Spiritual intelligence is defined as the adaptive use of spiritual information to solve problems and achieve goals. It involves the ability to transcend the physical world, experience heightened states of consciousness, find meaning in everyday experiences, and use spiritual resources. While some see it as a type of intelligence, others argue it does not fit the definition of an intelligence and is more related to traits like adaptability. Spiritual intelligence can be developed through constant questioning, inquiry, and practice and is said to lead to spiritual maturity and compassionate actions.
3. Spiritual Intelligence
Ability to solve problems related to meaning of
life and values, asses one’s course of action and
life path to be more meaningful than the other,
knowing multiple ways to integrating mind
and spirit with the outer world
4. Spiritual Intelligence
Spiritual Intelligence is the adaptive use of spiritual
information to facilitate everyday problem solving and
goal attainment – Robert Emmons
Like any other Intelligence Spiritual Intelligence is an
ability. It is an ability to-
a) Transcend physical and material world
b) Experience heightened state of consciousness
c) Sanctify every day experience
d) Utilize spiritual resources to solve everyday problems
e) To be virtuous (Emmons withdrew this claim due to
criticism as virtues are non-cognitive component of
personality)
5. How Spiritual Intelligence Works
Brings ‘Personality Integration’ i.e. bringing resolution to
inner conflicts
Improves overall quality of life and enhances Wellbeing
Personal identity or ‘ego’ is replaced with the soul
Spirituality is characteristic by traits like adaptability,
flexibility, capacity to deal with grief, faith, hope,
compassion etc.
6. A Case Against Spiritual Intelligence - Gardner
The intellectual realm is the capacity to carry out certain kinds of
computations
Linguistic intelligence computes the sounds and sights of language
Spatial intelligence computes positions and perspectives of entities
in space
Interpersonal intelligence computes the status, attitudes, and
motivations of other individuals in relation to oneself
Each intelligence evolved because of the desirability of performing
these computations efficiently.
One aspect of mind may have evolved to perform computations on
elements that transcend normal sensory perception, perhaps
because they are too large or too small to be directly apprehended.
This is Existential Intelligence because it is centred to the fact of
our existence as individuals in the cosmos and our capacity to
puzzle over that fact
7. A Case Against Spiritual Intelligence - Gardner
Ability to realize certain physical stage i.e. meditation and
controlled consciousness involves control over one’s body and is
expression of Kinaesthetic Intelligence
Those aspects of spirituality that have to do with phenomenological
experience i.e. experience oceanic state being one with universe is
a ‘felt’ state and experience and external to intellectual realm
Spirituality to be a inheritable trait cannot serve as a basis for
conclusions about the brain or genetic basis of spirituality
Emmons's overall claim for Spiritual Intelligence is plausible and he
raises many intriguing issues like sacredness, problem solving, the
unifying potential of religion etc. that merit further investigation
Anthony Storr (1996) reported to face difficulty in distinguishing
between people using Spiritual Intelligence for creative or
destructive purpose
10. Reference
Emmons, R. A. (2000). Is Spirituality an Intelligence? Motivation,
Cognition, and the Psychology of Ultimate Concern. International
Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 3-26.
doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr1001_2
Emmons, R. A. (2000). Spirituality and Intelligence: Problems and
Prospects. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion,
10(1), 57-64.
doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr1001_6
Gardner, H. (2000). A Case Against Spiritual Intelligence.
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 27-34.
doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr1001_3