i have read on many sources that infjs ar ehighly intuitive,so what would make an infj more intuitive than an intj?
[INFJ] how are infjs intuitive?
- Thread starter chad
- Start date
I doubt one is more intuitive than the other. It is how that intuition is being done and how it gets put to use. It seems different types process information in their own way and use it to suit them. One isn't better than the other.
They have different ways of reading introverted intuition, one with more logic, one with more feels.
Both can be poorly developed, or vice-versa...and there is an entire spectrum within the MBTI types themselves...some INTJs have more emotional empathy than others...and some INFJs have utilized logic better than others.
It’s all very subjective within the two.
Both can be poorly developed, or vice-versa...and there is an entire spectrum within the MBTI types themselves...some INTJs have more emotional empathy than others...and some INFJs have utilized logic better than others.
It’s all very subjective within the two.
Intuitive doesn’t mean ‘psychic’, just like Feeling doesn’t mean ‘emotional’.
The cognitive function Ni creates an ability to connect seemingly disconnected information in a large network of data. It’s not sequential. When it hits a, ‘Well, that doesn’t make sense’, it jumps wherever the next thing is to compare the original thought to. It scans the whole system that way until the Ni
This gives Ni the ability to conceptualize vast amounts of possibilities until one doesn’t ‘not work’. It’s always open to reinterpretation based on new information.
Fe uses expression through human perspective to filter what’s worth thinking of.
Ti organizes and chews on it logically for relief from the intolerable parts of Ni.
Se makes INFJs grapple with horrific images and feeling like they can never get it out, because it’s the inferior function. It’s rarely reached in a healthy way through visual art (which is our unquenched thirst).
This is why INFJs are the scientists of people and writers.
Now go chew on this...
http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/
The cognitive function Ni creates an ability to connect seemingly disconnected information in a large network of data. It’s not sequential. When it hits a, ‘Well, that doesn’t make sense’, it jumps wherever the next thing is to compare the original thought to. It scans the whole system that way until the Ni
This gives Ni the ability to conceptualize vast amounts of possibilities until one doesn’t ‘not work’. It’s always open to reinterpretation based on new information.
Fe uses expression through human perspective to filter what’s worth thinking of.
Ti organizes and chews on it logically for relief from the intolerable parts of Ni.
Se makes INFJs grapple with horrific images and feeling like they can never get it out, because it’s the inferior function. It’s rarely reached in a healthy way through visual art (which is our unquenched thirst).
This is why INFJs are the scientists of people and writers.
Now go chew on this...
http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/
I disagree with the visual art part being rare or unhealthy. I believe INFJ's can be artists and create artwork. Speaking from personal experience, just that it is more difficult, because my mind wants to draw me away from my current project, pause, interrupt to process thoughts and ideas. That can get in the way of finishing art and developing anywhere close to the skill level of a more disciplined artist. But it is still there and art is something I do, I just have to stop getting into loops and making comparisons. That's where the unhealthy part can come along. It is very rewarding though when I do follow through and finish an art piece. So it is possible to do visual art, just takes more focus.
Another take on the art bit:
Practicing Se (painting, drawing whatever) while letting Ni and Ti ramble on can be kind of a productive way to loop and get something done. Sometimes I have to circle back and return to painting when I find myself in a rut trying to over think whatever.
Another take on the art bit:
Practicing Se (painting, drawing whatever) while letting Ni and Ti ramble on can be kind of a productive way to loop and get something done. Sometimes I have to circle back and return to painting when I find myself in a rut trying to over think whatever.
Last edited:
I agree with utilizing healthy Se for balance. ‘Rarely’ is an overreach. As I’ve gotten older I’ve been able to unlock more artistic ability in my life.
Si is the uncouncious function. That’s a concept I often meditate on. We’re not able to comprehend Si, because it’s our actual being. We absorb sensory information.
Se being it’s mate is fairly raw and intertwined with Si.
I’m curious how many other of you have the ability to physically put yourself back in a situation and be able to describe how it smelled, tasted, sounded, very spec physical details, etc...
Taking in positive sensory information eases cognitive dissonance. Looking at art, listening to music, being in a nurturing place.
