Intelligence

1. Intelligence is the Natural State of Life

Just as fire is hot and air is invisible and water flows downward, so is life intelligent.

Intrinsic to life. Intelligence isn't an achievement but a fundamental quality of all living things. From trees to birds to animals, life inherently possesses an intelligence suited to its existence. This natural intelligence is not something to be earned or acquired; it is the very essence of life itself.

Universal intelligence. Religions often refer to God as the intelligence of the universe, a force hidden everywhere, waiting to be seen. This suggests that intelligence is not limited to humans but is a pervasive quality of existence. Life itself is intelligence, and if we have the eyes to see, we can witness it all around us.

Man's deviation. The only exception to this universal intelligence is humanity. Man has damaged the natural flow of life, becoming unintelligent. This deviation is not a natural state but a corruption of our inherent intelligence.

2. Humanity's Unique Fall from Intelligence

Only man has become unintelligent.

The exception. Unlike other living beings, humans have become uniquely unintelligent. While birds, animals, and even trees possess a natural intelligence, humans have somehow damaged their own. This is not a natural state but a deviation from the inherent intelligence of life.

The absence of stupidity in nature. Have you ever seen a bird you could call stupid? Or an animal you could call idiotic? Such things only happen to man. This highlights the unnatural state of human unintelligence, a condition that does not exist in the rest of the natural world.

Damaged intelligence. Man's intelligence has been damaged, corrupted, and crippled. This damage is not an accident but a result of interference with the natural flow of life. Something has gone wrong, and it is this wrong that needs to be undone.

3. The Corrupting Forces of Fear and Greed

Fear is like rust: It destroys all intelligence.

Fear as a tool. Fear is deliberately created to control and manipulate people. By instilling fear, ambitious individuals and institutions seek to dominate and rule. Fear is like rust, destroying intelligence and making people subservient.

Greed as a symptom. Greed is not a natural state of intelligence but a product of unintelligence. An intelligent person is never greedy because they are confident in their ability to cope with life. Greed arises from a lack of confidence in one's own intelligence.

The cycle of fear and greed. Fear and greed go hand in hand, creating a cycle that perpetuates unintelligence. This cycle is often reinforced by religious concepts of hell (fear) and heaven (greed), which are used to control and manipulate people.

4. The Trap of Perfectionism and Security

To demand the impossible is to be unintelligent.

The impossible demands. Unintelligent people demand the impossible, seeking absolute fidelity, security, and perfection. These demands are unrealistic and lead to conflict, suspicion, and neurosis.

The nature of life. Life is inherently insecure, and the future remains open. To ask for absolute security is to remain in constant fear, missing the present moment. An intelligent person understands the limitations of life and is satisfied with the possible.

Perfectionism as neurosis. Perfectionism is a neurotic trait that leads to constant dissatisfaction and conflict. An intelligent person is not a perfectionist but is content with the possible, working towards the probable rather than the improbable.

5. Education's Role in Diminishing Intelligence

The moment you become educated, you have become unintelligent.

Destruction of originality. The current education system often destroys originality and inventiveness. It demands memorization of useless facts and forces children to conform to a mechanical imitation of others.

The danger of the three Rs. The ability to read, write, and do arithmetic, while useful, can also diminish intelligence if they become the sole focus of education. When people rely on books and calculators, they stop using their own intelligence.

The value of primitive intelligence. Primitive, uneducated people often possess a subtle and pure intelligence. Their intelligence is like a flame without smoke, unburdened by unnecessary knowledge and information.

6. The Heart's Intelligence vs. the Head's Knowledge

The intelligence of the head is not intelligence at all; it is knowledge ability.

The head as an accumulator. The head is merely an accumulator of knowledge, a bio-computer that files information. It is useful for certain purposes, like mathematics and calculations, but it is not the source of true intelligence.

The heart as the center. The heart is the true center of being, the source of love, poetry, and prayer. It is through the heart that grace and godliness enter. The head is just the periphery, and to live solely in the head is to live a mechanical, robotic life.

