Our rational mind consists of 5-10% of our brain. The other, subconscious part is where more than 90% of our brain capacity is. How do we use that part? That is our intuitive mind. It may not be a surprise for you that most of our decisions are made subconsciously, with our intuitive mind. Our rational mind, often taken as the our only mind, is, or should only be there to Serve our intuition. Let me explain.
Einstein's philosophy
Let me start with one of my favorite scientists: Albert Einstein. Albert said something really interesting about the rational and the intuitive mind:
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."~ Albert Einstein
Einstein had a strongly developed intuitive mind. Our sacred gift is our intuition. The faithful servant is the rational mind.
What is intuition?
Using your intuitive mind is using more than your five senses. You know what I am talking about right? Sometimes you just don't know why you want something (or somebody :) ), you are just sure of it. Intuition could be called "knowing without knowing why", "thinking with your heart" or "gut feeling". It is this unseen force that drives us.
Rational mind and intuitive mind
To be happy has nothing to do with how much money we have, although we think that a lack of money can cause unhappiness. To be happy has nothing to do with the number of friends we have, but then, having no friends can make us unhappy too. To be happy has nothing to do with how beautiful we are or how intelligent we are. So if happiness doesn't come from the amount of money we own, the number of friends we have and how pretty and intelligent we are, where does it come form? Here View post is a very clean cut on how to be happy. It is really simple. We have two ways of making decisions in life:
From the rational mind (mind)
From the intuitive mind (heart)
Decisions made from our intuition, our gut feeling or the heart give us long term happiness. Rational mind decisions give us short term happiness.
The rational mind in service
Please note that there is no fight between intuition and mind, or there shouldn't be one. It is just that decisions based on our intuition give us more joy, especially on the long term, than decisions based on our rational mind. In the real life changing decisions we want our heart or our intuition to talk to us. Important decisions like choosing (or being chosen by) your partner, your career and deciding whether you want to have children or not are best made by our intuitive mind. With true life-changing decisions we want to get our intuition on board and talk to us.
Your rational mind is only there to serve your intuition.
Exercise
Look at your life so far. Which life changing decisions did you base on your intuition and which decisions did you base on your mind? How did they work out? Write it down!
If you feel this article can help somebody else, please forward it. They may be grateful. I sure am!!