By Jayita Bhattacharjee
The humane human, how do we define him/her? The trend in the shift towards inclusivity, be it socially, or culturally or politically, can pull us together in shared humanity. It calls for interconnectedness between humanism and spirituality. The two need to be correlated, not isolated from one another. From time immemorial, spirituality is perceived which exists on a higher dimension that is superior to the erroneous humanness. It is not something that is existential in saints and prophets only.
Humanness need not be bereft of emotions and primordial feelings. This ultimate realization compels us to transcend the self and break the notion that emotions are illusions. It believes in the divine not only when the dawn is in but also when the dawn is out. It is not just in the rare moments or nearing death that one gets to experience spirituality but in the beat of everyday life when it is dull and mundane, and madness is not embodied in all facets of our living. We are born with a vibrant transcendental soul belonging innately to another realm, which is the spiritual realm where silence has a sound. Our feelings are shaped by the spirit, the spirit of beyond. We are not just sent to live a fragmentary life which is a narrow perception of humanness. Rather we are spiritual beings embodied in the shell of a human.
By not recognizing this truth, we are desacralizing ourselves. This is the illusion with which humans are burning deep inside. There is no divide between humanness and spirituality but living with the illusion sustains the distinction. It epitomizes the belief that being human is substandard and that spirituality is the pinnacle of standard. It keeps us away from doing the needed work required to be done so we can be integrated into the utmost spirituality. So, humans can merge with spiritualism through humanism.
Far above the challenges and complexity of human experience lies a realm of spirituality that is formless and shapeless, where we are floating in stillness. It is a stilling space above the messiness of human thoughts and experiences. Many of us are longing for an inclusive, humane world where humane humans will create meaningful connections that make life worth living. But just like acquisitive and unprincipled capitalism is damaging us, similarly, humanity-bereft spirituality is stripping us a part of any moral values that are left. It resembles very much a power-seeking patriarchal system where we are centered on living above rather than living among, focused on being above the tribe rather than being among the tribe.
We impact each other, so what happens to our humanness is spiritually relevant—bypassing this truth blinds sight of our bigger vision. And in this way, we can be engaged in escapism, willfully escaping the fact that we need to encourage inclusivity as our experience of enlightenment is not far above us but right among us. It is an act of reverence, a homage to our sacred selves, not a feigned but an unfeigned one.
The more we emphasize on the division between spirituality and humanness, the more we turn away from our needed transformation. Instead of exemplifying divinity in our human soul, we symbolize avaricious human nature. Rather than symbolizing idyllic humanism, we engage in typifying the power-hungry, predatory beings.
From this perspective, spiritual wisdom and emotional wisdom are synonymous. Humanness needs to be tied to spirituality. It is not a higher plane but something that needs to be grounded in us. To embody it is not to rise above but to live in a grounded manner, the way we are sent on this earth. To be all-encompassing and inclusive is to live life as grounded spiritual beings, where we personify ourselves as humane humans, where everyone matters. Everybody’s dreams and despairs, wound and joy. Where every struggle, every tear, every bit of emotion kindles as a spark. From this belief, we gather together to co-create a humane world for all.
While shifting our focus on humanness, we are also focused on multiple intelligences in recent years rather than just focused on the intelligent quotient. In this context, it is worth noting that in the previous days when IQ used to the dominant factor in success while choosing a career.
Spiritual intelligence is related to emotional intelligence, which shapes a person in a better manner. We all feel an innate need to connect to something of the higher power that is timeless, formless, and boundless. At the same time, we have an equal urge to connect with other fellow humans and be attentive to them and their needs too. These, in turn contribute to the moral, emotional, spiritual shaping of ourselves. Spiritual intelligence is the capacity to behave with others compassionately while maintaining the point of equilibrium inside. So, we do not deviate from the center of balance that sustains our stillness. Their wisdom comes through enlightenment and emerges as a manifestation of love for all sentient beings on this earth. Being among the chaotic circumstances, we are able to maintain the point of placidity, the lull, and serenity.
