I have a faily well-developed intuition. It’s kind of cool and also a pain in the a… because, it’s just weird. It’s hard to get flashes of this “knowing” and yet have nothing of evidence to back it up. So, I often just don’t speak it and this is the pain in the a– part.
My MBTI is INFJ. Part of what this code means is that I have Introverted Intuition as my dominant mental function – or Hero archetype. Being my hero, it is my “go to” because it has served me well. A simple example of this:
A roomful of people are brainstorming an issue/problem/concern. Those using Extraverted Intution (Ne) are great at brainstorming future oriented possibilities. It’s like fireworks – they will say, “It could/might be this or that or this or that” – many possibilities. The Introverted Intuition (Ni) person will say, “But, it will be that and point to only one.” It’s often been referred to as the 6th sense function.
The thing with Ni is that one cannot call it forth. It just comes on it’s own or not. It’s helpful for me to keep the space for it and pay attention. Although, by now, I pretty much recognize it.
A couple of years ago I had a very interesting and significant experience of this type of intuition.
I was getting ready for a Leadership retreat (the 1st of 4) that would go over the course of 10 months. I was shopping at a fave store on Coventry called City Buddha. I was looking for something cool or spiritual or something to take with me to kinda support me as I was a bit nervous about this trip. I’m not a big “group” person to begin with and this “tribe” would consist of 24 of us plus 2 leaders and 2 assistants…again for 10 months!
So, I found these very cool wrap-around pants in various colors from Bali. It was quite crazy to figure out how to actually wrap them on…the two store clerks and I were laughing our heads off trying. Anyway, I ended up getting a pair of hot pink and I had no idea why I was doing it. I would never wear these..not a group person…trying to be inconspicuous…ahh..no, not for me.
But, something was telling me to get them. So, I did and I put them in my suitcase to take and just left it at that.
At R1 (retreat #1), I met Jill. She is quite analytical, scientific (marine biologist), direct, often blunt, daring, truthful and delightful. She loves hot pink – wears it all of the time! In our elaborate typing system done here, she was typed a “danger.” Some were intimated by her at first – I never was, but always thought maybe I should have been!
So I’m hanging out with Jill in the kitchen one night. Even at retreats (not just parties) people congregate in the kithchen – funny little phenomenon, huh?
Anyway, I tell her the story of buying and bringing these crazy pink pants. The whole time (for the strangest reason) I don’t connect her love of hot pink, and she’s sitting right there in it, and these pants I brought. I was actually testing the waters a bit to see what she might think about someone doing something a bit off the wall like bringing these pants because I feel/sense there’s some reason not yet revealed. She said she thought it was kinda cool. And, she was the only one I told, which was also unusual because many other “types” there would have totally gotten that I had done this…
It was not until I got home and was reflecting on the whole weeklong retreat that it finally dawned on me..they were for her. They were always for her!
Don’t ask me why/how something in me connected with something in her before we even met – but this is what happened. With Ni there is no time/space – things just already exist…and we are on our way to them. And, I just get a peek at them…a glimpse in the back door… or behind the curtain.
And, we all have this ability but it is more developed in some than others and it takes practice to develop. But, this would be a whole other post!
I recently got an email from Jill (2 yrs after our retreats):
“I was wearing the pink pants that you gave me when I was assisting Leadership in Spain this past year and I always feel the joyful warrioress energy when I wear them. Thanks again for the intuitive gift as it was just what I needed.
Joyful hug to you my beautiful ethereal friend,
Jilly”
Pretty cool.
