Connecting
to the Force
“It
may be important, even essential for the survival of the planet, that
we acknowledge and cultivate an intelligence within us that somehow
guides the other seven, making sure that their use is directed toward
the common good of humankind...However we conceive of it, to
cultivate such a supraordinate intelligence may be the single most
intelligent thing we will ever do.”
Thomas
Armstrong (7 Kinds of Smart, 1999)
We've
now identified seven types of intelligence that every person has in
varying degrees. They include: “1) verbal—ability to use words;
2) visual—ability to see things in your mind; 3) physical—ability
to use your body well; 4)musical—ability to understand and use
music; 5) mathematical & logical—ability to apply logic to
systems and numbers; 6) introspective—ability to understand
thoughts & feelings in yourself; and 7) interpersonal—ability
to relate well to others (people smarts).” (Website of the Cathcart
Institute; 7 Intelligences: What Does it Mean to be Smart?)
Each
of us has several of these that are well developed, and several that
are weaker. We can read the descriptions above and know immediately
which ones best fit us. We learn best in the modes that are strongest
for us—for instance, a child (or adult) whose strong suit is
Physical Intelligence, will learn best, remember that learning
longer, and have better recall of whatever he/she has done with
her/his hands, or been involved in physically. Case in point—in
high school, I made C's and D's in chemistry, but A's in chemistry
lab. I'm a hands-on person. Someone else might have made A's in the
mathematical and logical part of chemistry, and lower grades on the
labs that required the handling and measuring of substances.
We
humans have a tendency to use differences to divide rather than to
unite us. Understanding that one intelligence is not superior to
another is a good starting place for acceptance of self and others.
Understanding further that it is useful and productive to involve
people with different forms of smarts in any project, is also a great
way to boost creativity and guarantee quality. Respecting the gifts
that each of us brings would be a healing balm to our fractured
world. This 8th intelligence, the one Thomas Armstrong
refers to as “supraordinate,” may be located somewhere other
than our heads; closer to our hearts, and, in fact, may be what
connects us to the ultimate creative force in this universe. Think
about that today.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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