James Wanless Ph.D.
Within U.S 800.676.1256 Outside U.S. 001-831-625-2528
PO box 1227 Carmel, California 93921
E-mail: jameswanless@comcast.net
| Intuition
at Work Book review by Jeff Hutner In his little gem of a book, Intuition@Work (2002, RedWheel), James Wanless shares deep insights on a critical topic for our times. We live in the most uncertain times in our Lives. The fabric of the illusion of safety has been shredded by the events surrounding 9-1 1. Someone described the times we are living through as a time when anything is possible and nothing is certain.., how true. Visionary futurist, engineer and business philosopher Willis Harman once said that the two drivers of the historic shift he described in his book, Global Mind Change, were our understanding of our interconnectedness through ecology and new physics and a shift from outer to inner authority. If it is true that we live in highly uncertain times and that we live in the midst of the largest shift since the Middle Ages as Harman suggested, then intuition, our internal guidance system, may be the most important gift we possess. It becomes more important than ever to develop this, for most, invisible friend, to help us navigate the chaos that swirls around our daily lives. Intuition@Work is an invaluable guide to traversing the rapids of change. On page after page Wanless provides the reader with historical context as well as practical suggestions on opening to the multi-benefits of our intuitive state that lies beyond the rational mind that has created both great achievements as well as unintended consequences. Wanless suggests that Intuition comes far more easily to women”, and if we look at the responses so far to 9-11, that certainly appears to be the case. The auto pilot response of the administration to the crisis rather than an original and novel solution that addresses the deeper meaning behind the event is typical of male response from the head with little attention to the heart of the matter. Have we made more friends or enemies from our responses to date? Have we eliminated terrorists or helped create a new generation of them? Have we given or taken too much for too long. Clearly something new is being called for, not a repetition of strictly material based thought. The Chinese symbol for crisis also means opportunity and we live in a moment of golden opportunity to transcend our old worn out ways and use our creative and intuitive abilities to envision and enact a whole new set of standards in every field that reflect the vision and genius of our true divine nature. And there are signs that things are indeed shifting. Wanless offers a quote from Mark Hoffman, a former West Point cadet, now Chairman and CEO of Commerce One who says, "When you go into battle, order quickly disintegrates, and you have to take action with limited information”. “That’s where intuition comes in - where knowing and trusting yourself is critical,” Wanless comments. This is a time that calls for new leaders with vision, compassion and the ability to draw from the invisible. Perhaps in no other field is the intuitive a more powerful friend than in business which depends on the ability to see and act on ever-changing trends each day. In times where the idea, engineering, manufacturing and marketing cycle can be as short at six months and getting shorter, intuition can provide a strategic advantage. As Wanless puts it, we are caught by thought. We tend to be conceivers rather than feelers, more achievers than relaters”. But as he points out, ‘none of this has to be true. What”, he posits, would men gain by respecting intuition?” A more complete way of living, because intuition encompasses the whole being,” he answers. Obsession with worldly achievement may take precedence over what men truly love and value” and so they postpone the joy of their deeper intuitive selves until for far too many, it is too late. There is great psychic pain in living an inauthentic life from the head which can ultimately manifest as disease or not being at ease. The fluid intuitive sense of being Wanless describes is well worth cultivating and yet like creativity, we receive little if any training in these invaluable abilities and give way to learning professions that will bring us the great American Dream which for many is being brought more and more into question. It is by going "inside rather than relying on authorities” that our true genius can speak to us, offering profound insights into problems both personal and collective. In a divide and conquer world, people live with many fragmented parts that never seem to come together. Wanless suggests that the wholeness of intuition leads to a life where feelings and fortunes, people and products, inner self and outer world, and the receptive and assertive are equally treasured. It would be a life more about quality than quantity more about process than payoffs. It would be a life about spirituality as well as materiality and about long range posterity as well as short term gain. It would balance stillness and speed, reflection and action. Richness would be defined by this balance and by healthiness and depth of being. Men would be happier and thus the world would be a happier place.” Wanless offers practices that can help develop the intuitive in men. He quotes Marya Mannes who says that "men tend to depersonalize” which he says "is the opposite of intuition" and suggests that "by looking at issues and subjects from a personally experienced viewpoint”, that "the intuitive truth will emerge”. He points out that the leadership manual at West Point emphasizes the idea of Be, know, do-being coming first” and offers this definition of being which he says is the place of our real power. Understanding yourself-what you stand for, your purpose, your self-concept, your own code of ethics, who you are. This inner core of being is lasting.” Wanless also believes that the inequality of men and women represents the single greatest dysfunction of humankind” and that with the healing of this imbalance, a creative synergy takes place that evolves the world to a more sustainable consciousness for humankind and the planet.” It is advice like this that sets Intuition@Work apart from the many other books available today that concern themselves with the outer world. Wanless has written an action manual that illuminates the uses, applications, practices and exercises we can use to amplify and accelerate our intuitive abilities. One can only hope that this gem becomes a bestseller and finds a place in classrooms and boardrooms alike. Wanless has given us a gift of immeasurable value that can help bring about a more compassionate world and lead individuals to their authentic calling, their heartsong, through the power of intuition. While this book is directed at executives in the business world, it is important for all of us who seek a more balanced life and world through living an authentic life guided by intuition. Jeff Hutner, Producer/Director/Author Practical Visionaries: A Celebration of Genius in Service to Life |