Of Intuition and Instincts
The cow and its milk. The cow gives milk (I mean dairy cows) and at the mention of milk, the cow comes into the mind. One thing is sure though, that the milk and the cow are not two independent entities though by circumstance they can. Now when we talk of intuition and instincts, people get to confuse the two. However, the line of distinction between the two is thin. Intuition is whereby we get to identify a thing without using our conscious rational thinking. Instincts on the other hand is a natural urge or force or behavior based on rational thoughts or thinking. Just like the milk is white irrespective of the cow’s color, intuitions can creep in irrespective of our instincts.
There are moments when you walked into an interview room and felt that that was not your thing. Then in another instance you started doing something and your feelings objected to it. Through rational thoughts about past experiences, your conscious mind could have influenced you to think as such. Instincts, often than not, are based on past experiences we could have had with a situation, an individual or outcome. Intuitions then comes solely as an outcome based on gut feelings and our perceived irrational reaction be it with a new encounter or a repeat experience.
Recently, while sitting in my old and giddy chair, I realized that on many occasions, when I didn’t trust my instincts and intuitions, I later learnt bitter lessons. I have tried to master the art of risk taking on several occasions’ but ended up risking way too much. Even Uhuru Kenyatta risked much to snap the presidential debate last week. I am sure his intuition and instincts told him to attend and he decided to do otherwise. The universe is our teacher and it never forgets when in most cases we don’t listen to our intuitions and instincts.
Not Long ago, I decided to risk my faith with a young man I had met through business interaction. I faithfully tried him with a small portion of money not exceeding 10 dollars to get me some proper currency I was in need of. He left with a lot of promise to honor his word. My instincts warned me against him but this time I was in for faith. I have not gotten the cash back. How could I? How did I even think about it? Anyway, in matters faith, rational thinking gets replaced with providence. I can only learn. Always trust your gut feelings, they have brought you this far.
You could think why I decided to write about this but it is an important narration to introspection rather than solace. If at one time you find yourself having reservations with something you ought to interact with, it were better if you never went ahead with it until you are little sure of it. You become sure of it when you gut feelings and instincts tell you so. Better put; risk, yes risk a lot but don’t risk blindly. It is important to trust yourself first before you can trust other people and things.
A word of caution though, if you trust yourself with intuitions and instincts, do so with your mind and not your heart. The heart is a feeling organ and the mind a logic one on the other hand. Consider this young man who saw his wife being escorted down the pathway and hugged as she got bade bye by a perceived “intruder.” He felt animosity towards the wife and kept seeing this escapade for two or more days without making any inquiries. On the third day, he felt so bad and ended up strangling the wife because he received a call from the “intruder.” Later on, he realized the “intruder” was his brother in-law he had not yet met because he was in a faraway town and had just returned a few days ago. He used his heart- feelings-as opposed to his mind-thoughts.
Learn to trust yourself, your instincts and your intuitions. Listen to them and if in doubt, then wait till you are ready for the action again. Above everything, as humans with a higher intellectual order, let us use our minds properly in decision making. Let us use our organs properly. Let me end with this light note statement that the heart is for purifying blood as the mind is for thinking.
End.
