Emotion, Intellect, and Will

Lesson Objective: Understand that we create beauty, truth and goodness through our emotion, intellect and will and bring love and joy to creation.

Divine Principle Reading:

The human mind has three faculties: emotion, intellect and will. The human body acts in response to the commands of the mind. When the body responds to the mind’s emotion, intellect and will, its actions pursue the values of beauty, truth and goodness respectively. God is the subject partner to the human mind; hence, He is also the subject partner to the human emotion, intellect and will. Desiring to realize his original value, a person responds to the perfect emotion, perfect intellect and perfect will of God through his mind, and acts accordingly through his body. Thus, he manifests the values of original beauty, original truth and original goodness.

Activity: Emotion, Intellect & Will

Explain:

  • We have emotion, intellect and will with which we create beauty, truth and goodness.
  • God also has emotion, intellect and will and creates beauty, truth and goodness.

Emotion & Beauty:

1. Watch a video of a baby laughing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc&feature=youtu.be

2. Explain:

  • Why is this video more interesting than one of a baby having no emotion?
  • Emotion makes our daily experiences interesting and beautiful.
  • The emotion aspect of our nature is essential to making life enjoyable!

Intellect & Truth:

1. Work together to solve a Sudoku puzzle. You can find free puzzles here: http://www.websudoku.com/

2. Explain:

  • Our intellect allows us to discover truth.
  • We can have clarity in our life because of our intellect which brings us a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

Will & Goodness:

1. Take a look at this article together: 23 Companies that Actually Give Back: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/23– charitable-companies-that-actually-give-back#.ja3k5n11el

Here are a few highlights if you prefer:

  • Toms: One for One donation match
  • Hand in hand: For every bottle or bar of soap purchased, Hand in hand donates a bar of soap and a month of clean water to a child in need
  • Twice as Warm: For every winter clothing item purchased, one is donated to a local shelter
  • Smile Squared: For every toothbrush purchased, one is donated to a child in need
  • WeWood: WeWood plants a tree for every wood watch purchased

2. Explain: These businesses are examples of people who have used their will to make a difference in the world and thus create goodness and happiness.

3. Pair Share:

  • Share one of your most favorite gifts you’ve received. How did you react to receiving that gift?
  • Share a time in which you understood a difficult concept or had a realization. What did it feel like to have that “Aha!” moment?
  • Share a time in which you witnessed a person doing something truly good. What was your reaction to that experience?

4. Explain: The important aspect of these concepts is that they each create joy and thus allow us to fulfill the purpose of creation!

Concluding Point: God gave us emotion, intellect and will so that we could create meaning and joy in our daily lives through beauty, truth and goodness.

section-fourManish Saluja