We play most of our everyday lives by ear. We do not have time to strategize, plan or even think about things in a logical or rational manner; they simply happen too fast. But somehow, we manage to deal with everyday life just fine. We occasionally make some errors and missteps, but mostly we manage to get it right, or a close enough approximation to right.
How does this happen? My perception is that we are wired to intuitively know what is likely to work in most situations, and, in new situations, we trust our ability to learn quickly enough to survive. That wiring is installed as we begin to be formed as that first spark of life enlivens us. In that moment, we are both separated from the basic energy source that enlivens the universe and remain connected to that same universal energy in our very wiring. It is always there as a reference point for us to use to navigate life in our individualized forms.
Without thinking, we rely on it for much of our daily living. We are also taught to use logic, planning and strategizing to deal with other parts of our lives. However, we are rarely taught that there is a limit to what logic can accomplish, nor that some things simply defy logic, some things are simply mysterious and unknown.
It is this balance that is difficult to achieve in the modern world, since there is an underlying assumption that in all probability logic will ultimately be able to provide all answers. So, we are often left with the sense that it is somehow neither rational, nor trustworthy, to rely on our internal knowing, our intuition.
But somehow, we continue to rely on that internal knowing to take us through most of our everyday world. And, at times, doing what seems more logical or strategic is somehow unsatisfying and seems somehow wrong. It is as though we have been taught to believe that only logic and rationality can take us to the best and truest answers. One could call this the hubris of the logical mind, seeing itself as superior to any other form of finding workable solutions. It is as though, if we could be totally rational and logical in every one of our daily actions, we would be our best human selves. For most of us that does not even remotely sound like something we would aspire to. It sounds more like some mechanized way to deal with life, almost like an automaton, a robot, devoid of human feelings.
So, the solution seems to be to restore our deep knowing to its rightful place as an equal adjunct to our rationality. Each is there to help us in different ways. And, when they can find a way to cooperate respectfully, we will be well on our way to be the best humans we can be.