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Increasing Intuitional Intelligence: How the Awareness of Instinctual Gut Feelings Fosters Human Learning, Intuition, and Longevity
INCREASING INTUITIONAL INTELLIGENCE: How the Awareness of Instinctual Gut Feelings Fosters Human Learning, Intuition, and Longevity is written as a companion to Love and Sterling's first book published in 2011, What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct. It is a response to their readers who have asked them to share more on how the knowledge of uniting Human multiple brains—gut and head—affects the evolution of mind. In this book the reader will look further at the process of education of our instincts from birth through old age and lay the foundations for evolving the higher intuitive mind and creative thinking. This book is particularly important for those in the field of education as the authors make suggestions for the education K through 12 of the two brains—gut and head—as a uniting intelligence. The authors also explore our future Human selves and what it could bring to our species to follow our instincts and develop an increased awareness of our gut and head as a two brain united intelligence, fostering our intuition that leads us to advancements in the sciences, medicine, mental health, increased wellness and longevity, and even the development of human telepathic communications.
The authors have selected the title Increasing Intuitional Intelligence because the ultimate goal of their lives' work as counselors and educators has been to increase human intelligence through the development of the intuition using the Somatic Reflection Process, which they first created in the 1970s. Love and Sterling demonstrate that Intuitional Intelligence connects instinct and feeling (our unconscious) with reason and sensory input (our conscious mind) and is brought forward in our awareness as insight and intuition for creative life. With the use of the intuition, the authors view Humans as self-regulatory with Intuitional Intelligence as the link to our awareness of our Human Nature and the ability to be aware of our unconscious--our own inner state of being (self-awareness)--and to being aware of the feeling state of others (empathy). They propose that it makes sense even to the logical mind that the first place to begin the work to increase one's intuition and Intuitional Intelligence is within our own instinctual feeling state, where the impact of life is registered in our gut feelings of emptiness and fullness.
Love and Sterling demonstrate that the biggest mental health and educational problem today has been that most people in our modern world are not aware of the important role of the gut holding our feeling memory and registering how life is impacting us. They suggest that the feelings of emptiness and fullness that are felt in our guts and relate to how well our needs as human beings are being met have for so long been confused in our awareness with the feelings of emptiness and fullness that accompanies hunger. The authors point out that we have missed the awareness of this vital instinctual feeling gauge in our gut. Until this feeling awareness in the gut is recognized and time is spent becoming aware of our gut feelings and the impact of life upon us from early childhood, Love and Sterling show us that we cannot step forward in developing higher mind and Intuitional Intelligence.
You will find Increasing Intuitional Intelligence is divided into five main units that include the following chapters on the affects of consciousness of our gut instincts: 1. Step One to Increasing Intuitional Intelligence! Educating the Gut Brain, Learning, & Childhood Development; 2. Instinctual Awareness and Its Affects Upon Longevity; 3. Gut Feelings and Intuitional Intelligence as Applied to Psychology; 4. How the Consciousness of the Gut as a Brain Affects Religion and Culture; and 5. How Uniting our Multiple Brains Affects Health and Wellness and the Medical Profession.
The authors have selected the title Increasing Intuitional Intelligence because the ultimate goal of their lives' work as counselors and educators has been to increase human intelligence through the development of the intuition using the Somatic Reflection Process, which they first created in the 1970s. Love and Sterling demonstrate that Intuitional Intelligence connects instinct and feeling (our unconscious) with reason and sensory input (our conscious mind) and is brought forward in our awareness as insight and intuition for creative life. With the use of the intuition, the authors view Humans as self-regulatory with Intuitional Intelligence as the link to our awareness of our Human Nature and the ability to be aware of our unconscious--our own inner state of being (self-awareness)--and to being aware of the feeling state of others (empathy). They propose that it makes sense even to the logical mind that the first place to begin the work to increase one's intuition and Intuitional Intelligence is within our own instinctual feeling state, where the impact of life is registered in our gut feelings of emptiness and fullness.
Love and Sterling demonstrate that the biggest mental health and educational problem today has been that most people in our modern world are not aware of the important role of the gut holding our feeling memory and registering how life is impacting us. They suggest that the feelings of emptiness and fullness that are felt in our guts and relate to how well our needs as human beings are being met have for so long been confused in our awareness with the feelings of emptiness and fullness that accompanies hunger. The authors point out that we have missed the awareness of this vital instinctual feeling gauge in our gut. Until this feeling awareness in the gut is recognized and time is spent becoming aware of our gut feelings and the impact of life upon us from early childhood, Love and Sterling show us that we cannot step forward in developing higher mind and Intuitional Intelligence.