The heart's poetry. The intelligence of the heart creates poetry in life, gives a dance to your steps, and makes life a celebration. It is the source of humor, love, and sharing, which are essential for a truly fulfilling life.

7. Meditation as the Undoing of Societal Damage

Meditation is needed only to undo what the society has done.

Meditation as medicine. Meditation is not a natural need but a medicine to undo the damage caused by society. If humans were left alone, there would be no need for meditation. It is a way to heal the wounds inflicted by political, social, and religious structures.

Negative process. Meditation is a negative process, meaning it does not add anything but rather removes the obstacles to our natural intelligence. It is a process of negation, destroying the illness so that well-being can assert itself.

The natural state. Once the damage is undone, our natural well-being asserts itself. Meditation is not about achieving something new but about returning to our original state of intelligence and openness.

8. The Openness of Being: The Essence of Intelligence

Intelligence is just an openness of being—capacity to see without prejudice, capacity to listen without interference.

Openness as key. Intelligence is not about accumulating knowledge but about being open to experience. It is the capacity to see without prejudice, to listen without interference, and to be present without preconceived ideas.

Intellectuality vs. intelligence. Intellectuality is the opposite of intelligence. Intellectuals are closed, carrying prejudices and beliefs that prevent them from truly seeing and listening. Experts, with their narrow focus, are often blind to the broader picture.

The flow of intelligence. Intelligence is always flowing, like a river, adapting to new situations. Unintelligence, on the other hand, is like a frozen ice cube, rigid and unchanging. To remain intelligent is to remain liquid, open, and responsive.

9. Stupidity as Misused Intelligence

Man is a ladder between heaven and hell.

The potential for both. Humans are unique in their capacity for both great intelligence and great stupidity. This is because we are aware of our intelligence, which can lead to both transcendence and self-destruction.

Stupidity as a choice. Stupidity is not the absence of intelligence but the misuse of it. It is the choice to cling to immaturity, to live in the past or future, and to ignore the present moment. It is the energy of intelligence functioning in contradiction.

The ladder of man. Man is a ladder between heaven and hell, capable of both great heights and great depths. The direction we choose determines whether we ascend or descend. The same energy can be used for both good and evil.

10. The Ego's Role in Obscuring Intelligence

As the ego becomes strong it starts surrounding intelligence like a thick layer of darkness.

Ego as darkness. The ego, a product of our awareness of intelligence, can become a barrier to true understanding. It surrounds intelligence like a thick layer of darkness, preventing the light from shining through.

The struggle for survival. The ego is strengthened by the belief that only strong egos can survive in the struggle of life. This belief, reinforced by the idea of "survival of the fittest," leads to a focus on ambition and competition, further obscuring intelligence.

The closed citadel. The ego creates a closed citadel, making us invulnerable but also isolated. Intelligence needs openness, flow, and expansion to thrive, but the ego creates a rigid, impenetrable barrier.

11. The Path to True Intelligence: Self-Nature

Swadharma, self-nature.

The concept of Swadharma. The concept of Swadharma, or self-nature, is crucial for a future world. It emphasizes the importance of following one's own unique path and not imitating others.

The danger of imitation. Imitation leads to a loss of authenticity and a disconnect from one's own reality. Man has become lost in imitation, completely losing sight of his original face.

Finding your authentic self. The path to true intelligence lies in discovering one's own authenticity, in finding out who you truly are. Without this self-knowledge, life becomes a series of accidents, never satisfying and always discontent.

12. The Need for a Loving Intelligence

When love and intelligence meet together you create the space in which all that is possible to a human being can become actual.

The limitations of intellect and sentimentality. Intelligence alone can become intellectual, and love alone can become sentimental. But when love and intelligence meet, they create a new kind of integrity and crystallization.

The poet and the mystic. The poet is closer to this loving intelligence than the philosopher, and the mystic is at the very heart of it. The philosopher remains outside, studying the walls of the temple, while the poet lingers at the door.

The power of loving intelligence. A loving intelligence is what is needed to create a space where all that is possible for a human being can become actual. It is the meeting of love and intelligence that brings about true transformation.

Last updated: March 4, 2025