Of all of the wonders of the Universe, human intelligence must be one of the most profound. Not only can we reflect on all of the other wonders, but we can be observers of our own functioning.

It has been suggested that the human mind is the only vehicle through which the Universe can perceive itself. The mind of humans can both receive input and information, and transmit new, creative output. Unfortunately, particularly in the Western world, emphasis has been heavily weighted in favor of the former. Intelligence is often equated with how much information is stored in one’s mind, and how well one can express the knowledge, philosophy or viewpoints stated by others. Original ideas seem valued in the arts, in the higher echelons of science, and in marketing. In daily life, however, original ideas are often dismissed as belonging to a kind of on-the-fringe-thinking, and thus taken less seriously. Especially now, with so much information available at our fingertips, communication is often limited to an exchange of what is out there. It is virtually impossible to keep up, and so individual, creative thinking may take even more of a back seat.

Even when it comes to philosophical thinking, which originated with individuals reflecting on the world around them, there is now a sense of ‘prepackaged philosophy’. For every spiritual tradition, there is a ‘made simple’ book that can be read in thirty minutes. What has been lost in this rush to know, is the value of pure, unadulterated, private and individual introspection. The cosmos out there is astounding, but the inner cosmos is just as expansive and contains as many mysteries. Pre-processed knowledge and information certainly has its place, but a knowing that comes deep from within the core of one’s being is a treasure.

Such knowing does not get lost as the memory of what was ‘learned’ begins to fade. This kind of knowing is like the rings on a giant redwood tree. It encircles our consciousness, and remains as a spiral of awareness upon which further knowing evolves. It remains deep within our being, becoming part of the history of our own evolving consciousness, and grounding us in the tapestry of human awareness, begun long ago by our ancestors. This is real body-mind-soul knowing, not abstract left-brain knowing. Our minds can be held captive in the dolphin-pool-in-the-mall mentality, or swim freely in the boundless, timeless stream of cosmic intelligence. If all we’ve ever known is the pool, it is hard to escape to freedom. It’s difficult to even know where we are limited in our thinking. If we embrace the unknown, dropping deep below all that we ‘know’ to enter the silence, that is a start. It is there that we connect with the river of Universal intelligence which both flows through, and surrounds us. Then, it is for each of us to tell our own story of what we find there.

It takes all of us, together, to reflect the hologram. And since it is always changing, there is always something new to reflect. Go deep, and find your soul. Then, tell the story that lives there, just waiting to be told.

Gwen Randall-Young is a psychotherapist and author who bridges the worlds of psychology and spirituality. Her books include Dancing Soul, The Voice of Spirit Evolving, Echoes Through Time: A Message of Healing for Men, and Baby Soul. Audiocassettes: Healing the Past: A Meditation for Wholeness, After Recess: A Calming Meditation for the Elementary Classroom, and A World Of Kindness: Experiencing Personal and Global Harmony grandall@telusplanet.net or gwendall@home.com