Genius is, of all human qualities, one of the most admired. But is genius something we possess?
Genius is a Latin word that referred to a deity of generation and birth, or guardian spirit. In Roman mythology a genius is a tutelary deity or guardian spirit alloted to a person from birth, or any guiding spirit of a person or place. There is a hint here that genius is something more than what we are born with.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines genius as "exceptional or transcendent intellectual and creative power; one who possesses such power, natural talent or inclination; the prevailing spirit or character of a place; a person who has great influence over another."
The word "spirit" comes from Latin spiritus, breath, breath of a god. Inspiration is derived from spirare, to breathe. Since our breath accompanies us from our birth, it is possible to understand why some cultures are inspired to believe that the spirit drives the first breath of the newborn.
As an aid in this understanding, the Latin word for angel came from Greek angelos, messenger, and in Moslem legend, spirits capable of assuming human or animal form and exercising supernatural influence over humans were jinn, hence our word genie, which is also derived from genius.
Congenial is a compound word of Latin origin that means "of the same race." Con- implies with, and genial is from genius, and with its references to tutelary deities and guardian spirits, congenial implies that our existence here is of the same race as the spirits. Perhaps the natural function of the "spirit of life" is our kind words, thoughts and deeds that serve to create congeniality. Isn't the message of the angels one of good works towards others? May the genius among us simply be those who have learned to be congenial?
When we say that someone is a genius, what do we recognize in that person and in ourselves to impress us so? Do we see genius, or is it a congeniality that we feel? If it is better to give than to receive, then congeniality, like spirit, is one of those things that multiplies when it is given away. The more we give, the more we get. It shouldn't take a genius to figure that out.
In the words of British novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton:
"Childhood and genius have the same master-organ in common,
inquisitiveness. Let childhood have its way, and as it began where genius
begins, it may find what genius finds."
Or genius finds us.
In conclusion, the understanding derived from the above is that genius is not something we possess, it is an understanding that "possesses" us, or a spirit that accompanies us - a guardian spirit or tutelary deity, we should hope, that will inspire us to be congenial.
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