Nose - Intuition
28th September 2019
The Nose
The nose is the body's primary organ of smell and also functions as part of the body's respiratory system. Air comes into the body through the nose. As it passes over the specialised cells of the olfactory system, the brain recognises and identifies smells. Hairs in the nose clean the air of foreign particles. As air moves through the nasal passages, it is warmed and humidified before it goes into the lungs. Source: https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/nose#1
The human nose is the most protruding part of the face......like a dog, it sniffs out the environment around conveying all the information it contains. There are many things that could be said about the nose, and for this blog I could talk about sticking your nose in other peoples' business or I could discuss why it is wise not to be so nosy! But the nose of a dog is far more fascinating...So let's have a look.
Michael T. Nappier, DVM, DABVP, of the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. State [dogs] “have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, versus 6 million for [humans]. And the part of their brain dedicated to interpreting these is about 40 times larger than ours.” He goes on to say that dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than a human. Nappier alerts us to the fact that “A dog's sense of smell is its most powerful sense,” he says. “It is so sensitive that [dogs can] detect the equivalent of a 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.” [the] nose has evolved to help them survive. According to David C. Dorman, professor of toxicology at North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, dogs have used their noses to assist with major life events since the beginning of time, he states “Evolutionary, a dog’s sense of smell helps them find a mate, food, and avoid predators,”
I believe that our intuition is our most powerful sense, like a dogs nose, it helps us with our daily life and avoid 'bad' situations. Have you noticed just how much a dog relay on their sense of smell and react when and where needed? Can you imagine how your life would change if you relied on your intuition more? This blog will use a dogs' nose as a metaphor for our intuition.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. You have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” ~ Albert Einstein
What is Intuition - Dictionary corner states that it is the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning. Instinct is our innate inclination toward a particular behaviour (as opposed to a learned response).
Francis P Cholle author of the article 'The Intuitive Compass' defines instinct and intuition, 'as a process that gives us the ability to know something directly without analytic reasoning, bridging the gap between the conscious and non-conscious parts of our mind, and also between instinct and reason'. He goes on to say that Intuition is a gut feeling—or a hunch—It is a sensation that appears quickly in consciousness (noticeable enough to be acted on if one chooses to) without us being fully aware of the underlying reasons for its occurrence.'
We all have intuition, however intuition is as unique to us as our finger prints. Just as a dogs' nose, which looks like any other dogs' nose, no two are the same. The lines, shapes, bumps, and valleys on the surface of your dog’s nose are unique and seen as their most important body part.
Like finger prints, we all have our own unique intuition feelings or sense. For some, there is a rumbling in their stomach, when they know something is wrong. For others their hands may sweat or other other places on the body! Your intuition is specific to you. Indecision of going somewhere, for me, means I shouldn't go or I may get a 'feeling' that I shouldn't attend. Should I pursue my journey. I often find it was a waste of time or I became stressed just getting there, with traffic or other delays. How does your intuition 'talk to you' what do you 'sense' when you are about to take on a task you have not done before? (let's not get apprehension and intuition mixed up here) What do you sense when talking to someone? How does your gut tell you something is wrong?
Francis P Cholle, asks us to think of the common phrase, ‘‘We are not like animals.'' He tells us that the assumed difference between humans and animals, is humans' ability to reason with our instinctual impulses, and the unspoken message is that reason is a higher and better quality to posses. The thing is, not only are we like animals, we are animals. However, we are animals with the distinct advantage of having both instinct and reason at our disposal. So we don't actually have to reject either morality or instinct; rather, we have the capacity to honour and call upon both.
Do you call upon your instincts or use your intuition when it holla's at you? This innate resource is often under used. Why? We are so use to using analytic or rational reasoning. Can you image how much fuller your life would be , if we listened to our gut more often, have you considered how much more we could achieve if we followed our intuition regularly and not just wait for a fight or flight situation to push us into choosing our innate impulses in order to get us out of a bind. Let's look at what a dog has been able to do in the last 100 years with training their most powerful sense. Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years but in the last 100 years they have been trained to work in a variety of specialised fields. This is largely thanks to their noses. Dogs protect human life, both by serving to locate dangerous or missing people, detecting illegal substances and bombs. Dogs can be used for medical purposes: detecting diabetes and the early stages of some cancer types, they have also been used to monitor people for seizures. Animals have long been credited with predicting earthquakes, there are documented reports of dogs pacing and whining in the days leading up to a quake. We expect dogs to fill these roles as their innate intuition lets them serve a need that humans or machines cannot fulfil.(yet)
Consider for a moment how your life would change if you lived more intuitively? Instead we reach for rational thoughts. In any given situation we collect the information from our past experience and perhaps what we believe will happen and then, we react. Cynthia T. Richetti and Benjamin B. Tregoe authors of Analytic Processes for School Leaders, define rational thinking as the ability to consider the relevant variables of a situation and to access, organise, and analyse relevant information (e.g., facts, opinions, judgements, and data) to arrive at a sound conclusion.