You will find Increasing Intuitional Intelligence is divided into five main units that include the following chapters on the affects of consciousness of our gut instincts: 1. Step One to Increasing Intuitional Intelligence! Educating the Gut Brain, Learning, & Childhood Development; 2. Instinctual Awareness and Its Affects Upon Longevity; 3. Gut Feelings and Intuitional Intelligence as Applied to Psychology; 4. How the Consciousness of the Gut as a Brain Affects Religion and Culture; and 5. How Uniting our Multiple Brains Affects Health and Wellness and the Medical Profession.
212 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2015
3 people are currently reading
1,153 people want to read
About the author
Martha Char Love
4Ìýbooks267ÌýfollowersMartha Char Love is the co-author of "What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct". She was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and grew up primarily in Georgia and Mississippi. She presently lives in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. She received her BS in Elementary Education in 1968 and an MA in Educational Psychology in 1970, with a 5th year certificate in Psychometry in the School Psychology department at the University of Georgia. She was a counselor/instructor in the '70s and early 80's, working as both a career counselor and instructor at Meridian Junior College and later in a large community college, Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), in Gainesville Florida, as well as a licensed School Psychologist for the Alachua County Schools K-12. It was at that time that she first wrote a text for her classes with her colleague, Robert Sterling, about the gut instinctive responses that they were discovering with people they were working with in career exploration.
In 2005, she received her MA in Depth Psychology and continued her study of the gut instinctive response in a research study at Sonoma State University in Northern California. In 2008, she received her PMA in Art Therapy. After years of study and new medical breakthroughs supporting the intelligence of the gut brain, she and Robert Sterling have written a groundbreaking book, "What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct" introducing a new Gut Psychology exploring the intelligence of human nature and gut instincts. They have also recently published a second book on gut instincts titled "Increasing Intuitional Intelligence: How The Awareness of Instinctual Gut Feelings Fosters Human Learning, Intuition, and Longevity."
She also has a recent cookbook published titled: "Mom's Island Bakens: Over 50 Altered Recipes For a Happy Gut and a Healthy Heart." While Martha Char Love has spent her career life exploring the intelligence and psychology of gut feelings, she does not write "Mom's Island Bakens" as a professional but as a Mom and lifetime family cook who has always had the well-being of her family's gut and health in mind. She has used her long years of cooking experience coupled with her professional counseling abilities to write a book to guide people who have found it a necessity due to illness or simply a smart move toward well-being to strive to make healthy changes to their diet and thus their cooking.
In 2005, she received her MA in Depth Psychology and continued her study of the gut instinctive response in a research study at Sonoma State University in Northern California. In 2008, she received her PMA in Art Therapy. After years of study and new medical breakthroughs supporting the intelligence of the gut brain, she and Robert Sterling have written a groundbreaking book, "What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct" introducing a new Gut Psychology exploring the intelligence of human nature and gut instincts. They have also recently published a second book on gut instincts titled "Increasing Intuitional Intelligence: How The Awareness of Instinctual Gut Feelings Fosters Human Learning, Intuition, and Longevity."
She also has a recent cookbook published titled: "Mom's Island Bakens: Over 50 Altered Recipes For a Happy Gut and a Healthy Heart." While Martha Char Love has spent her career life exploring the intelligence and psychology of gut feelings, she does not write "Mom's Island Bakens" as a professional but as a Mom and lifetime family cook who has always had the well-being of her family's gut and health in mind. She has used her long years of cooking experience coupled with her professional counseling abilities to write a book to guide people who have found it a necessity due to illness or simply a smart move toward well-being to strive to make healthy changes to their diet and thus their cooking.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 22, 2017
Hello Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Readers! My colleague Robert Sterling and I are very happy to see you here checking out our book Increasing Intuitional Intelligence. This book was written due to many questions that both our blog readers and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ readers have asked us over the last four years, since the publishing of our first book . People have posed to us many questions about the Second Brain, the gut brain, and how it affects our lives. We have tried to address them all in this new book, Increasing Intuitional Intelligence. Perhaps the number one question people asked us is about the relationship between gut feelings and increasing the intuition. Because so many people are further interested in intuition and intelligence of mind, this book concentrates on learning and Intuitional Intelligence. We even discuss the possibility from a social scientist view of Humans that we are as a species on the path to developing intuition and telepathic communication. Also, educators and parents have expressed much curiosity as to how to teach the young child about gut feeling intelligence and they wonder what difference this would make in development of personality and wellness. And the third most asked question is concerning love relationships and using the intelligence of gut feelings for decision-making in relationships. So if you have been wondering about your relationship decisions, this book may be of great benefit to you. We also explore questions concerning how the medical profession can use gut feelings and access memory for diagnosis.
