Have you ever had that feeling of knowing something without understanding how you know?
Being sure of something, but with no logical justification underlying your surety?
I find this phenomenon fascinating and was recently pondering this extra sense we all seem to have and wondering where it comes from. I haven’t come up with any absolute answers, though I have delved into Jung’s ‘collective unconscious’ theory and read about ‘quantum field theories’ to explore some ideas that may explain how information can seemingly appear from nowhere in my mind.
I am no nearer to a definitive answer and leave that to those far more motivated and educated than I to grasp at. Nevertheless, I know from experience that this sense exists so I continue to cultivate my ‘gut-instinct’ that I have so far spent a lifetime listening to, though not always acting upon, as I am still learning to completely trust this process.
Does the guru lie within?
You see, it’s tricky trusting that what springs to mind is most likely the correct answer. The constant wrestling between what feels right but is simultaneously intangible with the logical/rational mental processes leaves me unsure occasionally. Yet I have been shown time and time again that what springs to mind at random moments should be listened to.
So if this also happens to you, I suggest that when it does you pause and tune-in to this inner prompt. Try to quieten your mind and listen to what your inner wisdom is trying to tell you, as I do. Is it some distant memory of something read or heard that is now relevant? Or perhaps some thought process has successfully combined two bits of information together into a solution appropriate for the moment? Maybe it’s some abstract piece of information from an indefinable source that defies logic but now provides an answer when you need it.
We all have a mysterious side
What I have learned is that it doesn’t really matter where the information comes from – there is a place for both the rational and the more mysterious aspects of the self.
I accept that one source of information is easy to understand, keeps me grounded, but occasionally may limit my options. The other source of information speaks from my subconscious, my psyche or transpersonal self so is less easy to understand but no less valid for the insight it brings. Both can offer me pointers to new possibilities when I allow them to.
One thing I am sure of is that I am grateful that I have learned to remain open to this extra sense we call instinct, as it helps bring me unexpected solutions to life’s hurdles, illuminates previously unclear information, and brings a sense of wonder to my world.
