Si Revelations

[Gilly]

I'm recalling a past experience atm, and wanted to share it to see if anyone else has ever experienced this kind of thing.

I was leaving English class early one day last December, and I remember thinking about the book we were reading in class (can't remember exactly what book). I felt kinda "lost" in my own head, just contemplating things...I moved on from thinking about the book, on to the class in general, then on to my life in general and how things were going (I call it a "mental checkup"), when I realized that it had begun to snow. Now, I absolutely love snow; it gives me a kind of warm, fuzzy feeling inside that not many things give me. When I came to, I just stopped dead in my tracks and looked around the campus, and I had this overwhelming appreciation of how incredibly beautiful everything was at that very moment. In retrospect, it was almost like one of those moments in movies at the very end when everything is resolved, and they just look around and seem to be completely content with everything in the world; like that, only x10. The best way I can describe it is being "extremely content."

Looking back, I see this experience as a sort of Si "revelation;" it was an immediate appreciation of beauty "in the moment." My question to you strong N types is this: have you ever experienced this kind of drastic switch, from thinking really deeply about something and being completely in your head, to suddenly appreciating/realizing something about your immediate surroundings in such an intense way?

[implied]

[Joy]

that happened to me last time I shroomed... does that count?

[snegledmaca]

I do that all the time.

Is that ?

[Joy]

yeah... that's what they're saying

[nobrainer]

In retrospect, it was almost like one of those moments in movies at the very end when everything is resolved, and they just look around and seem to be completely content with everything in the world; like that, only x10. The best way I can describe it is being "extremely content."

That's Obviously your appreciation of the situation included uplifting emotional feeling and eye pleasing sensory perception. You have experienced the wholeness of the situation which is

[Rocky]

I'm recalling a past experience atm, and wanted to share it to see if anyone else has ever experienced this kind of thing.

I was leaving English class early one day last December, and I remember thinking about the book we were reading in class (can't remember exactly what book). I felt kinda "lost" in my own head, just contemplating things...I moved on from thinking about the book, on to the class in general, then on to my life in general and how things were going (I call it a "mental checkup"), when I realized that it had begun to snow. Now, I absolutely love snow; it gives me a kind of warm, fuzzy feeling inside that not many things give me. When I came to, I just stopped dead in my tracks and looked around the campus, and I had this overwhelming appreciation of how incredibly beautiful everything was at that very moment. In retrospect, it was almost like one of those moments in movies at the very end when everything is resolved, and they just look around and seem to be completely content with everything in the world; like that, only x10. The best way I can describe it is being "extremely content."

Looking back, I see this experience as a sort of Si "revelation;" it was an immediate appreciation of beauty "in the moment." My question to you strong N types is this: have you ever experienced this kind of drastic switch, from thinking really deeply about something and being completely in your head, to suddenly appreciating/realizing something about your immediate surroundings in such an intense way?

Yes, yes... I was just thinking about something like this lately. I remember telling Joy that the perceptive functions Ne-Si and Se-Ni "fit" together in a persons' mind, so they can sometimes show qualities of their opposite and feel like the other. I have felt sort of those "Ne" moments that people like Joy have talked about. Here's been my theory:

I think it has somewhat to do with how our brains are wired. If we're talking about perceptive functions, then there are a fe of them, up and down the brain (I'm going to be desribing the right-brain for this). In the front of the right brain, there are two different perceptive functions. There is "visual imagery", and "spatial awerness". We can attribute these to Ne and Se. In the back of the right brain, there are two other functions, one of which is about comprehending metaphor and the other is about perceiving musical melody and tone, etc... So, they are Ni and Si. Say, if you take an Si dominant type. In the back, right part of the brain, their sensing dominants over their intuition, so they push the Ni out of the way in favor of Si. What happens to intuition then, when it must be used? The Si dominant type is "forced" to use the Ne funciton to compensate for this. This is something that Jung wrote about, too. He said that the Si type represses his intuition until it comes out in an archaic, extraverted form (Ne suggestive function). This means that Si dominant types are actually forced to use the visualizing part of their brain, like the Ne dominant type does. On the flip side, the Ne dominant type represses his Se, so he must use the back-brained Si, yadda, yadda... The difference between the type dominant types is that one has more control over Si, while the other has more control over Ne. Also, the Si type has more ease "introverting", and using his reflective proccesses, while the Ne dominant would feel more comfortable expending energy.

[Joy]

So why would I favor my Ne and Ni functions over Se and Si? This is what I have been trying to understand. There's something amiss in my brain/psyche.

[Creepy-Diana]

.

[Joy]

I'm only like that during a break out, and it's not as sensory for me as what you are all describing.

[Topaz]

@ Rocky, Thats very interesting and probably likey. I wonder what it is like for an dominant type to suddenly have an influx of ? Do you feel like youre drunk or something?
@gilligan87 I know what you mean. Sometimes I stop and purposely slow myself down to have these moments other times they just come to me out of nowhere. There have been times where it is much more profound than others though. I think of the time when I lived in NY and went upstate to view the autumn leaves. The scenery was so beautiful I felt frozen in time. I think the change of seasons can have that effect especially. like the first snow or the beginning of spring. Unfortunately where I live now in California we dont have much in the way of seasons. Just sun and rain and some fog.