The closeness of the relationship makes abstract thought come as images, especially archetypes. That’s what I mean about monsters. The not-so-pleasant thoughts have images, also. Trauma can play itself out over and over.
This can all make for pretty unique and relevant art. Images in our mind are alive. They play with each other. That depth is impossible to express in a median, though. It makes it painful for me.
I’m not sure about Ni-Ti looping. It’s come up everywhere all of a sudden. My instant reaction is ich, but that’s just the ways I be. I’ll look into it.
Cheers!
Si is the uncouncious function. That’s a concept I often meditate on. We’re not able to comprehend Si, because it’s our actual being. We absorb sensory information.
Se being it’s mate is fairly raw and intertwined with Si.
I’m curious how many other of you have the ability to physically put yourself back in a situation and be able to describe how it smelled, tasted, sounded, very spec physical details, etc...
Taking in positive sensory information eases cognitive dissonance. Looking at art, listening to music, being in a nurturing place.
The closeness of the relationship makes abstract thought come as images, especially archetypes. That’s what I mean about monsters. The not-so-pleasant thoughts have images, also. Trauma can play itself out over and over.
This can all make for pretty unique and relevant art. Images in our mind are alive. They play with each other. That depth is impossible to express in a median, though. It makes it painful for me.
I’m not sure about Ni-Ti looping. It’s come up everywhere all of a sudden. My instant reaction is ich, but that’s just the ways I be. I’ll look into it.
Cheers!
That's a neat take on Si and makes a lot of sense. As for your question, what works for me is using my imagination in combination with an internal voice and some subconscious ability to replay the memory in my head, just after it happened.
Say I want to remember my experience going to my state fair: I go into "recording" mode. Things seem to get more intense, colors more vivid, sounds more loud. If I am not ready for it I'll be in sensory overload and have to go. If not, then I am able to observe, replay, observe, replay, and it seems I am internally narrating the experience as it occurs.
*smells popcorn, looks at booth selling it, spots a child running excitedly to somewhere else* My thought string literally is I smell popcorn. Buttery, crisp, oh look, that kid is running, I wonder where he's running to. I bet his mother is worried, where is she?...yep! There she is running to catch him.
Somewhat related is is being able to remember dreams. My ability to remember dreams used to be sharper, but, I still can remember them time to time. It seems when I engage in that kind of mental replay during the dream and write it down, it is the memory I generate from the experience that lasts.
As for developing this skill it came instinctual. I remember having internal monologues from before I even was able to speak. It would be single words here and there, associating words with images I saw at the time. I eventually fine tuned my understanding of language as I got a better mental visual perspective picking up clues in what context words were used.
Being a writer, I use my characters a lot. Imagining them in similar or different situations also helps me process emotion.
Having this ability is a blessing. It has helped me a lot with art, writing, and, understanding the world. But the flip side is when the instant replay loop happens and isn't wanted or needed. Times of anxiety and self doubt this ability can be a curse. The internal monologue can get very hyper critical, sharp and judgemental. The mental visual replay is especially harsh. I can also suffer intrusive thoughts and the anxiety trying to wipe them out of my mind. That is the downside. But the gifts it gives outweigh it by far. I believe it gives a greater sense of empathy and understanding. Used well, it helps me step outside myself and not be as critical to others and self.
Again yeah those monsters can be really painful, annoying and destructive. Sometimes it helps to view them as if you're watching the experience occurring with another person, then think how you react. If you can't think of anyone, then make up a character suffering the moment. How do they cope? How do you cope? Do they cope with it better? See if it works for you. If it doesn't then imagine a character giving advice to the one suffering. What advice do they give? Regardless of the imaginary situation, could any of the characters' advice apply?
I tend to think of my emotions like wild animals. When calm and things are working and I can give them needed attention, things go well. They act tame and I am free to use my intuition and logic, and see the emotion/ read it in people and self. When I get lost or disconnect from my emotions for too long, they grow restless. I may feel upset and not know where it is coming from. I'll be upset over something totally trivial and unrelated. I spot misplaced anger, but finding the source, takes having to play everything backwards in my head to logically spot the stressers. Again I may not connect stress over family trouble = me feeling upset. I'll see the situation from an objective position, but for whatever reason misplacing my pencil really fired me off more than it would, had I not found out such news. It isn't the pencil. I have to dig deeper and spot the connection.
