The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
In my interpretation of Proust’s statement, having a new perspective alludes to using all six senses — intuition as well as taste, touch, smell, sound and sight — to deduce what is real. Intuition, our sixth sense, is our brain’s and body’s ability to sense truth and make good decisions without having to rely solely on using empirical evidence (observation or experience) and analytical reasoning (theory or logic). Until recently, both past experience and logic — based on the other five senses — were the favoured decision tools.
Intuition, however, is increasingly receiving widespread acceptance even in the last bastion of change — the business world. As an example, my organization design colleagues and I now speak to our clients about the importance of “sensing and responding” to their existing and emerging environments. Furthermore, as a global society, we discovered the futility of using empirical data (what happened in the past) to predict what is happening today or could happen in the near future. Time and time again, we see that today’s social and ecological challenges no longer respond adequately to yesterday’s solutions. We are undergoing a time of radical transformation where our past experience does not provide the answers we currently seek. Consider how we currently market and promote our businesses — what was once a f2f reality is now typically conducted via social networks.
Fortunately, we have within each of us a decision-making capability proving to be more reliable for gathering data on current and emerging phenomenon. Tuning into our “hunches” or “gut instincts” and using these intuitions to guide our sense of direction turns a seemingly topsy-turvy upside down world aright. With intuition, we see through new eyes. What a gift on so many levels.
Firstly, everyone is intuitive so the playing field levels, meaning we can all choose to access this source of wisdom. Of course, some are more gifted intuits just as ace athletes have greater physical abilities or inventive scientists’ greater mental prowess.
Secondly, with practice, we can all grow intuitive “muscle.” The key is to remember the only way to change what we see in the outer world is to change the aspect within that is responding negatively to the outer trigger. What appears to us in the outer world is always coloured by our perception — our ego. When we see with intuition, we bypass ego. My poem below touches on this.
Reality as Illusion
Life is not as it appears.
Greater truth lies under the veil of perception.
It cannot be touched with hands or eyes.
Nonetheless, its presence is strongly felt.
A sense of rightness is evidence of its worth.
Reality is apparition — illusion.
By digging deeper beneath the surface,
layers of deception give way
and truth becomes touchable.
May 2012
When we bypass seeing the world through ego, intuition provides true glimpses or clues as to what aspect of ourselves we want and need to change. On a daily basis, practice listening and acting on your intuition. Like the high-performance athlete, the more you practice intuiting, the better you get.
For more on intuition and perception, click here.
