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IQ and Spirituality

by Kathy L Kirk

IQ is simply a measure of the capacity to learn. It is not the measure of a happy, fulfilled life. However it is a common human belief that the higher ones IQ, the better life one will experience.  

In my work with Applied Spirituality™ I notice that IQ seems to be a hindrance to a satisfying spiritual life. Of course this is my observation, not a scientific study. The reason, I believe, is that those with a higher IQ use and trust the functioning of their human mind to succeed in the world. Higher IQ’s get you into the better schools and higher degrees. Most of the time and focus of these people are spent on studies, external focus and using the rational mind to achieve what is desired. I also notice that these people are no less frustrated with life; and when they can’t solve a problem with critical thinking, they are more prone to reach for help through psychotherapy, counseling and prescription medications to get them over the rough patches while using the human-mind machinations to get out of a jam. These are the circumstances that result in bank failures, economic crashes and war.

In short, beyond the resources of the human mind, they have little capacity to access any other resource beyond the limitations of lackful, human-mind thought. I observed a friend with an IQ of 165 grapple with a very difficult life situation: he had been an operative for the CIA and wanted out of that organization. It was a compelling drama to observe from a distance, because the rationality of the human mind and all its reasons that it presented to him for becoming involved with them in the first place, were the very reasons that getting out felt compelling to him: it was a world of shadow, illusion, misinformation and distrust. It didn’t feel Good. That world was a study in the abyss of human-mind realities. Yet, when they approached him to come on board, they appealed to his human mind, not his soul: be a hero, fight the war on terrorism, it’s    good money and the sense of elite adventure. My friend is a delightful being, but throughout his life has given little or no time nor credence to his spiritual life. He had been raised in the Catholic Church and went to Catholic schools. He soon left religion behind finding it of no use in life, because it hadn’t pointed him to his own internal resource of listening for the still small voice within. Yet, when he is with me, these ideas appeal greatly to him as if he is remembering something from the long end of a very dark tunnel. But so far, the human mind and his exceptional capacity for thinking, reasoning and manipulating human mind thoughts are his choice for navigation in the world.

Similarly I have another friend who is a leading physician, even conducting research and drug trials for pharmaceutical companies. His intention is to help people with the conditions of his specialty through the use of drugs. I do not fault his motivation, or his methods; for indeed, people who suffer in his area of expertise are in need of his work in the absence of their own spiritual resource for self healing. Still, when I observe him, as well, while he has everything material that money and position can buy, there is a sense of lack about him – an unhappiness and unfulfillment – that pervades his countenance and presence. He tries so hard in every aspect of his life to do well and succeed; but the only resource he knows how to use is his human-mind and his exceptional ability to take in information and use it. Once again, IQ, seems to fail to supply the happy ingredient.

In contrast when I worked at the San Diego County Libraries, every Tuesday a group of Down ’s syndrome adults would come to the library. One man in particular comes to my mind, Peter. This man probably had an IQ of between 50 and 60. The single thing that stands out about Peter when you meet him is that he is Love, personified. He is happy. He is joyful. His heart is wide open and God pours forth through it. He hugs everyone and means it. He is untroubled by human-mind concerns, like children. When I compare and contrast my two high IQ friends with Peter, hands down Peter is living a more satisfying, fulfilling life than either one of my higher functioning friends.

We come to the question: Is it that we only have the choice of either a high IQ, a great a capacity for intelligence and mental acuity or we have low IQ and a greater capacity for fulfillment? My answer is no. The either/or choice is the dead giveaway of a human-mind thought. The answer of course, is AND. We can have both. Today there is a burst in interest for all things spiritual: yoga, meditation, gurus, retreats, and the quest for world peace. This is an indication that the quiet resource, the spiritual capacity, is not just being sought out but also expressing Itself for increased blending into a new balance and synthesis with the human mind.

Creativity, innovation, inspiration, and fulfillment are not measured in IQ, nor are they a function of IQ. Rather they are the capacity of soul, our connection to Source Energy where Infinite Intelligence and Infinite Possibilities await. The human-mind has reached its limited capacity to figure out ways to be happy and fulfilled in the world; and now we reach are reading for our first resource, our Connection with God, Source, the Universe. We are learning to use our minds as a tool to execute the desires of our hearts, rather than forcing our hearts into compliance by the tyranny of a manipulative, limited thinking human-mind. We are learning to wag the tail, rather than letting the tail wag the dog. We are learning that while education and high IQ scores are useful, without the grounding in Love, they are tools of destruction.

It is estimated that Albert Einstein had an IQ of something over 160. Einstein knew that we humans are a mysterious creation when he said, “Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” We are finding our Way, of course.

Kathy Kirk has led both an ‘ordinary’ and an ‘extraordinary’ life. At first glance, her background as an entrepreneur and mother living in the Midwest may sound like someone you know. Yet during the past 25 years she has been developing and evolving teachings and principles to help all people live life to the fullest. In every activity, her focus has been observing the human Spirit and its interface, application and effectiveness in the individual Life on Earth.

Applied Spirituality™ was born from research, observation, personal experiences, meditation and Kathy’s own spiritual journey. She has exhaustively observed the world’s various religions, focusing on Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and the Amish. Kathy studied spiritual teachers such as Deepak Chopra, Joel Goldsmith, Abraham, the Urantia Book and many others. For seven years in her jeep, Kathy traveled extensively the United States to observe people and conceive the idea and principles of Applied Spirituality. She meditated and reflected on all that she had learned and found the words to explain Applied Spirituality to the world. Her first book, The Earthling’s Quick Start Guide: Master Operating Your Unit On Earth is Introduction to Applied Spirituality written for all people to learn and apply to their own lives. The book functions as a user’s manual and comes with a complete online, interactive course.

In addition to her books, Kathy is a contributing editor to Women’s Radio and a contributing writer to Kinetics Magazine. She writes regular articles for ezinearticles and her two blogs, A New View and A New View of Things for The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Kathy is an accomplished speaker and has her CTM (Competent Toastmaster), ATM (Able Toastmaster) Bronze and Silver Certificates of Achievement with Toastmasters International. Kathy can be reached at www.appliedspirituality.com, via email at support@appliedspirituality.com or by phone at 619-445-0972.