After realizing it, then the next best course to coping seems to be expressing it with someone, an outside source to get an understanding of the emotion. Preferably someone who is better at expressing emotion so I can observe their reaction. Kind of odd to describe it that way, but it helps when dealing with future situations. If I can spot the build-up, then I can prevent emotional meltdowns.
But if I don't pay attention at all to my feelings, those emotions, wild animals bite me, and become me. At my worst I'll feel totally out of control, like a wild animal running, looking for an exit.
That said I also have autism, which might have some play into my Fe processing ability. I'm not fully sure but I suspect I do Ni, Ti, Fe, Se more frequently than those being in their proper order. I don't know if that would be an accurate assessment or not. Just a guess based on one of those online flawed test thingies, that put my functions in that general order.
Last edited:
Jung repeatedly calls Ni doms artists. INFJs use intuition by getting insights, visions from dreams , meditations & etc and it is via the collective unconscious. Ni does not mean psychic but it does appear that way to those who don't understand how the collective unconscious works.
Jung refers to Ni doms as artist because they translate their visions to others or literally to paper. If I layed down to "channel spirits" for instance and saw a blue figure with purple eyes, I'd draw it on paper or tell people about my vision. According to Jung, spirits are not truly being channeled but the collective unconscious shows Ni doms visions and etc & we have a habit of taking them literally ..So we try to express them in art.
Basically Ni feels like a 6th sense but its just our own psyche screwing with us or producing images to communicate subconscious things to us like dreams do at times. This is where the mystical stereotype comes from. Jung used the term and he is where MBTI claims to have gotten their functional description from, (though clearly they distorted it.)
If anyone wants to see how this Ni looks in real life, check out all the spiritual gurus who chat about "ascension, kundalini, ascended masters",& all that jazz.
Jung refers to Ni doms as artist because they translate their visions to others or literally to paper. If I layed down to "channel spirits" for instance and saw a blue figure with purple eyes, I'd draw it on paper or tell people about my vision. According to Jung, spirits are not truly being channeled but the collective unconscious shows Ni doms visions and etc & we have a habit of taking them literally ..So we try to express them in art.
Basically Ni feels like a 6th sense but its just our own psyche screwing with us or producing images to communicate subconscious things to us like dreams do at times. This is where the mystical stereotype comes from. Jung used the term and he is where MBTI claims to have gotten their functional description from, (though clearly they distorted it.)
If anyone wants to see how this Ni looks in real life, check out all the spiritual gurus who chat about "ascension, kundalini, ascended masters",& all that jazz.
This happened to me once: I am a "medium" and I used to try to channel spirits from other planes. I once channeled a thing with a blue head.. meaning, I saw it in my inner vision and trying to communicate it to my sister, I drew the thing on a piece of paper .
To me, I had truly channeled a spirit but had Jung been here, he would've said the blue thing I channeled was a symbol the collective unconscious was showing to me . However, being an extreme Ni dom, I don't live in reality that way, meaning, I naturally still believe I might've channeled a spirit.Jung being an ISTP/INTP would naturally come to a more concretist analytical conclusion.
To me, I had truly channeled a spirit but had Jung been here, he would've said the blue thing I channeled was a symbol the collective unconscious was showing to me . However, being an extreme Ni dom, I don't live in reality that way, meaning, I naturally still believe I might've channeled a spirit.Jung being an ISTP/INTP would naturally come to a more concretist analytical conclusion.
I don't mean to spam but I'm also a musical producer artist as well as an astrologer and at times, I'd put my astrological aspects as titles of my songs . The songs would pertain to certain astrological aspects I'd have in my birth chart or foretell of upcoming events.. So then some of my music is based in apocalyptic atmospheres.