We hope readers will continue to question and always feel free to message us with inquiring inspirations. We wanted to invite everyone to our blog site on our work and book with exploring instinctual gut feeling intelligence at .
We hope readers will continue to question and always feel free to message us with inquiring inspirations. We wanted to invite everyone to our blog site on our work and book with exploring instinctual gut feeling intelligence at .
December 10, 2015
In the 1970s, a time of foment and ferment in psychology, many believed that the “thinking brain� played the most crucial role in human development, and questioned the existence of instinct. They focused on the cortical garden, while others took another path, going deep into the weeds of instinct, emotion, intuition, and the collective unconscious. Among these intrepid others were Robert W. Sterling and Martha Char Love.
Today, scientists are beginning to corroborate the path less taken. They have found that learning is genetically passed down through generations. Neuroscientists are now able to better study how our brain works and are finding that conscious actions have been preceded by an unconscious or non-conscious process. Our behavior begins long before we are aware of what the action will be. The work of psychologist Colwyn Trevarthen demonstrates the instinctual ability in infants to relate to others and share emotional responses. Jaak Panksepp, researcher in affective and social neurosciences, has shown the primary role of instinct, the subcortical nervous system and emotions in animals.
In clear and thoughtful language, Sterling and Love show how the Enteric Nervous System, the “gut brain� begins operation at birth and directs the development of the Central Nervous System or “upper thinking brain.� These two “brains� each contribute to the learning process and knowledge base of the individual. The “gut brain� or “second brain� or Hara gives us important information about our interior Self. The upper thinking brain is the sensory brain and gives us information about the world outside the Self. They develop through interaction with other people and the world.
Their book shows us the neurological and evolutionary basis for this essential symbiotic relationship, and how it unifies us within ourselves and with the world around us. Working together these two centers of intelligence give us the ability to self-regulate, so that we can continue to meet our needs for “control of one’s actions (freedom) and “attention (social acceptance).�
The instincts and primary processes of the second brain have helped the human species to survive for thousands of years. In modern times, however, there has been a shift toward the upper thinking brain and consciousness directed toward the outside world. We in Western society have marginalized one of those ways of knowing, and have let the other become so dominant that we are wrecking that symbiotic relationship. In this way, the mind-body duality, begun centuries ago, is not only a cerebral concept but has had physiological ramifications.
When our feelings and “gut instincts� are ignored, we feel empty and unfulfilled. The response is to fill our gut with food and drink, but still we continue to feel empty. The authors developed a practice that helps people go back through their experiences to find the initial one that has caused the problem. They call this the “Somatic Reflection Process.� Our intelligence, or knowledge, comes from the Enteric Nervous System’s recording of the “impact of experience� while the Central Nervous System records the details. Understanding the role of each helps us keep these ways of knowing and interacting with the world balanced and operating as they were designed to do.
What has happened is that we’ve become less able to use our intuitive ability to know ourselves and the world. The authors write: “The intuition is based on past stored intelligence, which requires a combination of sensory experience and feeling experience.� As the authors write, a “mature intuition� is “thinking and feeling balanced and united.� Unless we do this, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes, to have the same experiences, as that of many past centuries.
By working on this integration, we can have greater control over our lives, without external control from “authority.� We can improve our relationships with others, including becoming more compassionate in our perspective and behavior, and our communication skills as evidenced by modern technology, lead longer healthier lives and have a better relationship with the environment. Ultimately, it will give us a greater spiritual experience. And this is what Sterling and Love mean by “increasing intuitional intelligence.�
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in human behavior, human nature and the human condition. I would recommend also reading their first book, What’s Behind Your Belly Button: A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct
Today, scientists are beginning to corroborate the path less taken. They have found that learning is genetically passed down through generations. Neuroscientists are now able to better study how our brain works and are finding that conscious actions have been preceded by an unconscious or non-conscious process. Our behavior begins long before we are aware of what the action will be. The work of psychologist Colwyn Trevarthen demonstrates the instinctual ability in infants to relate to others and share emotional responses. Jaak Panksepp, researcher in affective and social neurosciences, has shown the primary role of instinct, the subcortical nervous system and emotions in animals.
