What is Intelligent Mind:
Intelligence is the most celebrated, appreciated, desired quality for us humans. So much so that nothing else seems important or necessary, in fact every thing else seems to be hindering our quest for a better life. I did not specify which intelligence is referred to here, and I am sure that as you read it you automatically and correctly assumed that I meant IQ or Logical, Analytical, Rational intelligence. Actually intelligence is a broader term and in addition to this logical analytical intelligence we also possess four other types of intelligence each of which are recognised and appreciated only in rare and select circles.
What are the other four Intelligence:
Instinctive intelligence or limbic intelligence for example is recognised by the sports fraternity and lot of efforts are taken to learn, practice and hone this intelligence. Emotional intelligence is recognised by the professionals in the field of Psychology. Recognition of Intuitive intelligence as something that can be learnt, practiced and relied upon is rarer and I shall talk about that in another article. Finally Awareness or Pure Consciousness as an intelligence is almost unrecognised and left to the advanced spiritual practitioners. In this article, I want to bring some understanding into how Awareness is also an intelligence that can be put to mundane use in everyday practical life to improve the quality of life immensely.
An Identity Shift from Ego I to the Deep I :
Rene Descartes said “Cogito, ergo sum” meaning I think, therefore I am. Let me suggest a gentle shift in the mindset that would instead say – “ I am, therefore I think. There are actually two subtly different “I” here. The one who Is and says I am. I would like to call this the “Deep I” as explained by Eckhart Tolle in his talks and books. This deeper “I” is the Aware mind that is available to us when we recognise, uncover and realise this deeper aspect of ourself. The other “I” is of course the one that thinks and it is also referred to as the ego I.
When you look at it from the point of view of energy psychology, the Aware mind or the “Deep I” or the Intelligence of Pure consciousness is the container that contains all the other minds or intelligences as illustrated in one of my previous articles titled “Five different kinds of Awareness”. (click to read). From this point of view, operating purely from the logical/analytical intelligence seems to be a narrow minded approach and yet this is the norm with most people. What do I mean by operating purely from the logical intelligence? Let me elaborate:
Doing Vs Being:
Intelligent mind is the thinking mind and in this space thought becomes an act – a mental act or a physical act. It is a doing that needs effort. The thinking mind processes all its experiences and gains knowledge from the experiences, which is stored as memory. All that is arising in the present moment and perceived by us comprise of our experiences and our engagement with it in the form of resisting, rejecting, reacting, responding, holding, creating our story, is the effort we put with our Intelligent mind. We are in a constant state of doing while operating from this space. When we identify entirely with this aspect of us, it means we are operating solely from our ego. We are all the time in the doing mode and it becomes compulsive. We just cannot stop doing something or the other – in our mind or with our mind. This includes watching something, listening to something, reading something, thinking something – always engaged, always doing. Dreaming is also a doing and we continue with our doing even during sleep! It is actually endless – this doing – so much so that we can call ourselves Human doings instead of human beings. It is impossible for us to stop doing and the thought of being locked up in a room without any device to connect with the outer world is the most dreadful thought!
Awakening the Aware Mind:
The Aware Mind is the being state and I would like to call it the “effortless state of non-doing being”. This is an experienced and realised state that comes upon when we let go of engagement and choose to remain in a state of witnessing and allowing all that is being experienced. Instead it could also be a thought in the Intelligent mind – a thought about being and non-doing and disengagement. You could hold on to this thought and freeze thought using your willpower and say I am not thinking but you would still be in a state of doing and not being. You can be in the Aware Mind and still continue with doing whatever you do or alternatively you can be totally unaware and engaged in the doing even while thinking about awareness and non-doing! These two are completely contrasting and the Mind cannot differentiate, especially when it is completely identified with the ego I. However the body can sense the difference. The body is stiff and contracted in the doing state and it opens up to a state of ease in the being state.
The Practical Benefits :
Awakening the Aware Mind or being identified with your Deep I is a gradual long term process that can begin with your intention. When you begin this journey, the thinking and doing will still continue because that is the mainstay of our life, but now there is space and expansiveness around our actions. We start to know when to do and when to stop doing and rest our mind. We can switch off our compulsive thinking mind and enjoy life whenever we choose to.
The greatest seemingly miraculous thing is that whatever we set an Intention or decide something from the Aware Mind, we tend to experience a flow and synchronicity in our journey towards its realisation. In contrast we do experience innumerable and repetitive blocks or hurdles when we take a decision or set and intention from our Thinking Mind. We are able to gracefully get our of our stuck repetitive and painful patterns and move forward to experience fuller wholesome life.
Reach out to @selvansmentoring for help in awakening the Aware Mind and cultivating a habit of using this for our important decisions and intentions.