My senior year in college, I took a course called Thinking Intelligently. I did poorly in it on purpose and not on purpose.
Let me back track. For 3 1/2 years, I took a minimum of 18 credit hours each semester. I took summer courses and at my school they offered January ‘winterim’ courses after the holiday and before the next semester began. I took one then. Needless to say, I was a FULLer than FULL time student. I was trying to be thinking intelligently. I wanted a lot of knowledge so I could get a really great job after school.
I also worked. I was a resident assistant for two years. A full time job in and of itself. I also had two (sometimes three) other part time jobs at any given time during school. And, back then, I typed (ha!) other students papers for money. I was trying to be thinking intelligently and pay for college along the way.
So, by my senior spring, except for my senior project and two nagging general education courses, I could have graduated. This was by plan because I wanted to play! I only had 12 credits to complete all my course work (my major, my 30 credit minor, and my two specialties). I completed half of those credits in the first half of the semester so I could REALLY play in the spring! The other two credits were a basic math class (one I could have completed in 9th grade) and the last course I needed was, you guessed, a little itty bitty entry level philosophy course called Thinking Intelligently ~ how hard could that be? I was thinking intelligently. I knew I was going to enter the ‘real world’ soon and I wanted to play.
I graduated with an A- average. Not bad, right? Well, the only C I received in college was in the course called Thinking Intelligently. I didn’t plan that and my family has not let me live it down. But, I certainly did plan and play my senior spring and I own that “C” happily!
Why am I writing this? Because, now close to 30 years after graduating, I realize that Thinking Intelligently is not found in books, it’s not found in any classroom. Thinking Intelligently is found deep within your own spirit ~ thinking intelligently is about embracing your soul. It’s found by taking time to know what your deepest desires are and gain the clarity of vision to THINK INTELLIGENTLY to follow that path forward. Embracing the 4 elements (see previous post) allows you to do that. Combining the inner wisdom of all aspects of you (mind, emotions, spirit and physical) by using the elements (air, water, fire and earth).
So find a spot like this one and embrace your inner spirit and listen to what your soul is telling you today!
What do you do to listen to your inner wisdom? What ways do you connect with the 4 elements to nurture that?
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Thinking Intelligently typically has not much to do with what we learned in “Class” or through typical educational experiences. I know that most of what today I consider my education has come through trial and error as well as what I have learn as I have opened myself up to my inner guidance. It has come through personal expereince working with others in my personal and spiritual development. And…it is never ending!
Comment by Mark A. Michael — January 5, 2013 @ 12:29 pm
The best ‘educational’ experiences I had WAY back when were the one’s that had a hands-on component and lab work to them to be sure! But, like you Mark, today they do come through personal development and being open to seeing what is the best course of action. In that, I, too, am a perpetual student!!! Thanks for your thoughts!
Comment by Laura Clark — January 5, 2013 @ 12:52 pm
I think I would have run away from that class, but it sounds like fun. I never connect that inner knowing though with thinking, which has got me thinking for sure. Thank You 🙂
Comment by Terry — January 7, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
Oh….it was NOT fun ~ the professor was boring but at least there was a lenient absent policy ~ could have been another factor. It’s not so much that inner knowing is ‘thinking’ as thinking is knowing how to ACCESS and LEARN how to hear that inner knowing…right? What do you think?!
Comment by Laura Clark — January 7, 2013 @ 7:06 pm