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A False Choice: Intellect or Feelings ...

Posted Dec 13, 2009 01:28 PM
Dear BHW sisters,

Forgive me for trying to address this false choice, but I keep feeling that in recent days there appears to be some who SEEM to be arguing for feelings over intellect or something along those lines ...

So, this fine morning, it occurred to me that I needed to start a blog post to address what I perceive as a false choice ...

NO ONE need CHOOSE between intellect and feelings! ... We are ALL thinking AND feeling human beings ... Some may seek answers by thinking and working ... Others may seek answers by "feeling" their way toward them ...

I am sure I did not articulate that choice all that clearly, but in this Community of BHW, I am quite certain that people will "get it" ... :-x ...

So, my dear BHW sisters, can we agree that we NEED NOT choose between intellect and feelings or intuition or inspiration or divine guidance? ... ?:| ...

I sometimes think that those who argue for feelings or intuition or inspiration or divine guidance are suggesting without meaning to that they feel a "lack" within their intellect so they must seek to argue for other modalities for arriving at answers, solutions, problem-solving ...

And, forgive me, but I need to say, "Whoa!!!" ... Let's not go there for surely we ALL recognize the tremendous contributions those with superior intellect like Albert Einstein who I believe his teachers thought was "less than" intellectually, have made to our way of life ... [Correct me if I am incorrect, please] ... And, what of the contributions of Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, and all the engineers, architects, and others whose work fill our world and whose work I often marvel at for I could NEVER do what they do ...

We do NOT validate ourselves by trying to suggest that feelings and intuition and inspiration and divine guidance are the way to ALL solutions ... Please, let's not go there ...

I thank you for hearing me out ...

With only love and gratitude in my heart ...

Aloha pume hana,

Barb
4 Comments
"For me, that is what Dr. Ellie first created here for us in the BHW community. We began as individuals and now it is the limitless connections between us that are enhancing our familiar strengths as we move along ever so slightly with baby steps into our unfamiliar divine potential.

I value highly the limitless connections among my shining sisters in our BHW community. It is a magical, nurturing place that I wish to play in and grow. "
- MerryMarie ...

Dear MerryMarie,

Thank you for sharing! ... :-x ...

You weave those words sooooooo well! ... Kudos! ... Awesome job! ... Wonder-filled communication ...

Thank you so much for sharing ... Words are indeed your "familiar strengths" ... Awesome! ... :-x ...

Aloha pume hana,

Barb
Thought provoking discussion, thank you, Barb and Chineme, for the opportunity to participate in it.

We play to our familiar strengths. This is easy to do, common and satisfies our human ego, a powerful force in our life on Earth. For some of us, the playing takes place in the emotional realm. For others of us, it takes place in the intellectual realm.

For others of us like Barb and Chineme, playing takes place in both those intertwined realms.

I posit an extended alternative view that embraces limitless avenues for us to play, learn and grow individually. What about via the physical realm? What about via the spiritual realm?

For me, the truly wonderful realm is when we share and coalesce our learnings and experiences with each other equally, as co-creators of our universe, playing and growing together, without erecting limitations or barriers.

I physically feel and inherently believe we are stronger when we join together and acknowledge our connections as equally as we celebrate our individual differences.

For me, that is what Dr. Ellie first created here for us in the BHW community. We began as individuals and now it is the limitless connections between us that are enhancing our familiar strengths as we move along ever so slightly with baby steps into our unfamiliar divine potential.

I value highly the limitless connections among my shining sisters in our BHW community. It is a magical, nurturing place that I wish to play in and grow.

Maybe my words are not what you were hoping to read and I thank every one of you for taking the time to read them. Words are my familiar strengths.
Dear Chineme,

Thank you for your response! ... :-x ...

How extraordinarily nice that someone truly "gets it" and articulated it better than I did ...

Awesome woman you ARE! ... :-x ...

Kudos! ... Bravo! ... I LOVED your response and yes ... I was "broaching" it ... to my mind trying to help those who maybe did not realize what you state about the reality that surrounds us ...

I, too, welcome the input others may have ...

With love and gratitude ...

Aloha pume hana,

Barb
Hi Barb,

I am in agreement with your posit of "NO ONE need CHOOSE between intellect and feelings!"

I'm very much for being conscious, aware, loving, forgiving etc but that cannot be in isolation unless, of course, we cut ourselves off from the real world where others do not necessarily have the same or similar 'feelings' for themselves or their fellow men/women.

I am often advised to pray or chant for those whom I consider are being unfair or positively hateful, rather than meet them - and yes, perhaps even defeat them (I can feel the cringes already!) - on an intellectual level.

It would be a wonderful world indeed if this did not have to be the case, but how would we engender change for the good if we just sat back and prayed, chanted, sent positive vibes, or whatever?

It is important to take action. Action should be preceded by conscious thought which must necessarily involve the intellect as well as intuition, feelings etc.

I do not believe that there is a choice to be made between feelings and intellect - the two are inextricably intertwined. To believe otherwise would surely leave us exposed to a dangerous and unfair world where those whom DO make the choice proceed to make intrinsically selfish and bad choices that affect every single one of us.

A hugely interesting topic - thanks for broaching. I look forward to others' points of view.

Love,

Chineme
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