From the perspective of Dr. Ramón Gallegos, spiritual intelligence refers to the essential condition of the human being, that is, to the undeniable fact that we are spiritual beings living a human experience.
Spiritual intelligence, given the development of knowledge, has antecedent instrumental rationality, represented by the test that measures the IQ, developed by Binet, where intelligence is defined primarily in logical-mathematical-verbal terms and whose purpose is technical development of the world.
Later the concept is dimensioned and the theory of multiple intelligences proposed by Gardner arises, who points out 8 types of intelligences, equally validating one as another.
At present, with the teachings of Dr. Ramón Gallegos, spiritual intelligence is re-emerging, which for the first time allows establishing a holarchic order in a 3-level model of intelligence, in order of importance.
The first level is basic, it is a uniform vision, it is a subhuman emotional intelligence that includes animals, it corresponds to the eye of the flesh, it is a prerational, pre-operational, instinctive intelligence and understands impulses and sensations.
Emerging in the early 1900s and declining in the 1980s, the concept was born from the industrial scientific vision of the time, which is why it values practically only the instrumental rational aspect of consciousness, that is, the logical-mathematical capacity and the Verbal ability, skills that the culture of that period required for the development of factories, industry and technology, aspects that also dominated almost completely the scientific work.
It constituted a scheme that supported and even supports the standardized model of education
The second level of intelligence belongs to the eye of reason, includes the previous one and transcends it, therefore its importance is also greater than that of the basic one, it is exclusive to the human being, it is based on logical-mathematical-verbal thought, it is the intellect, the cognitive, is used primarily to control and measure the world, it is a cultural, social intelligence. It develops in the last 20 years of the last century
In 1967 with the Zero project, academics from Harvard University began the development of a plural vision of intelligence, whose main representative was Howard Gardner with his "theory of multiple intelligences" who recognized different facets, potentials and cognitive styles, This plural vision included for the first time non-cognitive aspects and describes 8 intelligences:
Gadner considers that society overvalues logical-mathematical and linguistic intelligence, which do not ensure professional and social success since other types of intelligence are required for this, in such a way that it is common for the most outstanding student in the classroom it is not in the professional field, less in life itself or spiritually.
This approach considers that intelligence is a plurality of skills that work together to solve problems and create products that a given community values, without questioning whether or not that community is correct.
From this vision, the objective of the schools is to develop the eight intelligences integrally, without valuing any one over the other, considering primarily that each student has his own interests and abilities and that it is not possible to learn everything that exists, in this way the task of educator is enriched because it requires training the student in a plurality of skills and with a personalized education
It is necessary to mention the work carried out by Daniel Goleman on emotional intelligence, which in his opinion is important due to the global tendency of the new generations to have more emotional conflicts and depression, however, it is still one more skill.
Although these approaches are important, they do not give us an integral vision or account for the totality, they are all partialities that are presented separately without order, without hierarchies, without levels, without dimensions and do not favor the development of consciousness.
The holistic vision tells us that true intelligence is the consciousness of honoring life in all its manifestations, of preserving it using holistic discernment, and that is where spiritual intelligence arises.
The third level is spiritual intelligence, it is the superior intelligence of consciousness, it is the most important level, the faculty of the highest value, it includes and transcends the previous levels; It understands the parts, integrates them, orders them, harmonizes them and places them at the level and dimension of the holarchic context to which they belong.
It corresponds to the eye of contemplation, it is for the exclusive use of the human being, its base is wisdom and it is our capacity for a holistic vision of deep reality, our capacity to significantly understand wholes, to spiritualize life, to live from consciousness of what we really are, with it, our problems of sense and meaning of life are successfully solved, it is the only one that makes us truly ethical with ourselves, with others and with life as a whole.
In holistic education, spiritual intelligence is the most important ordering concept as it leads us to universal love, it is a primary tool in driving the evolution of consciousness; without this consciousness it is not possible to speak of intelligence
Until the end of the 20th century, the scientific work, the concern of culture, of the economy, of politics, of society as a whole, had been external development and had left aside the subjective internal world, absorbed in the need for control, mastery and transformation of nature, that is to say, focused only on the external world, with terrible results that we cannot ignore, disasters that in addition to demanding prompt attention, require not only stopping and repairing it but also recovering what has been lost, return balance, health, integrity to the planet and to the human being.
On the other hand, this disaster totally uncovers the mutation that has been made of the kosmos and the fundamental importance of that subjective side, of that intrinsic aspect of the human being, his transcendent condition of being a fundamentally spiritual being living a human experience.
It is also thanks to this unfortunate state in which humanity and the planet find that many people began to look for ways out, different solutions to the problems experienced, that is how the perennial philosophy was resumed.
Little by little, holistic thinking became stronger, gaining followers every day; at present it is already a solid, firm and very active movement that has groups, with small cells operating within the different spheres of reality, of the different countries of the world: spiritual, social, cultural, economic, political; The one that concerns us at this time, and given its importance, special emphasis is placed on education.
Even today, almost all schools, from public to private, from the highest to the lowest level, operate under a traditional system, where the student-teacher relationship is the subject, where the fundamental problems of the students are not considered. not at all, a place where teachers come for the need of a source of economic income. The main interest is the qualifications, the administrative, the methodology, the standardization, the technological and material development, continuous stop in nihilism and hedonism.
It is urgent that schools become true, ethical, comprehensive learning communities, where spirituality is the source that nourishes them, places where love reigns, genuine interest in others, where everyone learns, with true communication, with synergy, that relates everything to everything, a place that allows a simultaneous response to the three great dilemmas of humanity; the material problem, the social problem and the spiritual problem.
