The Genius

The word genius comes from Latin, meaning ‘present spirit from one’s birth.’ It is believed by many wisdom traditions that each person inherits their own genius, which is the spirit or a person’s innate ability. In Greece, this was referred to as the Daimon. The Daimon or genius was believed to have incarnated with an individual during his or her birth. This genius lives inside of us and demands to be expressed. Within this genius lies our deepest treasures that can not be found on the mere surface of life, but beyond, buried in the depths of our souls.  We all have a unique voice, a capability, a gift to offer the world that is separate from any other living entity that has come to pass and will come in the future. 

Genius can appear in many ways. It shows up as artistic expression, in a science lab, and in writing a paper. It is also seen in the way we become excited about a certain subject. Genius doesn’t necessarily correlate to intelligence. Genius is our ideas, our interests in exploring certain hobbies or careers. It is how we communicate with reality, it’s our specific lens in which we interact with the world. And nobody else can replicate that lens. Genius is the spirit or energy that makes us who we are; Our passions, curiosities, desires, and natural talents. What if it were our job as individuals not to serve the ego for our own sense gratification, but to find expression for our genius? The indwelling spirit that knows why we’re here and knows what it wants.

I like to imagine genius as our unique filter or antenna, connected to a higher power or divinity. Genius receives transmissions from the universe, and when something wants to be created or made manifest in the physical world, we receive a nudge from genius to take action. The thing about genius is that it does not abide by our moral ideals or societal norms of right, wrong, good, and evil. Genius does not have a body, a mind, or an ego like us. It does not have to pay bills or worry about being involved in a nuclear holocaust. Genius wants to taste the fruits of this life through the vehicle that we are. The problem with genius is that it makes demands on us but does not know how to achieve what it wants. We must find guidance within ourselves or through the help of an experienced person to tap into our gifts and learn how to use and access them in this world.

Initiatory experiences are extremely useful when referring to the genius. There are specific spaces, rituals, and times to assist an individual in moving from one stage to the next. From his book, Men and the Water of Life, Michael Meade emphasizes the importance of initiations and how they are provided in many ancient traditions.

"The initiation may be a quest for a spirit vision or the practice of dances; it may be austerities and meditations that precipitate a breakthrough of spirit. There may be herbs, drugs, strange foods, or the lack of food to break past the initiate's usual sense of self. Or, a person may be thrown into a competition or struggle that forces him to reach deeper, get smarter, or try harder than "ever before." The rersults include the flooding of the initiate with sensations, feelings, dreams, visions, knowing voices confirming that he or she is blessed with luck, courage, wisdom, strength, love, or magic." (P. 222-23)

An elder or chief of the tribe usually acknowledges the initiate. They are seen and validated in their struggles and achievements. A culture that can understand and anticipate the movements of a person and cultivate space and ceremony for the initiate to literally dance into spirit is something our modern culture desperately lacks. Initiatory events take place all the time in our lives, but they are rarely, if ever, received and interpreted this way. For example, a traumatic event in a person’s life, such as a breakup, a change in careers, or a death in the family. A depressive episode. A midlife crisis. All of these are significant life initiations. Initiations are happening every single day, but because we don’t have proper containers for them to be recognized and communities to help navigate, due to our up-and-out consumerism culture, we are apt to burn in the fires of chaos in life rather than rise above the flames. What we need is orientation. What we need is ritual. Without a proper connection to our genius, it becomes reckless, and the divine spark turns into rage and resentment, ultimately clashing with the outer world. What it looks like is stabbings in the subway stations, street fights, overconsuming, and comparing—narcissistic attitudes. When the culture and the individuals within that culture do not know how to honor the genius within and give it expression, it acts out in demonic, irresponsible ways.