Spiritual intelligence brings about consolidation, a unification in one’s personality so that the psyche is not torn in an inner turmoil. Spiritual intelligence acts as a force of homogenization for one’s entire life, especially the inner life. Gradually we can use this spiritual intelligence to solve other problems in our lives externally. At first, it gifts us internally. Later on, we apply it externally, which enriches our lives. So, it contributes towards intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships, enhancing the betterment of our lives. Spiritual intelligence beings a manner of functioning that is harmonized and not conflictual. The person’s efforts are directed towards a greater overarching purpose that carries a profound meaning and insightful vision. That, in turn, contributes towards the shaping of a humane human.
As the person transcends the compressed sense of self or the ego-self, the impacts are observed all around. The ability to experience a transcendental and mystical state of consciousness leads to enlightenment so he/she can experience a sense of oneness with all things and beings. They gently guide the person in finding sanctification in all experiences and identification of a higher purpose in all their activities. So, they can cope and even find meaning in traumatic experiences. Gradually, spiritual intelligence extracts a person out of the constricted self and propels him/her towards a higher self, like a humane human.
Spiritual intelligence allows intrapersonal consolidation. The life of a human being emerges as an all-encompassing story that offers an overarching objective for one’s daily living, so he can perform meaningfully from a place of conscious choice. Organizing one’s life with spiritually intelligent thinking harmonizes rather than entailing conflicts in their different endeavors. Thus, the concept of self-regulation is introduced, which brings a well-balanced development of personality traits. A person shifts from an unbalanced growth to a balanced mix of many traits that shapes him as a humane human.
Diligence…..the ability to be in full control of one’s own impulses while proceeding towards the goals, sociability….the ability to regulate one’s interpersonal behavior so as to amiably maintain healthy relationship skills, achievement of emotional stability…the ability to handle negative emotions in the face of challenges, all of which work towards maintaining emotional health and sanity.
From this perspective, spiritual intelligence has a correlation with emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to handle all the emotions that arise, respecting and acknowledging them while not choosing to exclude any single one. But spiritual intelligence raises that awareness to a higher dimension, so we are at a place where we can connect with the higher power and the one thread that binds us all. Spiritually intelligent people tend to encompass forgiveness, compassion, inspiration, generosity, wisdom, and loving-kindness. The composure is maintained, the equanimity is upheld no matter what the circumstances are. Behavior emerges as a significant indicator of personal growth. To be able to stay centered with a calmness under enormous pressure, to maintain the point of equilibrium even when things are stretched out is to hold yourself in one piece.
In this context, spiritual intelligence contributes tremendously towards the development of self-regulatory personality traits. Despite the conflictual situation going on in the exterior world, you can stay in continual amazement. The sense of awe is never killed. None can crush it; none can rob you of the wonder in your eyes. Wherever you behold, you see the divine signatures scattered all around. Its effects are far-reaching so much that a person is gradually transformed by this spiritual intelligence and pauses and wonders about his/her priorities in life. Your fount never runs dry, and you are in a state of continual ecstasy. Rapture fills your eyes. You know how to actualize your dreams, how to be in this world yet how to be above the world. Therein comes the accomplishment of intrapersonal consolidation. To be in self-actualization is to come to terms with whatever life hurls at you. You witness them, staying unaffected, unconcerned. They become the weathers in the sky, the emotions that came and go. But you stay free from them.
Materialism does not catch your eyes; rather, spiritualism does. You do not crave to become a societal rank influencer, and rather you seek the spot to be in harmony with yourself and life. From a place of self-actualization, you become ecstatic, and there is no void deep inside you. You are more centered on human values and the profound meaning of life, your purpose of living, and your sent on this earth. You experience heightened emotions, out-of-body sensations that keep you alive continually. Not a single moment goes unlived. Wonderment overwhelms you and what happens in the world affects you the least. You stay afloat and remain in a state that goes beyond any pleasure. You are at one with this life and universe. That feeling, the perception, is so natural that you are shaken inside in a tremendous elation. It is the manifestation of an awe-inspiring moment, the other-worldly experience. That, in turn, becomes a transformative sensation. The profound moments become ineffable, and you tremble with a joy so unfelt before. It is the noetic quality of an other-worldly experience that leads to a revelation. This elation can be attained by self-actualization, which in turn results from spiritual intelligence.
The more a person walks along the path, the more a human tends to be humane, and ultimately spiritual intelligence becomes the highest form of intelligence.
