Blueprints For Living
	Definitions Continued: Intelligence And Intellect <  Previous Contents Next  >

THE word "intellect" is being used in this book in contradistinction to "intelligence." Intelligence is used to designate the direct activity of SOURCE-MIND, intellect as the negative of this divine activity, appearing only in the negative stage of mental and spiritual development.

The intellect is highly prized and it accomplishes big things in every direction in this stage. I feel almost apologetic for using the word as I do because it would seem the most valuable asset of man, that which distinguishes him from the animals. Through it come great discoveries, great inventions, great strides in human improvement, great works of art and literature, great religious organizations, great military and governmental achievements.

Then to turn on this "priceless" attribute of the human mentality and brand it as a negative process, as harmful, as the very obstruction to man's acceptance of his birthright; to declare it the barrier between man and his awareness of universal truths; all this, to that selfsame intellect, must seem the most absurd, childish, stupid, preposterous twist of imagination... .

Yet take any intellectual work on the formation and action of the universe (from the most ancient to those of today) and through it runs the thread of uncertainty. In recent discoveries this uncertainty is ever more pronounced. The greatest intellects of this age frankly admit their inability to grasp the basic causation and reality underlying their most advanced calculations.

To repeat an already much used quotation because it so concisely indicates the limitations of the human intellect at its greatest point of development: "If physical events are indeterminate and the future is unpredictable, then perhaps the unknown quantity called 'mind' may yet guide man's destiny among the infinite uncertainties of a capricious universe. But this notion invades a realm of thought with which the physicist is not concerned."

But there comes a time for each individual when his human intellect reaches a dead end ... it finally sees itself as negative and it yields to its divine counterpart, the intelligence of the universal MIND. TRUTH then becomes clear and proves itself true in daily life.

This book illustrates the development out of the intellect into intelligence, for it is only when my human intellect is completely silenced and utter humility has quashed my negative ego that words can be found to write what I understand of TRUTH.

Another point: The human intellect sometimes appears to comprehend and accept the statements of TRUTH but it cannot make them practical in ordinary living. The spirit of TRUTH must be present as well as the glib letter of the intellect. This spirit of TRUTH can be recognized as a feeling of universal love, a love that is wholly impartial and flows freely of itself without needing to be prodded by one's ethical intentions or personal emotions.

This love must be present for any real benefit to be received from this book. Without this love the ideas herein will be exploited by the intellect, by the selfish manipulations of the negative ego. There is nothing I can say to make this strong enough.

Then there is the aspect of the intellect that is sincerely noble and humanly unselfish. It makes great sacrifices of personal comfort and safety for others, gives of itself unsparingly, gives of itself even beyond the point of exhaustion, accomplishes great things in the negative stages—and so often at terrible cost in physical and mental depletion.

Good and kind acts arising from the intellect include negative elements—fatal mistakes made in the name of wisdom; hardship, sorrow, suffering inflicted when only helpfulness was intended. Under the cloak of human negative goodness lie penalties for him who wears it ... agony for the wrong doings of others, physical burdens placed on him as payment for his noblest sacrifices, his goodness unable to protect him from harm.

Yet how we prize this quality of the human mentality! We rise to its defense when it is belittled, believing we should acquire more and more of this dubious treasure, accepting its contradictions and failures, not knowing our natural access to the boundless intelligence of the MIND of the universe.

TRUTH is revelation. The human intellect makes discoveries. TRUTH starts out from perfection. The discoveries of the intellect require development toward perfection. The revelation of TRUTH comes from the SOUL. The discoveries of the intellect through reason, experiment and experience gradually corroborate revelation. But reason is often a slow laborious process while revelation is effortless assured awareness, the direct knowledge of TRUTH the intellect parades as beneficial.

By its very nature it blinds us to revelation. It can be used for evil as well as for good and this shows it to be negative, no matter how worthwhile it may seem. Its "good" aspects are well known and well advertised and need not be mentioned here but its "bad" ones should be recognized. Then we become willing to give up the spurious for the real article—the intelligence of universal MIND.

Among its negative elements the intellect includes human will power, changing opinions, variable beliefs, conflicting efforts. It tries, it struggles and it can become afraid. It entertains a time sense which results in hurry, strain, and other limitations.

IT IS ALWAYS NOW TO THE MIND OF TRUTH. This is the MIND that never thinks about anything as if it were going to be true later on. When universal MIND thinks something it is true at that moment. This MIND being everywhere (infinite) and timeless (eternal) everything it knows is present and available here and now and can appear (take form) whenever and wherever there is a need for this appearing. Knowing the availability of anything MIND includes makes its appearing possible.

But this activity is not experienced in the negative state of human will, either as a form of intellect or magic or superstition. In other words, a person can never manipulate this presence of TRUTH and make visible what he wants to have appear by using will power in any manner whatsoever. There has to be complete surrender of human opinion as to what is needed—a clear, pure waiting on TRUTH to define itself and take form in accordance with the over-all pattern of the LIFE-PRINCIPLE.

Any sense of struggle or pressure or even of trying indicates at once that the human will and intellect are involved. This means there is still a negative state present. The negative being the exact opposite of the positive, this human effort results in some form of lack and limitation, some frustration and incompleteness; and then there is more of the problem instead of the answer.

This is the signal to quiet down inside ... to let go of opinions as to what is needed ... to say No to the personal will that demands "I want what I want when I want it." This is the signal to do some real relaxing ... relaxing by a complete letting go, a thorough willingness to let whatever it is that runs the universe take over in your own personal affairs and run them.

There will be a good job done when this happens! Then you will see TRUTH taking visible form and life unfolding in an orderly, gladdening pattern. You learn after a while that you can count on this way one hundred percent. It never fails you, never!