Spiritual Quotient Will Increase Emotional & Intelligence Quotient: Swami Shailendra Sarawasti at ThinkEdu Conclave 2025
Swami Shailendra Sarawati of Vedic Life explained the concept of Spiritual Quotient (SQ) as the essence of our being, the deepest level of existence, and the source from which both Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) can grow. He emphasised that when we focus on the being level—our spiritual nature—both EQ and IQ naturally develop.
The SQ is regarded as the foundation for personal growth, with spirituality being the key to enhancing all aspects of life.
Speaking at the session titled “Spirituality in the Material World” at the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 on 28 January, Swami Shailendra noted that engaging with spiritual practices, such as meditation, allows individuals to experience the direct benefits of spirituality. As he put it, “The proof of the pudding is in eating it.”
Incorporating regular spiritual practices, like 20 minutes of meditation in the morning and evening, can lead to a transformative impact, enriching not only our emotional and intellectual capacities but also our overall quality of life.
Addressing the topic of Transcendental Meditation, a form of silent meditation, Swami Shailendra said, “There are more than 700 scientific research papers regarding this technique, which show that every area of life, such as health, education, intelligence, harmony, and society is fulfilled by that.”
He further explained that scientific research conducted in thousands of schools has demonstrated the benefits of meditation. In these studies, classes were randomly divided into two groups: one received coaching for a set amount of time, while the other practised meditation for the same duration. After three months, when exams were held, the students who meditated consistently outperformed the others with higher average marks. This finding is supported by over 700 scientific research papers, published in prestigious scientific journals like Harvard, proving the effectiveness of meditation.
When asked about dealing with stress, Swami Shailendra said, “The cause of stress is disconnection from our innermost self, because we try to imitate others. Everybody has been born as an individual, and we have our mission in life, which is with which we are born, if we see someone else fulfilling their mission in life, and we think that we should also do the same thing, then that does not go well with us.”
Regarding materialistic desires, he noted that the desires themselves are not a hindrance; the real hindrance lies in the inability to fulfil them. “If I desire something, like becoming rich, and I know how to achieve it, there’s no problem. Water the root, and you’ll enjoy the fruit. However, if you spend the day focused solely on the fruits, admiring the tree, and forget to water the root, eventually, the fruits won’t appear.”