[Rocky]

I find it hard to believe that you are not using your sensing functions AT ALL, Joy. Remember, Si can still be detached from the physical world (like the "watching a movie" thing I was talking about), but appreatiating the sensations behind the physical world.

[Joy]

eh, I think I just have some type of dissociative disorder

good times

hehe, Joy is a tool

[Rocky]

Topaz, it's like (especially when I was younger), being in one place, but then starting to worry that I'm somewhere else, and I just *think* I'm in this place.

[Creepy-Diana]

.

[Joy]

snow falling is one of the prettier things the world has to offer

[Rocky]

Oh... and I also remember Ne types saying things like they can "play" music in their heads without listening to it... that actually sounds like Si.

[Gilly]

I do that all the time. In fact, when I slow down and take the time, I can sing a whole song just in my head; vocals, drums, guitar, bass...everything.

[Creepy-pokeball]

I do that all the time. I woke up the past 3 times in a row with Ella Fitzgerald singing 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' in my head.

I'm not sure what this all seems like...

[Gilly]

It's not just singing in your head, though. It's literally like it's "playing" in your head...I can't really explain it. It's almost not in my control. Like if I'm dancing/moving/humming to it and I get off beat, I have to wait and get back in sync with it, I can't just start over/rewind/whatever.

[Creepy-pokeball]

Im not singing it it my head literally-- it is her exact voice. It's like a recording lol. I dont know what it means tho... but apparently I'm usually happy when I wake up like that.

[Gilly]

Well maybe your INFj.

For me it's usually either Stevie Wonder or Bjork...

[Creepy-pokeball]

I could be. I could easily be any of the NF types being a near-ambivert on all 4 functions. Warner subtype fits me best tho. That is my most common pattern... this is part of why I wish we further defined subtypes into American English as they are so garbled and crappy to understand.

But Im not sure if this all deals with the feeling you are talking about. Maybe it is like deja vu in basic psych-- many experience it to various degrees. I guess Im saying that I am just not sure what to think of this topic.

I do know that it feels good though. It's one of the cool things about life.

[Rocky]

I don't think you're an INFj, either. You annoy me to much

Actually, you've always reminded me of my Guidance Counsler in High School, who was an ENFj.

[implied]

[Creepy-pokeball]

I don't think you're an INFj, either. You annoy me to much

Actually, you've always reminded me of my Guidance Counsler in High School, who was an ENFj.

=/

[Joy]

I think you're ENFj too Jadae. You're too optimistic to be an INFj.

[Cone]

Jadae looks alot like my ENFj friend. Same hair color and everything.

[Creepy-pokeball]

Cool. We can get together sometime and compare ass hair alignment.

[Creepy-]

Well theres no way youre enfp either Jadae. But being enfj is a good thing so be happy.
About the music thing. I hear music in my head all the time. Its like a constant music video going on all the time. Sometimes the music is in clips and sometimes full blown with an audience and thank you speach I perfer my own videos to the ones I see on tv sometimes. That can ruin a song ya know.
My istp friend wonders how I can remember the lyrics to so many songs and he cant. I dont know but I think I just have this association thing going in my head.

[Topaz]

how did I get logged out That was me btw.

[FDG]

I think everyone is capable of playing music in their head.

Relating it to functions is pop crappy psychology.

[maze]

=)

[Tepa]

I think everyone is capable of playing music in their head.

I don't think they're saying that they play music in their heads, I think they're saying that music plays in their heads.

[Creepy-pokeball]

I think everyone is capable of playing music in their head.

Relating it to functions is pop crappy psychology.

That was one of my conclusions. And even if it is somehow related to functions, it can be learned--some things are just so universal....like music and seasons.

[Creepy-pokeball]

Well theres no way youre enfp either Jadae. But being enfj is a good thing so be happy.
About the music thing. I hear music in my head all the time. Its like a constant music video going on all the time. Sometimes the music is in clips and sometimes full blown with an audience and thank you speach I perfer my own videos to the ones I see on tv sometimes. That can ruin a song ya know.
My istp friend wonders how I can remember the lyrics to so many songs and he cant. I dont know but I think I just have this association thing going in my head.

I wasnt worried. In fact, that was way too much attention for me. I'm happy with being who I am--whatever flavor of Heinz 57 that may be. ENFj /subtype Ni is the closest match at this point in time but that is not who I am in total.

[Joy]

I often have a song sorta playing somewhere in the background in my mind for a few days. If it's a song I really like I pay attention to it or enjoy it more, but often I don't really pay attention to the thought. Sometimes I can get stuck on like, two lines in a song... that sucks...

[Gilly]

Yeah, especially when it's the only two lines you know...that happens to me alot.

[Rocky]

Me too... does that happen to everyone?

[Gilly]

I'm guessing so.