So often when talking and working with people, they complain they don’t receive information from spirit. Everyone does not receive information the same way. How we each receive and process information is unique. Our information process also impacts how we interact with others, believe others understand us, and says much about us in our world as we believe it to be.
There are several ways we receive information. However, there are considered to be three primary and two secondary recognized ways of receiving information. The primary ways to receive information are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (sensory and feelings). Our cultural norm is for the majority of people to be visual. Look around you and see how many people are busy on their phone, video games, and attracted to bright and shiny things.
However, it’s important to not discount the other ways of receiving and processing information. How do you identify when something feels right? Or what’s life like when things are rough? And how about when you are out with friends and the question comes up about what does the group feel like doing? As well, remember the times someone heard what you were saying. Or adds to a conversation, that what has been said sounds right. Let’s not forget talking to the hand.
So how do you figure out how you receive and process information and why this information is even significant?
Sit for a few minutes with your eyes closed. Just be present and notice. At the end of the time write down what you remember noticing. Do this as quickly as you can. Don’t write for the grammar squad in sentences. Just write things down. Examples of things written have included: seeing someone sawing a log, hearing birds singing, observing soft music, with eyes shut feeling calm, picturing the face of a familiar voice, imagining a squirrel scratching on tree bark, comfortable in a soft chair, noticing you can’t hear a sound you expected to hear, or the tick tock of a clock. Then look at your list. Do you notice any patterns of word choices or glean how you might receive information?
Words that imply seeing are visual, that imply hearing are auditory, and that imply tactile and emotional are kinesthetic. Sometimes people will write examples of things they noticed using exclusive visual, auditory, and kinesthetic words. When the noticed things are heavily described in one receptor’s pattern, then its easy to say how you receive information, though if you read the supplied examples, you will notice some have mixed receptors. Observing soft music is both visual and auditory. And not seeing a face you recognized from a family voice is also a visual and auditory mix. Feeling comfortable in a soft chair is very kinesthetic. Imagining a squirrel scratching on a tree actually shows reception of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
Most people in America are visual. There is debate if its cultural or trained. The debates all have merit and have less importance than understating what your awareness is. However, with the majority of people visual, our world tends to cater to the majority and at times that leaves non-visual people confused or lacking understanding.
Why is it significant to understand your receptive orientation?
Often, I am asked how to connect with spirit. Or more often people will tell me why they don’t get messages from spirit. It’s important to understand how you receive information, to know how you are sent messages by spirit. If you expect to hear messages, as maybe does a friend, and you are visual, messages are not received. Or if you are kinesthetic and waiting to hear from spirit, you’re missing out on your method of reception of information. Even if you are aware of multiple ways that you receive information, you most likely have one primary way to receive it. The other modalities may be signals to emphasize a message.
Visual people tend to see messages in written form or symbols. Spirit is able to send many strong and informative, clear messages through symbols. Those who receive visual messages might see a particular bird or animal while meditating or out on a walk. Knowing what that animal represents is the message spirit has for the receiver. Pictures may also send messages to the visual person. And these individuals are aware of messages seen within written words and the many other visual ways to send and receive messages from spirit.
Auditory people hear messages. A few can actually hear messages given to them on the wind. Others and most hear messages through songs, wisdoms shared during conversations, or insights just when they need to hear words at the right time. Of course, there are many more ways to receive auditory messages.
Kinesthetic is both emotional and tactile feel. When facing a quandary and presented with information, if it emotionally feels right, the person knows they are receiving their insights from spirit. Messages can also come in tactile forms. For some, when sitting quietly and considering options, they weigh each option for how it feels. They may sense their feeling through emotion but also through how comfortable or uncomfortable each idea feels. For this person, while sitting, if their positive begins to feel uncomfortable, spirit is sending the message that a certain choice may not be in the person’s best interest. Yet, if an idea has a comfort and relaxed feeling, that idea deserves more consideration. This person may also know that neutral reactions to an idea means the idea needs more exploration, clarity, or however they understand this feeling for them.
Knowing how you receive information opens you to better understand how spirit is sending you messages as they align their messages to your receptive style.
Another important reason to understand how you receive information especially impacts your interpersonal communications. When you are talking to a visual person and your primary mode is kinesthetic, or feeling, you may not be as clearly understanding one another. Their world as a visual seems negated while you are operating through your feelings. You want them to understand your feelings and talk about feeling while they express their seeing world using words and ideas that do not aid in clear interpersonal communication. Your words and their words and operating modes clash until you learn to understand how each other receives and process life experiences. When we understand one another better, we can appreciate our relationships and communications with each other in clearer, more effective ways.
We each experience the world in our own way. And through our experiences we make sense of our world through our primary mode of reception. Therefore, as we commonly receive, we also process and communicate in that made, and we often tend to expect the world to understand this mode. Knowing there are differences in modes of reception and knowing others have their own mode helps us better understand and appreciate one another.