Should we listen to our inner voice we will encounter a situation or a dilemma and know instantly what to do. As intuition does not take the time needed for rational thought to come up with an answer. In an experiment to support intuition, we will see that intuition reacts and presents the right answer quicker than rational thought.
The Evidence
Karen Young author of the article '9 Ways to Tap Into Your Intuition (And Why You’ll Want To)' has worked as a psychologist in private practice and in educational and organisational settings. Invites us to look at a particular interesting study that supports the existence of intuition. This study (Deciding Advantageously Before Knowing the Advantageous Strategy Bechara A, Damasio H, Tranel D, Damasio AR. Science. 1997 Feb 28;275(5304):1293-5.) showed how the intuitive part of our brain knows the right answer long before the more analytical (rational) part.
Participants played a card game which, unknown to the participants, was rigged from the beginning. Participants had to choose from one of two decks of cards. One was rigged to provide big wins, then big losses. The other – small gains but hardly any losses.
The participants reported that after 50 cards, they had a hunch about which deck was safer. After 80 they were able to explain the difference between the two decks. But here’s where it gets interesting – after only 10 cards, the sweat glands on the palms of their hands opened whenever they took from the dangerous deck. It was about then that participants started to prefer the safer deck but there was no conscious awareness that this was happening. So, before the analytical part of their brain knew what was going on, the subjects’ intuition guided them towards a better decision. So why do we not trust our instincts more often? We know that if we lose one or more of our senses we compensate by depending on the functioning senses. My argument is, we shouldn't wait, but reach for our instincts, before we rationalise the hell out of every situation.
Norwegian dog nose expert Dr. Frank Rosell, professor in the Department of Environmental and Health Sciences at University College of Southeast Norway, states that he hopes that more dogs will have the chance to enrich their lives as working dogs. Giving a dog the chance to perform work tasks and to make decisions is important for its well-being. it is important for them to be allowed to use their senses and not suffer from sensory deprivation.
Marc Bekoff Ph.D. professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder states that it's essential to know as much as we can about the behaviour of dogs so we can give them the best lives possible. Bekoff goes on to say that ....All in all, a dog’s nose is a work of art, an exquisite adaptation, evolution at its best. As visual creatures, the sense of smell is difficult for us humans to understand and therefore to appreciate in the dog. Their sense organs, like their muscles, heart, and lungs, need to be exercised, and we need to make time for them to do so.'
My aim at one point in my life, was to teach people to live intuitively and still feel that we should be thriving to enhance our ability to 'hear, feel or sense ' our innate inherent quality in-order to react intuitively as to not grow in this way, will as Rosell state, render us sensory deprived. Just as a dog will sharpen or enhance their sense to live a more productive life, we can too. Sophy Burnham, author of 'The Art of Intuition' states that you can boost your intuition through practice. I have a few tips for living a more intuitive life.
Living Intuitively
'Yet when I go against all logic and common sense and follow that inner voice, my life falls into all sorts of previously un-imagined opportunities and adventures which come good'. Sylvia Clare- Living Intuitively - Trusting your Intuition.
1) Listen- The first step to living intuitively for Sylvia Clare author of ' Trusting your Intuition ' is to recognise what the voices of ego, anxiety, social convention, common sense etc. sound like and realise when they are masquerading as, intuition. For me that first step to living intuitively is to listen to your body, listen to your heart, to that gut feeling. Intuition expresses itself through feelings. Paying attention to how you feel, is like speaking to your intuition and saying, I feel (hear) you and I am ready to acknowledge what you have to say. Vince Gowman author of '22 keys to intuitive living' calls this, ' Unique Expression' which includes 'becoming aware of how intuition uniquely expresses itself through you'. He asks, 'Is it a sensation in your body? If so, where? Is it in your head, heart, calves? What kind of sensation is it? Knowing this will help you trust your intuition more quickly in the future'. The act of listening assumes that you will hear or get ready to hear (or feel) what it is you are to do.
2) Trust - Trust that your intuition is going to steer you in the right direction. You have to trust that you will be given the right answer...Every-time. Trusting your intuition actually means trusting yourself. You will have to trust that you are being guided, trust that the voice or feeling you are getting is true and has your best interest at heart. This may mean that you let go of the control you have, and trust that you will only be given advice that will benefit you, whether it seems rational or not.
