Hello friends! My mind has been a bit quieter the past week, but in a good way. A big part of this has been my attempts to find a better balance between intuition vs sensing — so that is what I want to take a bit about in this newsletter.
Some personal background
I have been dealing with burnout and on the path to recovering from it for almost 2 full years now. It is hard to put a date on it, as I have been pushing past my physical limits for as long as I can remember. I think I initially realized it was a legitimate problem about two years ago now, but I hit a brick wall physically about 6 months ago.
I have been realizing that I need to allow my nervous system to keep up with the rate of my ideas. I’ve been focusing less on goals and more on capturing what comes through and finding a place for it.
I was diagnosed with ADHD a year and a half ago, which has led to a lot of self-discovery. This has allowed me to tie a lot of seemingly unrelated factors about myself together. For example, I am pretty internally restless and my brain is constantly making connections. However, my brain can feel incredibly drained and struggle to find the cognitive load to complete many tasks that may seem “simple” on the surface.
One of my intentions when creating the newsletter Spiral Shower was that I knew I needed a place for my half-baked ideas. Well, this week is one of those weeks where I feel like I am drowning in half-baked thoughts, to the point where it feels almost impossible to communicate them in a way where they make sense.
Here is the kicker: It doesn’t have to always make sense. It doesn’t have to always be ready to share. Sometimes, it is time to rest.
I’ve had a tendency in the past to go back and forth between extremes of intense output, vs a hibernation period. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, I would like to balance these poles a bit. I need to incorporate 1) more rest during my phases of output, and 2) lower my standards for effort so I can still show up even when I’m tired.
The Typology Pendulum Swing
So let me just tell you how I think about typology. For the purposes of this post, I am going to assume you know a little bit about the basics of Jungian personality theory. (I am working on more introductory content, but this is more draining to me than swimming in the deep end.)
I have ENFJ type preferences. This means that the most prevalent personality pattern found in my psyche is for the ENFJ type — with a preference for extroversion (E) over introversion (I), intuition (N) over sensing (S), feeling (F) over thinking (T), and judging (J) over perceiving (P).
Rather than thinking about it as a gradient spectrum, we can think about each of these dichotomies as poles on a pendulum. Or a seesaw. While we may think that putting a ton of pressure on one side can eliminate the need for the other, this is not the case. We will always bounce back and forth between the poles — no matter what type you are.
I am not an ENFJ, for the Self is greater than the ego’s type pattern. This is an important distinction because the best use of typology is to break away from the ego’s self-imposed limits and find our way to a more transcendent Self. This Self is a microcosm of the collective unconscious, yet it is completely original. You can think of it as the seed to wholeness that is contained within you. You contain the potential for wholeness inside of you, in a way that is completely unique to you. You are a reflection of all things, and yet you are constantly creating and recreating, remembering and re-remembering the Self.
The ego LOVES having a type pattern, and my ego loves performing the role of ENFJ. However, clinging to a type pattern only strengthens the power of the shadow. The whiplash will only feel stronger when the other side bounces back.
I often like to think of my type pattern as indicators on a map — similar to North, South, East, and West. In order to find more psychic harmony, we will need to learn to handle our natural seesaw swings. Either 1) Let go of some of the pressure, and/or 2) Get comfortable riding the wave.
So with this in mind, I have been trying to manage my intuition-sensing pendulum swings lately. And yes, sensing is coming in like a wrecking ball.
Here are some things that I have been thinking about.
How can I make sure to fully rest during times of rest?
How can I trust that my body will tell me when something is important?
Instead of over conceptualizing my to-do list, how can I allow my instincts to show me what I have the energy to do?
How can I make my ideas physical and establish a connection from above down to earth?
How can I make my physical daily routines feel like a prayer?
How much do I actually have the energy to do in one day?
What are some things that I can do to rejuvenate my physical vitality levels?
How can I create room for energy fluctuations in my schedule and expect this? Where do I need to add wiggle room?
I’ve also been realizing that “repairing your nervous system” and “psychic energetic protection of the astral body,” (or whatever your preferred woo woo term) are basically the same exact thing. A lot of modern “manifestation” advice goes hand in hand with building a healthy nervous system.
Another thing that feels related is that have been interested. in learning about magic lately. I mean, legitimate occult practices of magic — not magic tricks. Yes, it is a thing.
One might assume that an interest in magic would be more of an intuitive thing, but from what I have learned the practice is very instinctual. It is about tapping into your personal power and collaborating with the 4 natural elements. I think that for people who are naturally heady, in the clouds, or have an “intuitive” preference — magic might be a great way to help you conceptualize WHY and HOW to connect physically. For me, philosophizing about life is the easy part. Actually acting on my instincts and managing my vitality is extremely difficult for me. Magic seems to be a way to provide a physical outlet for excess intuitive energy.
You have to remember that for all people with an intuitive type preference, this means that all things related to sensing may be stuck in the shadow. The sensing function refers to the part of the psyche that is focused on tangible facts, somatic experiences, and anything physical. It is associated with the Earth element; which is related to stability, security, practicality, groundedness, and more.
For a lot of intuitive types, there can be problems with low energy, numbed somatic senses, lack of attention to detail, or even repressed sexuality. This happens when our lived experience is overwhelmed with happenings from the intuitive realm — this leaves less room for sensory happenings. Part of achieving this intuition-sensing balance is to establish a connection between both experiences so you can witness them simultaneously.
For example, it can be helpful for the intuitive to recognize that all of these symptoms are all connected, via the concept of “sensing,” and then do what you can to take your power back and prioritize your health. It also can be helpful for the intuitive to find “outlets” for your intuition, so that the ideas are not clouding up your ability to function physically.
I am going to leave you with this meme, that sums up my feelings lately.
Thank you for reading! This was just a minor example of how my knowledge of type shows up in my life and helps guide my life every single day. I am constantly thinking about where I’m at on the greater map and seeing if there is a way to reorient myself. And for me this week, I’m happy to have been less overwhelmed with ideas.
hello! ENFJ here, but yes, that is only type and I'm more than my type...you said it well. I thought I would answer the questions you posed, since they often come up for me, but I never answer them when I ask them myself.
How can I make sure to fully rest during times of rest? - play piano during weekends or anytime when I want to rest. It unhooks me from work brain.
How can I trust that my body will tell me when something is important? - My body will tell me something is wrong, but I don't have to "act now." My body told me at this point and then will tell me at which point it is right to act. Those points may be separated by time.
Instead of over conceptualizing my to-do list, how can I allow my instincts to show me what I have the energy to do? - yep. Probably let go of social guilt and engage in only what brings joy.
How can I make my ideas physical and establish a connection from above down to earth? - make a list and then cross off something on that list. Movement Means Alive.
How can I make my physical daily routines feel like a prayer? Checklists help, but only until they become a joyful routine. Keep a lookout for the reward of the routine.
How much do I actually have the energy to do in one day? 1 great thing, 2 good things and a few mundane things. - Prioritize values. Spirit/Relations/Creativity/Body/Money
What are some things that I can do to rejuvenate my physical vitality levels? Calisthenics, casual bike ride (it's the wind in my face), water play (again the feeling of movement) and piano (more movement while stationary.)
How can I create room for energy fluctuations in my schedule and expect this? Where do I need to add wiggle room? The power of vocalization - as long as my throat is comfy vocalizing this experience, I can get through it and even generate energy (or borrow from elsewhere). I know I'm in trouble when I can't express how I'm feeling or thinking.
Thanks for the insightful questions!