Spiritual Intelligence: Measuring the Infinite

Cindy WigglesworthAudio, Cognitive, Conversations, Perspectives, Psychology, Spiritual, Spirituality Leave a Comment

 

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piritual Intelligence: in a lot of people’s minds, this is a bit of a contradiction. After all, for many secular thinkers, “intelligence” is something which, once applied, tends to dispel the old myths and pre-rational beliefs of the traditional religions—that is, intelligence is what frees us from the need for spirituality. On the other side of the divide, many postmodern spiritual seekers and practitioners have an inherent distrust of the rational mind, viewing it as an obstacle to “real” spiritual insight at best—and at worst, single-handedly responsible for the disenchantment of the world, not to mention the very source of our ongoing assault on Mother Nature.

Overall, this has often made “spirituality” and “intelligence” painfully estranged from one another, to the detriment and disillusionment of all. But if there is anything truly novel about the Integral approach, it is this: it actually offers an intelligent way to talk about spirituality. That is, the Integral approach cuts right through both materialistic reductionism on the one hand, and the sort of anti-intellectualism that has become so rampant on the other, offering a much more sophisticated model of growth and development that allows us to better understand the contours of our evolving spirituality—and most importantly, offers a way for us to continue our spiritual paths beyond the limitations of our traditional mythic religious institutions.

In this dialogue, Cindy Wigglesworth and Ken Wilber explore the history of human intelligence research, beginning with the well-known ideas of IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence), noting their impact on our personal relationships and careers.

Reflections
As you listen to this conversation, you can use the Notes app in the bottom-left corner of your screen to record any reflections that may come up for you.

SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence

According to author Cindy Wigglesworth, Spiritual Intelligence is the ability to behave with wisdom and compassion while maintaining inner and outer peace regardless of the situation. In her new book, SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence, Cindy helps us understand how spiritual intelligence is analogous to such concepts as IQ and emotional intelligence (EQ). Using clear, practical language she defines the 21 skills that comprise spiritual intelligence and in doing so, teaches you the steps to begin developing your own spiritual intelligence. Cindy refers to her method as spiritual weightlifting-a process whereby we work to develop our muscles to shift away from thinking with our self-focused ego to behaving from our more loving and peaceful Higher Self. Her model is both faith-friendly and faith-neutral, and SQ21 offers a way for atheists, people of faith, and those who are spiritual but not religious to understand each other and discuss our universal concerns. These skills are especially crucial for those in positions of leadership, since they help us to make decisions on a higher level while in the midst of stress, complexity, and high rates of change. If you want more peace, wisdom and compassion in your life – SQ21 is the book for you.

Purchase SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence on Amazon or iBooks.

Cindy Wigglesworth

About Cindy Wigglesworth

Cindy Wigglesworth, MA is the author of SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence (SelectBooks, Oct.2012) and is the creator of the SQ21™ Spiritual Intelligence self-assessment. Cindy founded her business, now called Deep Change, in 2000 after working at ExxonMobil for 20 years in Human Resources management. She teaches leadership development and focuses on the multiple intelligences required for success in our personal and professional lives. She trains executive and life coaches, therapists and spiritual directors to use her SQ21 tool in their practices.

Ken Wilber

About Ken Wilber

Ken Wilber is a preeminent scholar of the Integral stage of human development. He is an internationally acknowledged leader, founder of Integral Institute, and co-founder of Integral Life. Ken is the originator of arguably the first truly comprehensive or integrative world philosophy, aptly named “Integral Theory”.