Intuition Vs Intellection

This past weekend, I got to spend some quality time with my mentor, a former corporate leader turned spiritualist and life coach. Mentors are invaluable for prompting self-reflection and growth, both personally and professionally. Spending time with my mentor felt like plugging into a charging station – energizing and insightful.
 
Our conversations ranged from the spiritual to the political, but one particular discussion about Intuition versus intellect has stayed with me. It came up when we were chatting about the benefits of silence, solitude, and meditation. My mentor presented an interesting perspective on modern education, highlighting that it all focuses on training us on intellection, not Intuition.
 
Intellection refers to the process of thinking deeply and critically about ideas, concepts, or information. It involves using reasoning, analysis, and logical thought processes to understand and interpret data. Intellection involves deliberate cognitive effort and conscious mental activity. We use intellection for problem-solving, decision-making, and learning of any sort.
 
Intuition, in contrast, is something very subtle. It is an instinctive understanding that bypasses conscious reasoning. We often describe Intuition as a gut feeling or a sense of knowing that doesn’t rely on explicit evidence or logical deduction. Our Intuition stems from a combination of past experiences, subconscious processing of information, and innate understanding. We often rely on Intuition when making quick decisions or when faced with uncertainty where precise data or facts are lacking.
 
I could relate to this idea of Intuition very nicely from my own experiences. There have been so many instances where I went into meetings and conversations with some plan but changed tack on the fly to do something unplanned, following some unknown instinct guiding me at that moment.
 
My mentor stressed that cultivating Intuition is a crucial skill, especially for dealing with uncertainties in today’s world. However, to access our Intuition one requires quieting the ego and suspending judgment. A judgmental mind stifles Intuition’s subtle voice. This is where spiritual practices such as meditation and solitude become powerful tools for developing Intuition. They help us moderate the ego and observe our thoughts without judgment, leading to a more finely tuned Intuition.