In clear and thoughtful language, Sterling and Love show how the Enteric Nervous System, the “gut brain� begins operation at birth and directs the development of the Central Nervous System or “upper thinking brain.� These two “brains� each contribute to the learning process and knowledge base of the individual. The “gut brain� or “second brain� or Hara gives us important information about our interior Self. The upper thinking brain is the sensory brain and gives us information about the world outside the Self. They develop through interaction with other people and the world.
Their book shows us the neurological and evolutionary basis for this essential symbiotic relationship, and how it unifies us within ourselves and with the world around us. Working together these two centers of intelligence give us the ability to self-regulate, so that we can continue to meet our needs for “control of one’s actions (freedom) and “attention (social acceptance).�
The instincts and primary processes of the second brain have helped the human species to survive for thousands of years. In modern times, however, there has been a shift toward the upper thinking brain and consciousness directed toward the outside world. We in Western society have marginalized one of those ways of knowing, and have let the other become so dominant that we are wrecking that symbiotic relationship. In this way, the mind-body duality, begun centuries ago, is not only a cerebral concept but has had physiological ramifications.
When our feelings and “gut instincts� are ignored, we feel empty and unfulfilled. The response is to fill our gut with food and drink, but still we continue to feel empty. The authors developed a practice that helps people go back through their experiences to find the initial one that has caused the problem. They call this the “Somatic Reflection Process.� Our intelligence, or knowledge, comes from the Enteric Nervous System’s recording of the “impact of experience� while the Central Nervous System records the details. Understanding the role of each helps us keep these ways of knowing and interacting with the world balanced and operating as they were designed to do.
What has happened is that we’ve become less able to use our intuitive ability to know ourselves and the world. The authors write: “The intuition is based on past stored intelligence, which requires a combination of sensory experience and feeling experience.� As the authors write, a “mature intuition� is “thinking and feeling balanced and united.� Unless we do this, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes, to have the same experiences, as that of many past centuries.
By working on this integration, we can have greater control over our lives, without external control from “authority.� We can improve our relationships with others, including becoming more compassionate in our perspective and behavior, and our communication skills as evidenced by modern technology, lead longer healthier lives and have a better relationship with the environment. Ultimately, it will give us a greater spiritual experience. And this is what Sterling and Love mean by “increasing intuitional intelligence.�
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in human behavior, human nature and the human condition. I would recommend also reading their first book, What’s Behind Your Belly Button: A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct
January 6, 2017
Another brilliant discourse by M. C. Love & R. W. Sterling on the particular intimacy between Head and Gut.
The path of Truth is not always reasoning, nor is it logic. Human brain is the intricate orchard and the gut, the second brain, is the gardener that, if allowed, can tend the development and growth of intuitional intelligence � an unfaltering path of Truth notwithstanding.
The novel psychological approach and parable of our daily lives found in this distinctive book clarify many burning questions about our unexplored inner nature, more specifically, as its title suggests, our intuitional intelligence. The readers of this book will be stimulated, as was I, to turn to various intriguing topics with openness and new inspiration, from the topic on freeing human nature through putting on the map and employing the gut feeling awareness in the classroom and beyond to the emergence of significant life-changing personal and social benefits. The topics of mysteries of human instincts and behavior, the difference between emotional feelings and gut feelings and their impact on intuitional intelligence, the link between instinctual awareness and longevity, successful intimate relationships and social problem solving, as well as the impact of consciousness of the gut on religion and culture are not just illuminating but also highly educational and engaging.
Equally engaging and of great interest are the discussions of how to evolve the communal mind, and especially the one addressing the important findings how through instinctual awareness that includes the use of the Somatic Reflection Process one can personalize one’s own medicine to lower stress, develop desired personality traits, and enhance both physical and mental wellness and longevity. How physicians can save lives by simply listening to their gut feeling during diagnosis makes the field of discussion even wider, let alone imperative given the fact that many patients nowadays are misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed based solely on their symptoms and signs. This heuristic approach that can establish new patterns of medical knowledge and head-gut interaction may very well portend the future of diagnostic medicine.