According to Jung, Astrology uses archetypes of the collective unconscious and is in synch with mankind. This is how birth charts & etc appear accurate. Ni tells of future events lije psychic only its not truly.. So, Astrology is another Ni practice as well. (Jung called Astrology and Tarot intuitive practices.) But this is another way of how I use my Ni as art too
According to Jung, Astrology uses archetypes of the collective unconscious and is in synch with mankind. This is how birth charts & etc appear accurate. Ni tells of future events lije psychic only its not truly.. So, Astrology is another Ni practice as well. (Jung called Astrology and Tarot intuitive practices.) But this is another way of how I use my Ni as art too
Interesting question. If Ni has to do with the subconscious mind, wouldn't INTJ be able to do that too? or does it have anything to do with having Ni and Fe?
What do you mean by "static" though?
I was genuinely curious about Ni intuition, because it seems like people kept saying INFJs are intuitive because of their connection with the subconscious mind, but by that they rarely talk about INTJs. I personally think they are equally intuitive but in a different way. Btw, I've read that INFJ is more of an abstract thinker because of Ni+Ti, but it may not have anything to do with intuition in general
I prefer to get my sources from Carl Jung, Von Franz whom he credited, and Van der Hoop, who also knew Jung, personally. I do not regard Myers, her mom or anyone else. (They comprehended Jung how they did and I prefer to read it myself and go from there.)
All 3 of them described the Introverted Intuitive dominant as more "spiritually aware" and as visionaries, seers, and shamans. They also went onto explain how Te or Fe would work according to whatever the "Intuition" presented to the INxJ. Furthermore, Jung stated, "An Intuitive does with his/her thinking what she does with her feeling because both are slaves to the intuition. So, it seems to me that INTJ/INFJ may not be set in stone but instead just an Ni/Se type.
I am not saying they don't exist. If one is an INTJ, though, they appear more philosophical about things such as universal law , religions of the East & etc, (says Van der Hoop.)
I may ruffle some feathers here but after all of my research, I doubt most even understand Ni types and even less convinced they're actually INJ types. Ni has been distorted by MBTI folks who never understood it, nor related to it, to begin with. So they try to make it sound more practical or bring the Ni function down to the mercy of the aux, (Fe/Te) or tertiary, (Ni-Ti) but it doesn't work that way. INTJs are often explained as though they are Te dom & INFJs either Fe doms or like Ti doms.
But don't take it from me. That's just half of my 2¢ & the other half, facts from Jung & Co, themselves. Both INTJ & INFJ can be equally empathic since Ni takes in all that it senses , subconsciously. Anytime we claim to "detect" a thing that hasn't been made obvious enough for reflection, we are using Ni. And whether people like it or not, Ni often "feels" like a 6th sense to those who have it as a dominant. There's too much info from Jung & Co about Ni dominants for the community to be so far gone on it.
All 3 of them described the Introverted Intuitive dominant as more "spiritually aware" and as visionaries, seers, and shamans. They also went onto explain how Te or Fe would work according to whatever the "Intuition" presented to the INxJ. Furthermore, Jung stated, "An Intuitive does with his/her thinking what she does with her feeling because both are slaves to the intuition. So, it seems to me that INTJ/INFJ may not be set in stone but instead just an Ni/Se type.
I am not saying they don't exist. If one is an INTJ, though, they appear more philosophical about things such as universal law , religions of the East & etc, (says Van der Hoop.)
I may ruffle some feathers here but after all of my research, I doubt most even understand Ni types and even less convinced they're actually INJ types. Ni has been distorted by MBTI folks who never understood it, nor related to it, to begin with. So they try to make it sound more practical or bring the Ni function down to the mercy of the aux, (Fe/Te) or tertiary, (Ni-Ti) but it doesn't work that way. INTJs are often explained as though they are Te dom & INFJs either Fe doms or like Ti doms.
But don't take it from me. That's just half of my 2¢ & the other half, facts from Jung & Co, themselves. Both INTJ & INFJ can be equally empathic since Ni takes in all that it senses , subconsciously. Anytime we claim to "detect" a thing that hasn't been made obvious enough for reflection, we are using Ni. And whether people like it or not, Ni often "feels" like a 6th sense to those who have it as a dominant. There's too much info from Jung & Co about Ni dominants for the community to be so far gone on it.
Last edited: