable qualities, which will make us better human beings if only we make the effort to adapt it into our lifes.

Cheers..thanks for reading this..I hope you learnt a thing or two😊..