Reliance On Thinking
From a very young age, we are taught to rely on thinking alone. We are taught that intelligence equals value, and that real intelligence is best measured by the ability to correctly memorise and regurgitate information that we are told in school. Memory and past are seen as the foundations for truth.
Often school discourages creativity and questioning conditioning, and raises a fear of mistake making. After all, if you make a mistake in an exam or test, we are told that this will negatively affect the all important yet ever elusive “future”.
Instead of insight and intuition, we are taught to rely on logic, memory and past conditioning. Mechanical thought structures take the place of inspired thinking, spontaneity and “gut feelings”.
Soon life becomes completely mental. We no longer perceive the “outer” world directly, as it is, but through a veil of thoughts. Instead of seeing the world as it is, we view our personal inner world, made up entirely of thought, past and imagination. To most, this is strangely seen as a normal, sane and secure way of living. But really it creates a huge mess.
No Reliance On Thinking
You will act more intelligently if you do not rely on thinking. Thinking can still happen, but it is not abused or misused as a substitute for absolute truth. Instead of approaching life through a mental strategy – what has happened in the past, what “will” happen in the future, what you plan to say or do – approach it from a surrendered state. Be less personal. If you are less concerned with the result of the situation, naturally you are more present, no longer looking to some imaginary outcome for fulfilment. As a result you are far more intelligent, since your energy is with what is instead of what isn’t. The outcome will naturally be of high value, since your present action becomes more efficient. If the outcome is so-called “failure” - you don’t judge it or personalise it
Be empty inside, do not approach life so mentally. There is no need to carry around past goings on and mental rehearsals of what you are going to say or do. This just clogs up the flow. Leave it to life. You will notice that your speech and action then become far more spontaneous and efficient, without the need for mental strategy or mental re-visiting once the moment had passed. The intelligence of life takes over. The mind still has a place, but thoughts aren’t running the show. How much easier this is! And ease is not a trade-off for effectiveness of action – it is a contributing factor for effective action.
Spontaneity
If you speak, it is more like you are listening to the words rather than the feeling of “me speaking”. If the body is moving or taking action it feels supported by some greater, real intelligence, rather than you carrying the mental idea of “me doing it”.
It is all happening by itself. Then the actions of others are not so scrutinized. Life is seen to be acting out, rather than believing that there really is a person in each body which controls the body and “does” everything. It is all a reflection of consciousness. In some bodies the consciousness is mesmerised with personal identity and time – which manifest as restlessness, impatience, lack of presence, mental noise etc. In other bodies the consciousness is more refined – there is more presence, more of a quality of action, moving through life from intuition and deeper guidance rather than a set of mental rules, without “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts”. All is just a play.
Give your mind some space. Be the space for it. Be aware of the silence from where the thoughts arise. Feel your own presence in the body. Don't seek to get to the next moment. Allow everything to be as it is. This is the ground for real, natural intelligence to flow. All action then arises from the life of the present, rather than the imagination of the past.
Real Intelligence can not be measured through tests. It is limitless, impersonal. When it acts it claims no ownership. There is no pride, no attachment. Get out of its way, have no opinions of yourself, and let the mind be its slave instead of its incapable master.