Spiritual Intelligence: What We Can Learn from the Early Awakening Child

In reading "Spiritual Intelligence", Marsha Sinetar's book about the inborn spiritual guidance of the gifted child, I was keenly aware of the child within myself that has in adulthood come to confront the roads not taken in childhood. Her writing invites us to look at life through the eyes of the gifted child and be inspired to search for our own safe harbors to come home to. While the book focuses on the early awakening child, Sinetar makes it clear that the awakening she writes about is possible at any age. For many of us, those early beacons that guide our talents were dimmed by the social molds we were ushered into and were in some cases obliterated altogether by the artificial drive for success in realms chosen for us by other people. Those young people whose inner guidance is strong enough to use the obstacles that present themselves as stepping stones to strengthen their resolve to find their own drum and beat it to their own music are inspirations to those of us who may still be marching to someone else's music. Sinetar allows us to appreciate the uniqueness that is born in each of us and creates an awareness of the true sanctity of each life brought into this world by divine design. It becomes our duty of love to become aware enough to nurture the uniqueness not only in children, but in those around us whose gifts seek only a safe arena and a little encouragement to venture from bud to blossom. "Spiritual Intelligence" should be recommended reading for every parent or parent-to-be. It should also be, for the rest of us, a wake-up call to more closely analyze why we may have everything the world says should make us happy, but we're not. True happiness lies in becoming the authentic person you were born to be and blessing the world with the gifts only you were destined to give. Sinetar gives us a map of sorts to begin our own unique journey. This book is a "must read" for those in counseling or teaching fields, and a "highly recommended" read for everyone else.

Once again, Dr. Marsha Sinetar shows us in this fabulous book, how cultivating the spirit yields a fulfilling life in the material world. By examining the lives of gifted children, Dr. Sinetar eloquently describes the traits (some of which are not so obvious) of practicle spiritual intelligence which include empathy, positive rebellion, and capacity to forgive. The book provides some delightful examples of how allowing a child's uniqueness to shine can lead to a child having an exemplary life. Such is the case, Dr. Sinetar explains, with Marlin Perkins (Wild Kingdom) who as a child so loved to carry around spiders and reptiles that neighbors were afraid to shake his hand. It's a good thing, Marlin's parents did not force him to always be neat and clean. This book is about helping both children, and ourselves as adults, as Dr. Sinetar gives us permission to 1. respect ours and our children's need for private time, 2. take time for play (beware of the "cult of efficiency" in school and business which can kill creativity), and 3. forgive ourselves for past cowardice, and narcissism -- and move on. "Spiritual Intelligence" is a valuable, practicle, and inspiring work.

"Spiritual intelligence is inspired thought. It is light, the kiss of life that awakens our sleeping beauty." That's the definition of this subject by the author, and a good sample of her quite lyrical writing style. For those interested in developing their own and their children's spiritual intelligence, this book is an innovative resource that will stimulate many useful self-examinations. It is creatively done, providing a perspective that I have not seen used in other books about spiritual intelligence. The book's main weakness is that the pictures painted about the key points in developing spiritual intelligence can be a little murky at times. Everyone has a list of people they consider to have been spiritually intelligent. The premise of this book is that many of these people formed that spiritual intelligence at an early age. By considering them while they were children, and spiritually precocious children today, you can get a perspective on the steps involved in enlightening and maintaining more spiritual consciousness.The key elements discussed in this book include built-in authority based on self-awareness and intuition; a broad view of the world; high morals; strong optimism; a delight in experience based on intuition; a clear vision of where one is headed; deep hunger for relevant parts of that vision; creative thinking; and a pragmatic sense of reality. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Well, it is so there's lots of room for each of us to expand spiritual intelligence.Each chapter explores one or more of these elements. Here is the chapter structure: There will be a quote from a young person that captures the chapter's main point. Then there will be a story of a person who most view has having been spiritually intelligent, when that person was a child. Other stories will build on that base, usually including one or more about the author. The points of the chapter are summarized at the end, in case you got lost a bit.The power of the book is that many of these stories will remind you of your own childhood. These insights will take you deeply into the meaning of the material, and help you see how it applies to your life today and to the children you parent or know. The only reason I did not give the book one more star is because some of the chapters got to be a little too amorphous for me. One story will tell you one thing. The next story will tell you not to do too much of that thing. The third story will take you off in a different direction. Then three more stories follow, in still different directions. As a result, the complete point is often lost to me in a haze of qualifications. If you love ambiguity, you should give this book five stars.

As a former teacher, school administrator, and currently working as a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, I highly recommend Marsha Sinetar's latest creative endeavor, Spiritual Intelligence.Marsha Sinetar captures the seriousness of childhood's inner organizing, who/what imprinted us as little people and formed us as resilient searchers? How on earth did we survive, grow through some of our early life hurdles - when information was scanty and mentors few and far between? How did these early, sometimes indescribable losses transmute into gifts of gold, wisdom, courage?The gift Marsha Sinetar has of swinging from early child history to the adult now is rare indeed. I can think of no category this new gift slips into. Spiritual Intelligence is more like experiencing a look at one's entire life. This gem brings to light the gifts of early inspirations and deep, deep wounds. No minimizing here. Marsha speaks of her own earliest experiences in occasional spare paragraphs. These glimpses deserve slow thoughful reflection - these pieces of her history allow us, as her long time fans, to see a bit of where she's walked. Marsha reveals morsels of her own Journey with Goldilock's balance - "not too much, not too little, but just exactly right." With this same incisive vision, Marsha draws from early lives of the famous and the ordinary. We can all relate to Marsha's snippets of courage, her own and others.Sinetar's book includes, rather than excludes; it takes in, embraces an array of beliefs, welcoming all to taste of her gifts. I can imagine younger readers savoring Spiritual Intelligence, as well as the seasoned who perhaps are still puzzling out their confusing youthful path. I can see the self-taught, as well as sophisticated thinkers, able to glean, deepen, learn from Spiritual Intelligence.Marsha's "early awakeners" help us, help ourselves to risk - Marsha's weavings of Love stories and Spiritual Intelligence spin the way to our deepest healing. A must have for the ages.Spiritual Intelligence enthralled me, no - enthralls me still. This work is a confidante for all. This book is a prism reflecting fresh light for all teachers, Religious, as well as those in the public arena. Spiritual Intelligence is a rich support for therapists, healers, Ministers, Priests, Rabbi's, and all peoples on a personal Journey.

A provocative book where Sinetar reaches out to educators, parents, grandparents, homeschooler parents, and people who have problems loving dysfunctional parents.Sinetar guides the reader through the nine traits of spiritual intelligence. She calls these children early awakeners. Spiritual intelligence is inborn. Our children's conduct reveals the Inner Light, while many of us adults feel we've lost the Inner Light "Spiritual Intelligence" should help us regain it.