“Intuition binds us together. Without it we lose our sense of purpose and belonging.”
Image source zeitgeistfilms.com
I recently watched Innsæi, a documentary about the power of intuition. The film explores our ability of being able to sense things from deep within, to perceive and understand the world around us beyond our five senses and our rational mind. I really enjoyed this documentary and found it to be thought provoking and inspiring.
Innsæi is the ancient Icelandic word for intuition, which translates into three meanings: the sea within, the borderless nature of our inner world, a constantly moving world of vision, feelings and imagination beyond words; to see within, to know yourself, and to know yourself well enough to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes; to see from the inside out, to have a strong inner compass to navigate your way into our ever-changing world.
The film maker, Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir takes us on a global journey to uncover how distraction, disconnection and stress in our world is affecting our lives. Along the way, she meets with renowned thinkers, artists and captivating spiritual leaders to discuss the significance of intuition and empathy to create meaningful human connections.
Here are some points that stood out to me.
Intuition and Awareness
“Look at you, look around us. People unhappy, we’re totally disconnected from the brain and the body. So many people live in their heads and not with emotions.”
We live in a world where we are bombarded with information and commercial messaging. All this external noise is making us less connected in a tangible sense, and more disconnected from our authentic selves and others. This noise is muting our internal world, and blocking our access to our intuition.
Being intuitive is being in tune with the moment and everything that surrounds us. Intuition is an inherent part of our psyche, a sixth sense that helps us function in this plane. It is the inner voice yearning to be heard. Have you ever had a gut feeling? Have you ever made a decision that in your heart just didn’t feel right? That was your intuition trying to guide you.
The problem in our modern society, is that we have become heavily reliant on logic and objective reasoning, and this has contributed to a hyper-connected, yet disconnected world. Wisdom has been replaced by knowledge, which in turn has been replaced by information.
“I consisted of two rhythms. One is the analytical, logical one. The other is the creative and intuitive one. And I had totally neglected the intuitive one.”
When we learn how to balance both intuition and logic, "by consciously sensing the world from the inside out, not just from the outside in," we will be able to change our lives for the better.
Intuition and Nature
Burnout, distraction and violence has become an integral part of our culture, media and entertainment, and we are becoming seriously disconnected from the natural world. The time people spend in nature has decreased dramatically over the years, to the detriment of our well being.
Hrund explores how experiences in nature, historically and now, help build intuition. Ancient civilisations have roamed vast oceans and deserts without the use of navigational tools, but using only their senses, experiences in nature, and knowledge that has been passed down through generations.
We all know that spending time in nature can reduce stress, boost our creativity, help reduce feelings of depression, and can even change our perspective on life. However, with the advancement and integration of technology, we have forgotten how to use all of our senses to experience and connect with the natural world around us. We have let our awareness drift from the natural world to the world that we have made.
It can also be argued that this disconnection with earth has led to our mistreatment of the environment.
“Nature is the silent witness to intuition. Nature speaks in all kinds of languages. Nature is interested in the inner eye, the inner ear, the inner capacity to make sense out of something which external consciousness may consider chaotic. Without nature, I don’t know how we can revive our intuition.”
Intuition and Fear
Fear is the biggest obstacle to intuition. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown.
Performance artist Marina Abramović believes going into the unknown is absolutely essential if we want to change our lives and ourselves. By taking a journey into unknown territory we open ourselves up to change, to new possibilities and new experiences. But we also open ourselves up to failure, and we must embrace failure as part of our journey.
Growth only occurs when you step out of your comfort zone. It is so in life, in business, in art. Sometimes you need to go over the edge to see what you’re capable of, and facing that cliff is a scary thing. Intuition helps us push through fear so that we can do the things which we feel in our heart can help us move forward.
“Intuition is the awareness of the subtle stuff which lies outside the focus of attention, the stuff that we’re aware, subliminally, unconsciously.”
If you’re interested to learn more about Innsæi you can find the trailer and full documentary available on Vimeo. If you've had the opportunity to watch the documentary, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments box below.
Thank you for reading.