The complexity of society has made the concept of education broaden, including happiness, development: emotional, moral, human and above all spiritual development.
Currently, work is underway to build an educational synthesis that allows us to understand the educational process from a higher stage, where education establishes strong, clear and explicit links with the various areas of development of society.
For the beginning century, from the holistic view 4 types of learning are considered:
- Learn to learn, to develop the capacity for discernment, Learn to do, to build, to transform your reality Learn to live together, to be interdependent with respect, peace, love and harmony Learn to be, this learning is the most important because it sends us directly to spirituality; the spiritual development of human beings is the greatest, if not the only, work of true education.
In the unfolding of this wonderful art that is spirituality, questions about ourselves, about who we really are and what our true nature is, as well as our actions in this world, are fundamental.
The perennial philosophy is the ideal one to answer these questions, it affirms that we are essentially pure spirituality, pure conscience. This conception is fully compatible with the lay state as it marks the crucial difference between religion and spirituality.
Religion is organized in churches, under a belief system, the basis of which is faith, dogma, authority. Spirituality is not related to any church or institution, they are not dogmas, beliefs or traditions.
It is an experience, it is a direct, meditative, contemplative, mystical experience, an experience that arises within the interior of the human being, that transcends the senses and the mind and can be verified by perennial philosophy.
Spirituality is universal, it goes from the egocentric to the Kosmocentric, from the personal to the universal, from mine to ours, it leads us to a feeling of belonging to the Kosmos as a unified whole, it is confidence in the benevolence of life, common and shared unity.
It is internal order that generates us, universal love, responsibility, equanimity, tranquility, humility, prudence, joy, patience, freedom, etc.
It has a deep healing sense, it goes to the root of human suffering to heal the soul
It is a full and creative presence in society
It is respect for human diversity
It is the search for genuine dialogue, consensus of common meanings with which to face social dilemmas
Three fundamental principles
1.- The suffering can end.
2.- You have the ability to do it.
3.- It is your responsibility.
Basic premises
- The spirit exists, the absolute exists. The spirit is within us. We are not aware because we are asleep. There is a way out for this state of unconsciousness. If we follow a way out we reach a rebirth to an enlightenment. This experience marks the end of suffering, leads to compassion for all beings.
Spiritual practice levels
- Prepersonal religion: regressive, prerational. Rational personal religion: comfort, adopt, support, sustain. Transpersonal religion: perennial philosophy, universal love, spirituality.
Spirituality is based on assuming responsibility for one's own enlightenment, it is cross-cultural, it has no borders, it is perennial, it allows us to inquire into the depths of being, accept the conception of God whatever it is or the absence of it.
Spiritual intelligence is an ancient capacity with hints of modernity, as already mentioned, its roots are embedded in transcendental mystical thought. In the buddha-dharma of South Asia it was called vipassana or the ability to discern, to know reality as it is, beyond mechanistic reasoning.
Vipassana is the ability to know deep reality from the serenity of an even mind, without conditions, it is a complete, comprehensive vision, it is a holistic vision that introduces us to the process of evolution of consciousness, since it allows the easy discernment of the true of the false leads us to unconditioning. It is the only genuinely Buddhist meditation, the one that Buddha used for his enlightenment and later passed on to his disciples.
Since spiritual intelligence is unconditionally linked to human values and intrinsically acts ethically, it is also known as moral intelligence, although the moral is not exactly spiritual. The important thing is that it has a moral sense and does not lend itself to being an instrument of any purpose, in fact its purpose is to spiritually enlighten the human being, it is the unfolding of the understanding of the value of all life and every human being; it is the ability to know ourselves directly and creatively, recognizing our spiritual nature.
We use spiritual intelligence to clarify unrealized possibilities, to transcend the materialism of life, to understand human suffering and put an end to it, it is the access and use of meaning, vision and values to think and make responsible decisions, it is the ability to lead Well life itself taking control and responsibility for thoughts, feelings, actions, and values, deciding how to respond to life events, the ability to balance material purposes and emotional, intellectual and spiritual development in such a way that we can be happy in spite of the circumstances and not because of them.
The development of spiritual intelligence requires an integral practice whose heart has been, is and will be the meditative practice, understanding it in a broad sense as the practice of mindfulness, practice of silent discernment, of realization of what is.
Dr. Ramón Gallegos Nava tells us that spiritual intelligence is the ability to solve life's challenges without creating suffering in others or in oneself. Only those who respect the life of all beings, who take care of our planetary home and guide their actions for the good of the entire human family, can be spiritually intelligent.
Bibliography
- Gallegos Nava Ramón (2000) The spirit of education. Integrity and importance in holistic education. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2001) The education of the heart. Twelve principles for holistic schools. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2001) Holistic education. Pedagogy of universal love. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2001) A comprehensive vision of education. The heart of holistic education. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara, Gallegos Nava Ramón (2001) Holistic dialogues. Holistic education and perennial philosophy I. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2003) Learning to be.The birth of a new spiritual awareness. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2003) Learning communities. Transforming schools into learning communities. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara, Gallegos Nava Ramón (2003) Pedagogy of universal love. A holistic view of the world. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara, Gallegos Nava Ramón (2004) Wisdom, love and compassion. Holistic education and perennial philosophy II. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara, Gallegos Nava Ramón (2004) The Path of Perennial Philosophy. Holistic education and perennial philosophy III. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2005) Education and spirituality. Education as a spiritual practice.International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.Gallegos Nava Ramón (2007) Spiritual intelligence. Beyond the multiple and emotional intelligence. International Foundation for Holistic Education, Guadalajara.
