Spirituality for Atheists

Contemporary Spirituality

The spiritual intelligence paradigm is based on a synthesis that integrates science and spirituality, and thus enables spiritual intelligence to be experienced directly, as an innate capability, without resort to religious beliefs. The SQ paradigm therefore legitimises spirituality in contemporary secular terms [1].

Beyond Theism

Spiritual intelligence identifies with the inherent qualities of consciousness itself, which are experienced at the subject-pole of attention in moments of presence, in the form of wisdom, compassion, integrity, joy, love, creativity, and peace. The experience of SQ is the ever-present alternative to being the ego, which identifies with the products of IQ and EQ at the object-pole of attention, in the form of states of body and mind. The qualities of SQ are thus identical to the spiritual qualities traditionally ascribed to the soul.

The experience of SQ therefore confirms that spirituality does not depend on religious faith. Spiritual intelligence can be experienced directly, without relying on belief in the existence of a separate creator being. Moreover, the experience of SQ is self-evident and undeniable, whereas religious beliefs are unprovable. The SQ paradigm therefore provides an empirical foundation for spirituality, based on confirmable evidence, in contrast to belief-based approaches to spirituality represented by religious traditions [2]. Consequently, unlike theism, SQ is compatible with present-day secular culture. SQ therefore supersedes theism as a contemporary means of associating with the spiritual dimension of reality.

Soul and Spirit

Historically, the soul was either dismissed as non-existent by materialist science, or situated according to religious beliefs in a remote supernatural location, accessible to faith alone. But the SQ paradigm identifies the soul at a psychological location that is directly accessible to everyone in their own experience, without relying on religious faith. Being the soul means being consciousness itself, which is located at the subject-pole of attention. The energy of consciousness itself, which is known as spirit, is inherently free from modification by objects of attention, and therefore represents source energy in its pure unadulterated form. Spirit is experienced at the subject-pole of attention in moments of presence, in the form of wisdom, compassion, integrity, joy, love, creativity, and peace. Spirit is the source of spiritual intelligence.

Beyond Materialism

The SQ paradigm supersedes not only religious belief, as explained above, but also the materialist world-view, as explained below. Spiritual intelligence is experienced by identifying with consciousness itself at the subject-pole of attention, rather than with states of body and mind at the object-pole of attention. SQ thus verifies the existence of two distinct domains, located at opposite poles of attention, neither of which can be reduced to the other [3]. Consciousness itself is located at the subject-pole of attention, and everything else, including the physical dimension of existence, is necessarily located at the object-pole. 

Accordingly, from the SQ perspective, reality is essentially psycho-physical in nature, rather than fundamentally merely physical, as claimed by the philosophy of materialism. SQ thus refutes the philosophy of materialism, based on the irreducible psycho-physical nature of experiencing the world. On the evidence of direct personal experience, without resort to religious faith, SQ verifies that consciousness itself (or the soul), at the subject-pole of attention, is inherently associated with every possible experience of material reality, at the object-pole of attention.

Third Millennium Paradigm

Therefore, from the vantage point of SQ, it is self-evident that the material dimension of reality is not the only dimension of existence, as claimed by the philosophy of materialism, because any experience of material reality, as an object of attention, necessarily depends on the soul (or consciousness itself), as the subject of attention. The experience of spiritual intelligence therefore transcends the materialist point of view, without relying on belief in the existence of a separate divine being.

Consequently, SQ supersedes not only materialism, but also theism. These two opposing world-views (theism and materialism), representing the paradigms of the first and second millennium, have jointly dominated collective consciousness for the last two thousand years. As the synthesis of theism and materialism, in the form of secular non-theistic spirituality, SQ is therefore emerging as the new paradigm of the third millennium [4].

Secular Non-theistic Spirituality

For religious believers, spirituality is inconceivable without the existence of a God. But for those who practice secular spirituality, the hypothesis of a separate divine being is unnecessary. From the vantage point of transcendental intelligence (TQ), which is the dimension of intelligence beyond spiritual intelligence (SQ), the divine is not a separate being. The divine is self-existing self-radiant transcendental consciousness, which is the ground of all being [5]. Accordingly, from the transcendental perspective, the world was not created by something separate from the world, in the person of a separate God [6]. From the vantage point of TQ, the world arises within self-existing self-radiant transcendental consciousness, as a stepped-down modification of transcendental consciousness itself [7].

SQ and TQ

Transcendental intelligence is a highly advanced state of consciousness. As the intelligence of non-individuated consciousness itself (or the divine), TQ represents the ultimate dimension of intelligence. Transcendental intelligence can take a lifetime of dedication to emerge, after a long process of neural development based on intensive spiritual practice [8]. Thus TQ is very uncommon. But SQ is different. Spiritual intelligence represents a step down from transcendental intelligence. As the intelligence of individuated consciousness itself (or the soul), SQ can be experienced by everyone at the subject-pole of attention right now [9]. This video introduces a simple method for rapid access to spiritual intelligence [10].

Spiritual Intelligence

The evidence for spiritual intelligence is derived from two sources: firstly, the evidence of direct personal experience [11]; and secondly, the findings of scientific research [12]. With the addition of recent evidence from neuroscience, which verifies that SQ can be measured neurologically, spiritual intelligence has now been validated scientifically by a synthesis of findings from four independent fields of scientific research [13]. The empirical foundations of spiritual intelligence therefore authenticate spirituality for all, including atheists and agnostics, and those with religious beliefs, and those who would otherwise reject spirituality on scientific grounds. Clearly spiritual intelligence is accessible to everyone, believers and non-believers alike. As a shared spiritual consciousness emerging on global scale, SQ represents a higher dimension of intelligence whose time has come [14].

3Q Training

As a powerful combination of three principal dimensions of intelligence, 3Q represents IQ and EQ in association with SQ. Studies in neuroscience reveal that the experience of spiritual intelligence is correlated with hemispheric synchronisation and whole brain activation. The resulting whole-brain coherence optimises brain function and replaces the ego (the false self) with the soul (consciousness itself, the true self) by shifting from the object-pole of attention to the subject-pole of attention, which results in greater fulfilment, increased creativity, sharpened intuition, more empathy and compassion, and improved performance on a wide range of work skills and life skills. If you want to learn more, there is a Course on 3Q Training here.

Sources

The SQ paradigm is based on a synthesis combining the wisdom of ancient spiritual traditions with the findings of modern science, as summarised in this article here.

How to Experience Spiritual Intelligence [Video]

Spiritual intelligence is easy to experience. We all experience SQ spontaneously at times. But spontaneous moments of SQ are rare and unpredictable. Therefore it’s important to know how to experience SQ intentionally. When you can engage your spiritual intelligence voluntarily, at any time of your own choosing, SQ becomes your most powerful personal resource. This video provides step-by-step instructions on how to activate SQ intentionally. Watch the video here.

References

© 2012 – 2024, Richard Griffiths.