3) Short Sharpe Intuition - When your intuition 'speaks' you will hear its advice in quick short bursts...Often it will be THREE words, for example 'Go there' 'Don't go there' 'S/he is lying' 'Stop'. If you do not 'sense' what to do , you will hear its quite voice, which may not always be rational.. For example, you find yourself in a financial dilemma, your logical (rational) mind tells you run screaming for the hills, then look at the bill again and start to work out how to pay it. Your intuition already has the answer (if you can hear it over the screams) your intuition tells you to open all your mail! Should you open all your mail, you will find the answer, this could be, that cheque you have been waiting for or one you didn't realise was owed to you. intuition speaks quickly to give you the answer, unlike the rational mind which will take you around the houses in-order to come to an amicable solution.
4) Quite life - As you continue on your journey to live more intuitively, you will realise that you need/want a more quite life. Intuitively you know that you can not 'hear' your intuition if you are constantly rushing around and constantly busy. Remember Intuition is that small , quite voice within you and will not be heard over your busyness. Take some time out to be silent, be still or just slow down. Get to know your body and note the different feelings or sensations you experience when you are being still or quite and when you are dashing around.
5) Toxic - Along with being quite, less busy. It is imperative that you become aware of the people, places and habits that do not serve you or your purpose....Toxic people, places and habits will stifle your intuitive journey.....Strong emotions like feeling depressed, low or upset will cloud your ability to 'hear, feel or sense' your intuition. Toxic people, leave you feeling drained or 'less than'. Your intuition would have told you to keep this person or persons at arms length. (remember) A toxic working or home environment will hinder your intuitive growth. (Do you remember when your gut told you to leave?) Habits that leave you feeling bad about yourself or others smothers your intuitive abilities. You know what these habits are, your intuition has told you to refrain from practising them.
6) Creativity – Do what makes your soul happy....Survey your life and see where you can make changes to live a more creative life.....My motto is 'Find and Follow your passion' When we are doing what makes you happy, especially when that something, helps another person. You will be opening up your life to experience your intuition more clearly. Being in a space that encourages the best of you to come forth, will inevitably open a wealth of opportunities for you.
Finally- Notes Start taking daily or weekly notes of when you listened to your intuition and what happened when you choose not to adhered to its instruction. This recall will aid you on your journey to trust your intuition and thus live a more intuitive life.
If after reading all the above, you feel that you can not live intuitively or have time to listen to your intuition., think about the times when intuition was not followed.
We spoke about intuition in my book 'The Exhorted Soul'(2018) Angela Scott, The Exhorted Soul, Amazon chapter 12 ‘Soul Care’) There I Introduced Dr. Caroline Leaf who is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology and specializing in metacognitive and cognitive neuropsychology. Dr Leaf stated that we are designed for good thinking and good feeling, but when we move out of that way of thinking and feeling we step into a ‘discomfort zone’ which she felt was a gift from God, who gives us a lot of physical experiences to help us stay in what she called the ‘Perfect You Zone’, this gift is our intuition or as Leaf puts it, warning signs which are communicated through our body by way of a pounding heart, or sweating palms, getting hot under the collar, a feeling that something isn’t right or a knowing that something is wrong. Do you realise that it is your body's way of shouting at you!... Intuition is like a viewer watching a movie (you)...Intuition can hear the scary music, it can see the scary person hiding in the bushes and knows you are going to get hurt, so start shouting at you...Get out Get out...The only difference with this scenario is that there is no TV screen between you and intuition as the voice is within you, trying feverishly to get your attention.
Staying in the 'Perfect You Zone' is Soul or Self Care. 'Soul Care is about being in tune with yourself, acknowledging that when you feel uneasy, it means something! 'Our natural habitat', according to Leaf, is in the 'Prefect You Zone'. What do you do when you feel uneasy...Ignore the feeling? Say to yourself, 'it will pass' . Most of us bush it off and see what we want to see, for example, we see red flags blowing in the wind, but choose to look the other way..We feel a rumbling in our stomach, (the type we get when something is wrong) but we work through the feelings and carry on. We get that pain in the side of our head, you know the one, which warns that the ***** is about to hit the fan, but we take a pain killer (whatever that is for us) and continue with our activity. I have spoken about my own rebellious behaviour, when told (by my intuition) to leave a job. In 'What Do You Do For A Living’,(2016) Angela Scott, What do you do for a living, Amazon.
