Sometimes it is much easier to start over again than to try to modify what
exists.
(Edward De Bono)
IQ
Intelligence cannot be measured by any known standard.
The notion of IQ was invented by Francis Galton and is widely considered to
be flawed.
IQ was intended as a discriminatory tool.
It assumes that there are preferred ways of thinking.
Da Vinci, Aristotle and Einstein are all considered to be high-scoring on the
IQ scale, yet their genius stemmed from a rejection of conventional
thinking.
If intelligence can be measured, how would you test the IQ of somebody that
cannot read and write?
How do you test an animal's IQ?
It would be quite an assumption to judge an animal's intelligence by human
standards.
Who is smarter: the doctor or the carpenter?
It depends whether or not you require a chair.
Sanity
Intense focus on a given subject can run the risk of isolation and unusual
behaviour.
This may be a deliberate choice; other considerations are simply regarded as
secondary, or it may be involuntary; with obsessive/compulsive tendencies
becoming manifest.
Be careful to stay in the 'here and now'.
When you unravel a zen koan or have a major burst of inspiration, it can be
overwhelming.
The desire to express your insight may also be important to you.
Remember that other people are unlikely to share your insight and you may
just seem excitable.
Creative leaps
If you immerse yourself in a subject and move past the mundane facts and
figures, you may well find amazing insights occurring.
Sustained research and study can lead to periods of immense
creativity.
The inner nature of things may suddenly become clear and you find yourself
marvelling at the simplicity of it.
When the complexities have been shed, you see the root.
Deeper
principles
The ability to see the underlying principles is
at the heart of insight.
It may stem from a sudden inspired choice or determination.
In tai chi, a person needs to practice, research and explore.
Beneath the
13 postures,
neigong,
jing and
tai chi classics
are to be found the insights of
Lao Tzu and
Chuang Tzu.
Their fundamental insights concerning the
way of nature
represent the foundation for your study.
To read them is not enough; the insights of other people are not your own -
you must discover them for yourself.
Growing awareness
You cannot look elsewhere for insight - it must come from within.
You must become the wellspring of your own creativity;
and draw inspiration from everyday life around you.
A growing
awareness of your own body and mind is
a good place to start.
Page created 21 November 2000