The Concept of Spiritual Intelligence
Spiritual Intelligence is a concept introduced by Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall, describing it as “the intelligence with which we address and solve problems of meaning and value, the intelligence with which we can place our actions and our lives in a wider, richer, and more meaningful context, the intelligence with which we can assess that one course of action or one life-path is more meaningful than another.” (from their book SQ: Spiritual Intelligence, The Ultimate Intelligence).
According to them, it is a third type of intelligence which, alongside cognitive and emotional intelligence, can also be measured; i.e., it has its own quotient. It is called the Spiritual Intelligence Quotient (SQ), and it represents “the necessary foundation for the functioning of both IQ (the cognitive intelligence quotient) and EQ (the emotional intelligence quotient).”
The “God Spot” in the Human Brain
To support their thesis, the authors provide extensive research in the fields of neurology, psychology, and anthropology to prove the scientific basis of spiritual intelligence and its place in human life. Three entire chapters of the book are dedicated to research on brain activity and where the “God Spot” is located in the human brain. According to them, “synchronized 40Hz oscillations across the whole brain” are linked to the specific functions of spiritual intelligence to unify and integrate other processes in the brain. The so-called “God Spot” is located in the temporal lobes of the brain, which show increased activity whenever God is mentioned or when a person has profound spiritual experiences.*
Although it is very interesting, for me, what is truly important is not where the “God Spot” is located in the brain. What matters to me is the extent to which God has a place in my heart. It is not important whether, as I write this text, the neural network zone in the temporal lobes of my brain is “flashing.” What matters is knowing that more and more people are beginning to ask questions about the meaning of their lives and are daring to be true to themselves, even when it seems very difficult. Because it is precisely the courage to be different, to oppose the status quo, and to draw motivation from a vision that transcends the small interests of the human Ego, that is one of the most important characteristics of spiritually intelligent people.
What the Spiritual Intelligence Quotient Measures
According to the two researchers, a person with a developed SQ (Spiritual Quotient) is someone who:
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can be flexible (active and spontaneous adaptability);
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has a high degree of self-awareness;
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can face suffering and use it;
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can face pain and transcend it;
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can be inspired by visions and values;
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does not wish to cause unnecessary harm;
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has a tendency to see connections between diverse things (to be a “holist”);
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has a strong tendency to ask “Why?” or “What if?” and to seek “fundamental” answers;
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can be “field-independent” and possesses the ability to work against convention.
How to Develop Spiritual Intelligence in Our Lives
It becomes clear that the development of this third type of intelligence will bring the solution to the crisis of values and meaning in the times we live in. To do this, it is necessary:
“… to be completely honest with ourselves, to have deep self-awareness, to choose, and to realize that sometimes the right choice is the difficult choice. A high SQ requires us to be a whole person, to be aware of our innermost center and to be guided by it, because it transcends all the fragments of our fragmented life. It requires us to gather the pieces of our personality again, even those that fill us with pain. But the most important requirement of a high SQ is to be open to experience, to revive our ability to see life and others in a new light, as if through the eyes of a child. We must stop seeking refuge in the familiar; we must constantly explore and learn from the unknown. We must live the questions, not the answers.” — Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall, Spiritual Intelligence
I do not know if, as you read this text now, there are heightened nerve impulses in the temporal lobe area of your brain. However, I know it is very easy to understand to what extent spiritual impulses are a source of motivation in your life. Simply check to what degree the embodiment of spiritual values is the primary meaning of your life and how ready you are to pay the corresponding emotional price for it.
Kamelia Hadjiyska
If you are interested in the topic of spiritual intelligence, you might also find the 29 Days Program interesting, which I created with this exact purpose—to show how habits of practical spirituality are developed in everyday life.
*Note: The quoted passages and criteria are translated from the Bulgarian edition of the book.