I have had colleagues turn on me, my home life deteriorate. Sicknesses in my family and a host of other issues come my way. All because I had refused to listen. Oprah Winfrey once said When God wants you to move, he will throw a pebble at you, then a stone, then a brick and if you still refuse to do what is asked of you, the whole house will fall down on your head. What are you ignoring now? What part of your life do you know, need change? How long have you been watching that red red flag blow in the wind?....Do you believe that things are going to get better? What is it that 'you know like you know', right now.? Why are you ignoring it? Listen up, things are not gonna get better, s/he will not change, manna isn't gonna fall from heaven and you aren't gonna win the lottery without buying a ticket. All the above has one instruction You need to do something. You have to do something different from what you are doing now. You have to leave, You have to end that relationship, You have to make a stand, say something, shut up, say No....Whatever you need to do, You know what that is, and you also know that right now, you're not doing it. Your body, your intuition is making you aware of what needs to change.
Life could be so much different if we all listen a little harder to our body, our inner self our intuition. Here are some quotes, from the authors mentioned in this blog about living intuitively.
Juhea Kim (from peaceful dumpling) states that 'since I’ve begun living more intuitively, so many things changed. After feeling like a floater for most of my life, I found my home, sweet home in an upper-west corner of New York. I left my secure but stressful job to the most fulfilling, fun, and rewarding job: Peaceful Dumpling. Most importantly, I met someone when I was completely off-guard, at a bar where no respectable relationships are known to be born—and yet, I knew in my core that he was the One. I’d never planned for any of these things to happen. But my intuition lets me know that these blessings were just meant to be.
'My life fell into all sorts of previously unimagined opportunities and adventures which come good'. Sylvia Clare MSc. Psycho author of Trusting your Intuition
'In my experience, nothing can compare with the pure joy, love, wonder, beauty and abundance that I have been able to enjoy from living intuitively. Living aligned with your intuition will allow for a fuller, happier and more satisfying life experience'. - 'Tuning In To Your Intuition: 7 Ways To Listen Up' By Katrina Love Senn
Living intuitively is, to me, the only way to live. It has made EVERY difference in how I run my business, how I parent my children, my relationship with my husband, and my relationship with myself - Karen Geddis Author of article '3 Simple Ways to Begin Living Intuitively Toady'
It's easy for me to sit here and tell you all to start living intuitively, this is easier said than done, as we are human and have been living a logical rational life thus far....If we tried to live any other way, we wouldn't survive. We have had to live by experience and what makes sense! Learning to change our cognitive process can be difficult, Young, like Cholle state that - Intuition is powerful and can lead to amazing insights, but that doesn’t mean you follow it blindly. It’s still important to use common sense and a balance of rationality. Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., states that "It is said that a dog that has lost its sense of smell is no longer a dog”. Living intuitively is a way of developing or evolving. What are we, without the ability to listen, hear or act on our instincts. What is your intuition telling you to do today?
In this blog, we noted that the nose functions as part of our body's' respiratory system, that it is a significant and the most protruding part of the face. This blog also took a look at a dogs' most powerful sense, their sense of smell, and used it as a metaphor for our intuition. Like a dog's nose, intuition filters information direct to us, without any conscious reasoning. The reasoning comes later when we decide how and whether we act on the information given through 'that small voice' or a physical cue. I asked you to recall how intuition makes itself heard to you? As with a dogs nose, it is as unique as a finger print. When you get butterflies before an important meeting it means, this is going to go well. When another person gets butterflies before going into the same type of meeting, it means there may be objections to their opinion. I asked you not to get apprehension and intuition mixed in that situation, and to remember that you have the ability to use both reason and instinct. We all know that with practice, one can enhance their ability to perfect any interest. We saw the abilities of dogs over the past 100 years, they surpassed being our best friend, they not only protect us from harm, they can detect harmful decease in our bodies.
As mentioned earlier we have the ability to use reason and intuition interchangeably, but we reach for rational thought quicker than our intuition, even though our intuition kicks in instantly to 'tell' us what to do. This was shown in the experiment conducted by Bechara (1997) et al... in which our innate ability to 'know', surfaces much sooner than the reasoning mind. I encourage you to practice tuning into your intuition more often and give you tips to live a more intuitive life.
This blog looked at the physical cues we experience when we do not follow our intuition and enter what Dr. Leaf calls the 'discomfort Zone', in which our bodies shout 'please change your directed thought' We noted the thoughts of some of the authors mentioned in this blog on how living a more intuitive life changed their lives and asked as I do now, what is your intuition telling you to do today? DrScott@loveliveholistically.com
I hope this blog urges you to take a second to go within, the next time you have a decision to make...From 'should I go shopping today' to 'should I be buying that house' you will consider that small but abrupt voice, that gives you an instant answer.
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