Treasure From The Fountain Of Wisdom

In the task of human-capital development, it is needful to identify available resources, as a first step. In such identification process it is needful to be guided by proximodal and encephalocodal laws of development. Briefly, proximodal law demands that development starts from a nucleus or nearest proximity, while encephalocodal law stipulates that such process, in the case of humans, starts in the brain. From an existing microscopic starting point, coupled with a functional brain, development process goes forth.
Therefore, the human brain or the mind is indeed a great treasure house, a resource centre of an inestimable value. Some writers referred to the mind variously as “fixer of all things”, a “shaping centre”, “workshop”, a “creative distillery, etc. both for good and evil the mind is always seen as the originating point of thought. For the purpose of clarity, let it suffice to say that the mind and brain work together as the root of human thinking, reasoning, awareness, perception, etc.
However, because of semantic flexibility and the imperfection in the application and use of words, the mind can be so stretched that it becomes synonymous with the heart, thought, will, volition, etc. This is why there is the admonition to “guard the heart with utmost diligence, for out of it are the issues of life”. The vital point is that within every human being there is a treasure which demands utmost protection.
It is needful to explain that the real treasure within the human being of which various organs serve as tools of perception and expression, is known as “inner voice” or intuition. The inner voice or intuition is the spiritual part of man to which any individual can listen. Like the brain working together with the mind, the intuition works together with the conscience, as the best guidance anyone can have, at all times. Being above space, time and all material limitations, the intuition or inner voice is connected with the vast realm of spirit, as its source of origin.
It is absolutely impossible for the inner voice to err, but in most cases humans are unable to listen to or heed its message. Such failure arises from the interferences of feelings and the domineering nature of the human intellectual ideas give rise to imagination, which is quite inferior to the intuition. Truly there is nothing more powerful than the intuition, for it is man’s highest power which can never be suppressed. But it can be buried!
But, like a lost treasure, that highest power that man has been endowed with, has become man’s greatest handicap. While the treasure remains what it has always been, man’s incapacity to identify, recognize and utilize its value, is a great loss indeed. The pain of the loss of such an endowment shows its result in the wrong judgements and choices which humans make daily. No act of gross negligence can be more damning and incapacitating this tragedy.
To bury or throw aside a vital personal treasure which some world scriptures refer to as talent, is to deprive oneself of the value and services of that treasure. This loss through negligence, which the scriptures referred to as the fall of man, has been investigated for the purpose of ascertaining its nature and what actually happened. To say that the negligence has to do with an abuse of the resources and mechanism of the human brain is close to the truth, but this demands an elaboration.
Brain Dominance Theory
Authorities which have delved into this matter would tell us that the human brain is like a workshop, with two hemispheres. One portion of the brain substance has to do with intellectual perception and comprehension, which is limited to dealing with material affairs of life on earth. Another hemisphere of the brain is likened to an antenna or gate-way into the limitless world of spirit of which the intuition is the receptacle or contact point. Thus it is the task of one portion of the brain to receive what is spiritual like an antenna, while another portion which produces the intellect would transform what has been received for use and application in handling affairs of life on earth.
Therefore, the human intellectual brain is like a servant, while the intuition or inner voice is a master whose direction or guidance must be obeyed. There is no doubt that life on earth is full of challenges and temptations, and there is a human tendency to take the link of least resistance, when faced with challenges.
There is also a curiosity in humans to try out and explore everything for themselves for the purpose of pandering to their ego and pride. The result of this human propensity is to place less value on that which is given, but a greater value on what man does by his own effort. Briefly, this was the trend in human history which led to greater reliance and dependence upon the intellect and ideas arising therefore. The result was that the intuition became neglected and gradually likened to a lost or buried treasure.
Like self-willed children who ignore the voices and admonitions of parents and adults, humanity over thousands of years ago, became materialistic in outlook and orientation. The part of the brain which would have mediated higher values through the inner voice, became a treasure buried in utter negligence and conceit. Consequently, there arose an unlimited domination of intellectual knowledge and a diminution of spiritual guidance, exposing humans to avoidable pitfalls and errors.
The brain dominance theory makes a point that what humans cherish as of greater value and thus give greater attention to, would become what dominates the brain and human aspirations. In this case, the intellectual culture predominates, while the inner voice or intuition receives no emphasis or attention. Religious pundits would remind us that where an individual lays his treasure would also be the direction that his heart and attention would incline.
With greater emphasis on material aspirations which are the domains and concerns of the intellectual faculty, the intuition was allowed to remain inactive and forgotten as a treasure worthy of exploration. It required human volition or choice to place reemphasis on the cultivation of the intellectual capacity, thus neglecting the intuition. To turn the situation around, thus bringing the inner voice to the forefront, would also require an earnest human volition to reverse the imbalance.
Anywhere that the rule of the intellect predominates without the intuition guiding and mediating, the results are always disastrous. The position of humanity at the moment is that there is a widespread state of confusion, uncertainties, crimes of all kinds and other perplexities that humans find quite difficult and helpless to manage. But wherever the inner voice and human conscience are not buried as a result of human wrong-doing, there would be a different situation, characterized by guidance from higher regions of life.
So far, there has been an unrestricted rule of intellectual power on earth, brought about by allowing the intuition and the conscience to be buried as appropriate tools for human guidance. That disastrous state of affairs would continue till appropriate measures are taken to reverse the situation. That would require reversing the present crippled state of the human brain whereby a servant was allowed to become a tyrant.
Fountain of Wisdom
What is referred to here as the Fountain of Wisdom is the Origin of that treasure within the human being, which is hereby identified as the inner voice or the intuition. Those who recognize the enormous loss brought about by this human failure would want to make earnest effort to reverse the situation. Such earnest effort would require a strong volition, coupled with diligence and personal sacrifice. It is not enough to desire a change, rather, there must be a strong volition which would serve as an impetus.
The goal is to be guided aright through the instrumentation of the inner voice in humans whose origin lies in a sphere of existence that knows no limitations or injustices. Therefore, like a vast ocean from where everything glorious and satisfying emanates, the intuition is the treasure available to humans to draw resources from the fountain of all good things. The Water of Life flowing from that source of Wisdom can make contact with man through the intuition or the inner voice. Such contact can come about only if an individual has not buried that treasure.
Burying of the treasure comes about where an inferior tool is cherished and given a place of honour whereas the principal tool is ignored and thrown aside. The choice to bury the treasure was made by humans themselves, for which we are currently paying the painful prices. The choice to regain what was discarded must also come from individuals who long for the change and appreciate the need to recover what was neglected. Without a serious volition the change cannot come about.
The task of liberation from the unrestricted and tyrannical rule of the intellect is a task which every individual must undertake for himself alone. The tool for the purpose and the great driving power for such help is a strong volition towards all that is good and ennobling for collective humanity. Through the thinking, ideas and aspirations of individuals, the nature and line of inclination of anyone can be easily identified. Definitely, not every individual will have the same degree of longing to regain the vital treasure that is needful for human well-being. But let those who see the need to do so, go about the task earnestly and diligently.
Resources emanating from the Foundation of Wisdom can only flow into individuals who clarify and smoothen the channel of such communication. That channel is the intuition whose quality of perception can be hindered by a domineering nature of intellectual perception. There is hardly any more urgent task for humanity than the restoration of the inner voice or the intuition to its proper place in the guidance of human decisions and choices. Let it be a daily mantra to harbour only such thoughts that are of noble and up-building nature.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

Bright Amirize