Thus, to be summed up in the simple sentence: This book is holy medicine for the inquisitive mind, answering some of the crucial questions of the mind that arise on the path of instinctual awareness, and guiding the mind with the light of gut essence to the true happiness and wellness. I most highly recommend it to both the laypersons and professionals.
, author of & the upcoming novel Who Stole the Rainbow Colors
The path of Truth is not always reasoning, nor is it logic. Human brain is the intricate orchard and the gut, the second brain, is the gardener that, if allowed, can tend the development and growth of intuitional intelligence � an unfaltering path of Truth notwithstanding.
The novel psychological approach and parable of our daily lives found in this distinctive book clarify many burning questions about our unexplored inner nature, more specifically, as its title suggests, our intuitional intelligence. The readers of this book will be stimulated, as was I, to turn to various intriguing topics with openness and new inspiration, from the topic on freeing human nature through putting on the map and employing the gut feeling awareness in the classroom and beyond to the emergence of significant life-changing personal and social benefits. The topics of mysteries of human instincts and behavior, the difference between emotional feelings and gut feelings and their impact on intuitional intelligence, the link between instinctual awareness and longevity, successful intimate relationships and social problem solving, as well as the impact of consciousness of the gut on religion and culture are not just illuminating but also highly educational and engaging.
Equally engaging and of great interest are the discussions of how to evolve the communal mind, and especially the one addressing the important findings how through instinctual awareness that includes the use of the Somatic Reflection Process one can personalize one’s own medicine to lower stress, develop desired personality traits, and enhance both physical and mental wellness and longevity. How physicians can save lives by simply listening to their gut feeling during diagnosis makes the field of discussion even wider, let alone imperative given the fact that many patients nowadays are misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed based solely on their symptoms and signs. This heuristic approach that can establish new patterns of medical knowledge and head-gut interaction may very well portend the future of diagnostic medicine.
Thus, to be summed up in the simple sentence: This book is holy medicine for the inquisitive mind, answering some of the crucial questions of the mind that arise on the path of instinctual awareness, and guiding the mind with the light of gut essence to the true happiness and wellness. I most highly recommend it to both the laypersons and professionals.
, author of & the upcoming novel Who Stole the Rainbow Colors
November 17, 2019
The moment I finished it I started over at the beginning. One of the most absorbing, engaging and charming books I’ve ever read. Just read it!
December 24, 2015
Good as the first book is (What's Behind Your Belly Button), this follow-up exploration of the same basic subject is even better. Like the first, Increasing Intuitional Intelligence is a psychology book. It explains more deeply how to educate the second brain in the gut beginning in early childhood education. This book is written for educators and parents, as well as the general public, and the writing style is smooth and accessible.
The authors cover some interesting topics from a social point of view relating to longevity and also provide a fascinating look at how with the awareness of the instinct and the gut brain as an intelligent center, the human species is on the road to developing telepathy in the near future. In other words, our species is evolving by learning, thanks to education and a heightened awareness of possibilities.
It seems to me that in particular, every parent or parent-to-be would want to have this invaluable study in their library.
The authors cover some interesting topics from a social point of view relating to longevity and also provide a fascinating look at how with the awareness of the instinct and the gut brain as an intelligent center, the human species is on the road to developing telepathy in the near future. In other words, our species is evolving by learning, thanks to education and a heightened awareness of possibilities.
It seems to me that in particular, every parent or parent-to-be would want to have this invaluable study in their library.
August 29, 2016
I loved their first book "What's Behind Your Belly Button?" but I am finding this one easier to read and covering a lot of topics in life that I have interest in, including developing intuition. There is some technical more neurological information in it as well, and I find it clarifying. I was particularly interested in the chapters on educating children and loved their idea of "Trial and Learn". The section on memory and psychology hit home too. This book, like their first, is one that can be used over and over in life as a reference.
October 25, 2015
I found some very useful research in this book for my psychology class. It's a good read with information about achieving self-awareness and a positive mental state using gut feeling intelligence as a guide to memory and intuition. Recommend highly.
February 22, 2018
This is a great companion book to their first book What's Behind Your Belly Button? Both of these books have helped me quite a bit to understand what my gut is telling me and to change my life for the better.
December 26, 2021
Another gem from Martha Char Love that dives into the reality of our inner gut brain courage.
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