God-given capacities within us

 I have been praying during these weeks on how to proceed. I sometimes have trouble getting across that which I know, and am inspired to say. There may be inspiration, but my language skills are limping. This is partly due to the fact that English is my second language, that some subjects are emotional for me, and that there are vast concepts floating around in my mind that are troublesome to put in small molds, like words. I am getting the sense that there may be several weeks in between blog entries from this point forward. I believe the reason is that inspiration cannot be forced and God's inspiration comes at God's time.

Throughout my blog entries I have brought awareness by mentioning gifts, wisdom and intelligence, that goes way beyond that of our current intellect. Without a doubt, our intellect however great or much it can accomplish is still only a small part of that much vaster knowledge and wisdom humans have potentially access to.

During the last few weeks, I felt guided to read a book called: “Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant” by Darold A. Treffert. As Treffert studied the autistic mind and particularly the autistic savant, he came across the phenomena that these people, even though some of them have low IQs, have incredible gifts and knowledge, none of which they ever consciously acquired or were trained. Savants are individuals with a serious mental handicap but also a special and extraordinary gift of knowledge. Most of these gifts pertain to areas of mathematics, calendar calculating and language, the arts, and music but there are also some accounts of 'paranormal' abilities. However, the fear of the paranormal is great in our times. “Thus my merely reporting that there were such reports (namely about paranormal abilities) engendered censure from the scientific community,” writes Treffert.¹

This is an important statement for us all. Treffert states in several ways throughout his book that “this reservoir of dormant talent which surfaces in Savants only after some central nervous system injury or disease raises the obvious question about hidden capacities lying unused within us all.”² Whether they are mathematical, musical or so called paranormal should not matter whatsoever.

These phenomena are natural occurrences of who we as humans really are, but have cut off by our own choice. Examples of such limiting choices can be found when looking at how the scientific community is censuring scientific research; one adheres to certain limiting religious beliefs; or succumbs to various social pressures. Unfortunately, once such censuring starts, true science becomes compromised. If the scientist does not like or understand the answers and he takes it upon him/herself to disregard or even cut out such findings, the scientist cuts him/herself off from the true answers. The result is lies to self and the people who depend on these findings to advance humanity. It is also studies of top-notch scientists, which give me hope that their results will show us the true human capacity and the amazing gifts God has given us.

It may take quite some time for us to overcome our fears. It may take time for Religion to change the teaching that we are inferior worms, that we can't know certain things, but rather that we are created in the image of God (Gen.1:26; Gen. 9:6), promised gifts beyond our comprehension (1 Co 12: 4- 11) and abilities which we are called to. (John 14:12-13).

The questions for scientists to address are: “How do the savants do what they do?” “Where do they get this knowledge from?” Scientists will talk about “genetic memory”³ Carl Jung talks about the “collective unconscious”⁴, some talk about some paranormal abilities, while others yet talk about a cosmic knowledge accessible to all. It does not really matter what name we give this knowledge, it has been written and talked about since ancient times.

Currently we see these things only as abnormality not as natural occurrences. This so-called cosmic knowledge is also known as Akashic records; records in which the thoughts, feelings, actions and accomplishments of every soul, which ever lived on this planet are recorded. It has similarities to the Internet; knowledge at your fingertips, yet so much vaster than it. When considering that we have the Internet now, this leads me to explore the thought that some of us (and not necessarily savants) are getting ready to access this vast knowledge. New inventions and phenomena only occur when humanity becomes ready for a new spiritual truth and the spiritual counter part that already exits. The Internet is in the physical what the Akashic records are in the Spiritual realm; only more truth and less garbage. These records are mentioned in various religions, including the Judeo Christian religions as “Book of Life” (Ex 32:32; Ps 56:8; Php 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 15; 21:27)and as “Book of God's Remembrance.” (Malachi 3:16-17)

Treffert states, “What I define as genetic memory does not include reincarnation, mysticism, existential ruminations, transcendentalism or paranormal phenomena, indeed it is a concept even much narrower than Jung's “collective unconscious.”⁵ Indeed, he can say nothing less if he wants his work taken seriously in the scientific community at this time. He is also right, because none of this should be mystical and paranormal. These things are plain, normal God-gifts intended for us humans. Whatever ideas or paths take us to that which God has given us, may it be through the path of science, religion, or any other, we cannot deny that there are incredible gifts in every human that are hampered or cut down by disbelief. I pray that we ourselves never have caused such disbelief in someone or undermined them from carrying out their purpose.

1Darold Treffert, Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. (Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010), 23.

2Darold Treffert, Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. (Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010), 11-12.

3Darold Treffert, Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. (Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010), 56.

4Darold Treffert, Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. (Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010), 57.

5Darold Treffert, Islands of Genius, The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant. (Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010), 59.