Intelligence
Society has difficulty welcoming truly intelligent people; they are perceived as a threat, as competition, as too independent.
“In our society, we are educated not to be intelligent; we cannot be intelligent without knowing ourselves.” Albert du Pontel
Some characteristics of intelligence
● Lively and creative: a heart in motion, a source of intuition and inspiration.
● Intuitive: it can grasp the essence of things even before they are explained.
● At the service of the heart: the mind works to nourish emotions and empathy.
● A sense of humour and relativity: it knows lightness and everyone's place in the world.
● An ability to synthesise: it connects social and cultural dynamics to draw meaning from them.
● Connection with nature: it perceives and understands the natural environment, aware of its impact.
● Bodily awareness: it watches over health, prevention and foresight.
● Musical and aesthetic: beauty is one of its pillars, which it admires and creates.
● Universal logic: it grasps the mathematical construction of the universe.
Forms of intelligence (inspired by multiple intelligences)
1. Linguistic: choosing the right words to express an idea.
2. Intrapersonal: knowing your emotions and desires, understanding yourself.
3. Spatial: visualising the world in three dimensions and finding your way in it.
4. Kinaesthetic: coordinating body and mind.
5. Interpersonal: perceiving others' motivations and feelings, developing empathy.
6. Naturalistic: understanding living beings and ecosystems.
7. Musical: distinguishing sounds, mastering rhythm, timbre and structure.
8. Logical-mathematical: quantifying, formulating hypotheses and testing them.
9. Existential: seeking meaning in life and death, setting goals and values.
Attitudes that reveal human intelligence
● Humility
● The ability to forgive
● Gratitude
● Appreciation
● Sharing
● Presence in the moment
● Appreciation of simple things
● Resilience: the art of bouncing back
● Mastery of the will
Purely mental intelligence—as found in some autistic savants or people with high intellectual potential (HPI) —is valuable, but it is essential to develop all its dimensions. The real work lies in connecting with the heart, which must remain “the boss”, while the head is merely a tool that can sometimes be too intrusive.
Learning and living these nine forms of intelligence, while cultivating the associated attitudes, makes us wise, knowledgeable and caring human beings.
“The intelligent person knows the value and power of love.” jp