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In this episode, Joel and Antonia begin a two-part series about integrating your cognitive functions. In this episode they discuss the perceiving functions and how to integrate the weak side of each in your personality.
In this podcast you’ll find:
- Why do we prefer to talk about cognitive functions in terms of how they work in polarities?
- Check out our article on Car Model to learn about your functions and their polarity opposites.
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We can’t fully understand one function without understanding its opposite -why is this the case and how does this show up?
- An example of how this works.
- What is the key purpose of integrating functions?
- How can we integrate the polarity opposite of our Driver and Copilot?
- What happens if we don’t consciously work on integration?
- How to see the limitations of your backseat functions – even if you’ve developed skill there.
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What does it look like when we purposefully use our backseat functions to support our stronger functions?
- What happens if we don’t use them to support our strengths?
- How to integrate your weaker perceiving functions – and the difference in how they show up when they are integrated and unintegrated:
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xNxPs – integrating Memory (Si) to support Exploration (Ne)
- How Si helps you to learn your lessons with the gift of wisdom
- Why you need templates – the concept of “blank page syndrome”
- What happens if you don’t build on your past?
- How you can prevent bad habits
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xSxJs – integrating Exploration (Ne) to support Memory (Si):
- What’s the main purpose of Ne if you have Si in the front seat?
- How to move forward when there isn’t an existing template
- How can unintegrated Ne make you more closed off to new experiences?
- How integrated Ne benefits your past reflection
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xNxJs – integrating Sensation (Se) to support Perspectives (Ni):
- What happens to your Perspectives process if you don’t check in with reality?
- How integrated Se enhances your inner world
- What happens to your mind if you don’t look after your body?
- Thinking of your body as a part of you
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xSxPs – integrating Perspectives (Ni) to support Sensation (Se):
- Ni helps Se perform better in the moment- an example
- How unintegrated Ni can trick you into living in a fantasy world
- How lazy and avoidant behaviours can creep in
- What can you gain from using Ni to understand future implications?
- “Courage isn’t the opposite of fear” – how this idea fits into integrating the opposite polarity function.
- Remember – the same function may be integrated in some areas of your life, but not others.
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Podcast - Episode 0386 - Personality And Paradox
Podcast - Episode 0388 - Integrating The Weak Side Of Your Cognitive Functions - Part 2
26 comments
My experience with Ni/Se
All this is to say that really noticing my body and my position in my current environment is not a very natural state for me. But while I’d love to say that exercise is a solution, since it has obvious benefits and I love the sound of that kind of efficiency… The problem is that I find that anything repetitive in exercise doesn’t really help the situation. As soon as I know how to do an exercise, my mind is so free to wander (and does!), that I’m really no more connected to my body than when I started. Exercise is a good thing, but while it’s healthy for me and aids cognition and all that, it doesn’t necessarily connect me to my body without the hard work of repeatedly reminding myself to focus. It feels like a double effort rather than a natural win/win.I think the thing people find the most odd about me is that I can actually forget who I am when I dream. What’s more weird is that I often don’t remember the dream itself – I just wake up and have to slowly walk myself through the construct of what my life is and what my roles are.
I have no ambition to write – probably because I’m so sick of editing while asleep. If woken up while dreaming, I’ve often been in the process of rewinding and editing things to fix plot-holes or to add to character development. I shake my head at myself and ask “who does that?”
When I was a young teenager I was told repeatedly that I would move my mouth when others would talk to me. I think it was my way of trying to stay present, but I had no awareness that I was doing it. I think I’ve unlearned that behavior, but now I have a better one. I often realize, in the split second after it’s happened, that my body has reacted to something I was thinking about without me being aware of it. This can happen when I’m alone or in a group (while others are discussing something entirely different). It’s usually amusing to me, but trying to explain to someone why I just dodged, winced, laughed, or shuddered isn’t easy. If I’m on my own, I just have a quick chuckle at myself and move on.
Connecting to who/how I am in the present goes something more like this for me:
– Making a study of body language helps keep focus when in conversation (curiously, I’m observing my own body language as much as theirs and trying to figure out what my body is telling me as well)
– Challenging myself to find new harmony lines keeps me in the moment when listening to music
– Walking in nature in any weather is a daily practice, but I have to be really watching for animal/insect movements or my mind wanders and I’m even more distracted than when I started. I don’t find that my thoughts improve in quality for the effort
– Scented body wash, shampoo, and laundry soaps are good – not necessarily for the obvious reason of personal hygiene, but because I found that I oddly notice smell more than others seem to, and it’s a way of catching my attention in a good way. Fragrant foods work for the same reason. That long, appreciative inhale feels pretty darn satisfying.
– Making my space colorful and beautiful caught me by surprise. I notice that it kind of feeds my soul to randomly observe that I like to look around my living room and see patterns and colors that I like. I’ve found that it catches my eye just enough that decorating is worth the investment.
– I’ve also learned over time to notice and change things when I observe that they annoy me. For example: while I have to set alarms to remind myself that I need to prepare to move to the next project/role, any alarms on my phone are carefully selected so they feel as gentle and pretty as possible. Sometimes ‘as possible’ does mean they need to shake me up, but why make that the standard?
The key to integrating Se seems to be advertised as becoming more aware of my body and it’s movements, but I seem to be more able to do that if I am first connecting to my spaces and to the environmental stimuli I find/create around me. I’m not sure if that’s a full win or if it’s just a temporary bridge to something better, but it works for now.
I’m an Intj and I’ve always been outside a lot because I grew up in a very dysfunctional family, so leaving all day to play or wander around was my way of avoiding the constant conflict or being trapped in my head with the emotions of being surrounded by conflict.
I’d be one of those INTJs that thinks they use Se well and I definitely do, but I will still be completely oblivious to pain or walk into walls sometimes. I exercise and I’m outdoors a lot, I’m pretty good about taking care of my health. I paint outside. I definitely experience being able to create a richer internal world because of all the sensory information I observed.
There’s still areas I really suck at Se. Anything to do with dating, enjoying chill relaxing like having a beer in the shade (immediately go into head if I’m sitting peacefully too long), any situation that requires a reactive Se like driving or any fast paced sport. Anywhere reactivity is concerned, I really struggle.
Simplicity — that’s a very fitting word. At the very least, I admire the qualities usually associated with Si, but many of them do just seem to “simple” in my own life.
William
Well now…that made my day. Thank you. Looking forward to next week’s polarities.
Informative podcast! The distorted Ni due to ignoring Se has me in-frame, so I am working on evening them out to better interact with one another (the INTx Unleashed is giving me quality ideas, too—great program). Looking forward to part two of this podcast topic.