The Principles of Excellence -- King Solomon's Masterclass in Creativity

Solomon concludes the "Song" by reassuring us of our immense creative potential and the fact that our creative subconscious mind is ready, willing and eager to assist us in its development and application.

Is Genius a Myth?
The premise of this book has been that Solomon’s purpose in writing the "Song of Songs" was to teach the principles of creative excellence, amounting to what is commonly called genius, to all people — but just what is "genius"?

Because there seems to be no precise definition and because no official body confers the title, like a knighthood or a Nobel Prize, the term is open to abuse and misunderstanding — it being popularly regarded as the ability to achieve things that are impossible for other, ordinary mortals, a myth that, as cognitive psychologist Marvin Minksy points out, highly creative people have often been happy to help perpetuate.

Genius and the Subconscious Mind
The key to understanding genius is actually found in the etymology of the word itself: "Latin — gignere, to beget" – confirming, perhaps, that the parallel between sex and creativity has been perceived since ancient times. Begettal has to do with the fathering of children, and, as we have seen, works of genius are produced by the inspirational process of creativity described earlier.

As a result, works of genius may be produced by any individual, not an elite, gifted few, but any individual who somehow discovers and develops the immense creative potential that resides in the heart and mind of each one of us.

Genius and the Brain
Such is the belief in the popular misconception of genius that in the year 1907 permission was granted to dissect the brain of computer inventor Charles babbage which had been preserved in alcohol for 36 years and had shrunk to half its orignal size. Nothing unsual was found.

The preserved brain of Albert Einstein was also dissected and subjected to endless detailed examinations, but or course nothing was found – for the brain is not the mind, which has more to do with the spirit in man (Job 32:8) than with the atoms and molecules that make up his body.

Contents	PART 6 -- AN INVITATION TO EXCELLENCE
	Solomon concludes the "Song" by reassuring us of our immense creative potential and the fact that our creative subconscious mind is ready, willing and eager to assist us in its development and application. Is Genius a Myth? The premise of this book has been that Solomon’s purpose in writing the "Song of Songs" was to teach the principles of creative excellence, amounting to what is commonly called genius, to all people — but just what is "genius"? Because there seems to be no precise definition and because no official body confers the title, like a knighthood or a Nobel Prize, the term is open to abuse and misunderstanding — it being popularly regarded as the ability to achieve things that are impossible for other, ordinary mortals, a myth that, as cognitive psychologist Marvin Minksy points out, highly creative people have often been happy to help perpetuate. Genius and the Subconscious Mind The key to understanding genius is actually found in the etymology of the word itself: "Latin — gignere, to beget" – confirming, perhaps, that the parallel between sex and creativity has been perceived since ancient times. Begettal has to do with the fathering of children, and, as we have seen, works of genius are produced by the inspirational process of creativity described earlier. As a result, works of genius may be produced by any individual, not an elite, gifted few, but any individual who somehow discovers and develops the immense creative potential that resides in the heart and mind of each one of us. Genius and the Brain Such is the belief in the popular misconception of genius that in the year 1907 permission was granted to dissect the brain of computer inventor Charles babbage which had been preserved in alcohol for 36 years and had shrunk to half its orignal size. Nothing unsual was found. The preserved brain of Albert Einstein was also dissected and subjected to endless detailed examinations, but or course nothing was found – for the brain is not the mind, which has more to do with the spirit in man (Job 32:8) than with the atoms and molecules that make up his body.
	LESSON 29 -- YOUR IMMENSE POTENTIAL Solomon had a *vineyard* at Baalhamon He let out the vineyard to keepers Each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver. My vineyard, my very own, is for myself You, O Solomon, are welcome to your thousands and the keepers of the fruit two hundred Song of Solomon 8:11-12
	In this penultimate part of the “Song”, Solomon refers, significantly, back to major metaphors that were introduced at the very beginning, in particular the vineyard and the fine wine it is capable of producing, a meaningful metaphors excellence. Notice, however, that although Solomon has a large vineyard, which he rents out to keepers who work for him, the girl, who once slaved in the vineyards of her brothers, is now intent on cultivating and profiting from her very own vineyard. Your Astonishing Potential Scholars refer to this brief section as a "boasting song", since the girl seems unimpressed by Solomon’s vineyard -- and the message may be that each one of us, like the girl, made in the image of God, has immense creative potential, equal to that of the most creative individuals who ever lived. Let us, therefore, not seek to emulate someone else and stand in awe of their accomplishments — the Mozarts, Einsteins, Shakespeare’s and Henry Fords — although we may be inspired by their examples. Let us rather discover and develop our own unique potential.