Bird Droppings October 3, 2010
Intuition

“Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate
in eternity.” Edwin Hubbel Chapin

As I was discussing the final hours of a Friday afternoon with several friends a thought hit me as to why some teachers can do more than others. Why some teachers succeed where others flounder and I honestly think that a key is intuition. It is a simple thought but a very difficult concept to teach to another person.

“Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.” Michael Burke

Knowing what to do at a specific moment intuitively can alter a day and a class room in a moment.

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Dr. Benjamin Spock –

“Instinct is untaught ability.” Bain

As I listened to seasoned teachers discuss how they would do this or that and than one said do you have that written down and what is your starting point along with how much planning time do you allow and as I watched and heard in disbelief in this situation that was one of a teachable moment. The person speaking turned around stunned as I was and said I really do not plan it takes ten minutes to jot down a daily note to my students and each day they experience new things and we build on that.

“Instinct is intelligence incapable of self-consciousness.” John Sterling

I began thinking of key words in teaching intuition with an acronym being a good starting point IESP, Intuition, Empathy, Sympathy and Perception. These are all aspects of a good teacher, a good parent and a good person.

“Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.” Dr. Joyce Brothers

In doing research on intuition in years gone by I found many psychologists believe we have stored experiences and concepts that we do not even recall that are the basis for intuition.

“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way.” Florence Scovel Shinn

There are other researchers who consider aspects yet undiscovered as a basis for intuitiveness and intuition.

“A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action.” Jawaharlal Nehru

So many years ago Nehru was the first Prime Minister of an independent India and he was a man who was respected around the globe.

“Instinct is the nose of the mind.” Madame De Girardin

I saw this note and it intrigued me that instinct is being a door opener or a starting point even a beginning and could be one of our senses.

“I would rather trust a woman’s instinct than a man’s reason.” Stanley Baldwin

I do not know exactly what this entity is we call intuition I have observed many teachers and parents, workers and managers and some know and others have to understand and solve issues that confront them. As I was thinking and pondering the past few days I always seem to come back to a favorite quote.

“Life is about the journey not the destination” Steven Tyler, Aerosmith

One of my redneck buddies responded “what the h— does that have to do with intuition” Some of us have a goal a destination but the journey the getting there is as critical and crucial as the end result. Each aspect of the pathway is essential rather than simply the end of the trip. When you are looking as you go you see so much more. I recall a long trip as a child and we would play games looking for animals. If you choose to look only for red tailed hawks it would be miles and even hours between but you would find them. If you choose birds and how many different ones you can see we up the chances of every few seconds or minutes seeing something. Open that to all animals and now every few second and you are looking for details in the road side and trees and grass. Life is so similar some people are looking for specifics so minute they seldom find what they are looking for and others see every nook and cranny, intuition is in the crannies.

“The really happy man is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. “ Anonymous

I wish I had said that and please keep all in harms way on your mind and in your hearts.
namaste
bird