IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tests are famous for assessing our logical, mathematical and linguistic skills. We all wish we were in that top bracket of Mensa elite who have an IQ in excess of 140 – unfortunately only 0.5% of the population make it! One who has developed intelligence has a great capacity to receive information, process it and analyse it. They are able to think in an abstract way, and also learn significant lessons from experience. However, research has shown that intelligence is not sufficient. The most intelligent people are not always the most successful and happy people in the world. Interestingly, they aren’t necessarily the people that change the world either (although some of them have).

Psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly talking about the need for Emotional Quotient (EQ). According to them, EQ is a basic requirement for successful utilization of IQ. Those with high EQ’s are able to effectively handle their own emotions, and simultaneously interact and relate with others successfully. Animals and humans have a tendency to act irrationally when certain emotions arise in their consciousness. In times of stress, anger and anxiety, intelligence is difficult to access. Thus, EQ deals with the human side of life and how we effectively function in the environments surrounding us.

To some extent computers have the power of IQ. One could argue that animals have the power of IQ and EQ. So what sets humans apart? This is where the notion of SQ comes in – Spiritual Quotient. IQ and EQ help us in our present situations, but SQ is all about transformation. The spiritualist has the power to question on a deeper level – who am I, what are my needs, what goals should I be pursuing, and what will really make me happy. They may seem like simple questions, but if we analyse ourselves, how many times are we busily engaged in pursuing things without really questioning whether they are necessary, fulfilling and really adding value? Our lives are often centered around asking the question ‘how’, but SQ is all about asking the question ‘why’.