How to develop N?

[swordpath]

What are some ways to better develop N function?

 

[entropie]

The best way is to not develop it. Cause it will take you to a point, you wont to be taken too. N basically is a gift and a curse and you cant develop it

 

[Jeffster]

Don't do it, man! It's a trap!

 

[Polaris]

Practice thinking of things in a weird, mystical manner. Deliberately ignore common sense and convention.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I also think that you can't develop it. You can probably make minor changes but I am skeptical about major changes.
I think that similar works for developing S.

 

[527468]

Why in the world do you want to develop N? Seriously. Give me one legitimate reason. I can help you out. I know people on the side.

 

[ajblaise]

Take psychedelics. You'll become an instant N, complete with the weird thought patterns, paranoia, delusions, and eureka moments that Ns take for granted.

 

[professor goodstain]

Throw away all instructions to anything. If you should buy/encounter something that comes with any instructions throw them away too. Or toss them in a recycling bin. You'll figure the gadgets out.

 

[nightning]

Hah that's easy beat... talk to me lots

 

[Polaris]

Don't take things as they were or are. A thing doesn't have to be what it seems or what it used to be.

When you see an object, imagine what that object might be used for but never has been. Think with ingenuity.

Think in terms of possibilities, not actualities.

When you listen to someone speak, read between the lines. Try to guess what the person really means, what they're thinking and feeling beneath the words. Interpret them. Interpret everything.

Get a feel for the deeper meaning behind appearances. Try to imagine what lies, or could lie, just on the other side of how things seem.

Pay attention to the idle images that flash through your head. Find an image--the more abstract, the better--and take hold of it before it vanishes. Try to understand what the image is telling you, what it means. Take a similar approach with dreams.

Consider how people typically view a problem or situation, and then try to look at that problem or situation in a way that neither they nor you have ever thought of. If your new perspective doesn't come packed with the solution or an insightful interpretation, keep shifting your perspective. As you shift your perspective, try to listen for that inner feeling that guides you toward insight, and obey it.

 

[527468]

Talk to more INTJs. Stalk them like your gym teacher does in the locker room. You are an ISTJ, so we're your best chance.

You're obviously unfamiliar with N. With that in mind let's say you're also unfamiliar with E, F, and P. Learning N from any other Ns will likely include some confusing of the preferences. They are on the surface, but then they get really deep.

 

[ajblaise]

Talk to more INTJs. Stalk them like your gym teacher does in the locker room. You are an ISTJ, so we're your best chance.

Beat, you don't want INTJs and their crappy Ni. Turn to an INTP, and you'll get the greatness of Ne filtered to perfection with Ti.

 

[OrangeAppled]

Don't take things as they were or are. A thing doesn't have to be what it seems or what it used to be.

When you see an object, imagine what that object might be used for but never has been. Think with ingenuity.

Think in terms of possibilities, not actualities.

When you listen to someone speak, read between the lines. Try to guess what the person really means, what they're thinking and feeling beneath the words. Interpret them. Interpret everything.

Get a feel for the deeper meaning behind appearances. Try to imagine what lies, or could lie, just on the other side of how things seem.

Pay attention to the idle images that flash through your head. Find an image--the more abstract, the better--and take hold of it before it vanishes. Try to understand what the image is telling you, what it means. Take a similar approach with dreams.

Consider how people typically view a problem or situation, and then try to look at that problem or situation in a way that neither they nor you have ever thought of. If your new perspective doesn't come packed with the solution or an insightful interpretation, keep shifting your perspective. As you shift your perspective, try to listen for that inner feeling that guides you toward insight, and obey it.

This!

 

[velocity]

i could tell you, but it would ruin your chances would those hottie enfp's.

 

[Fluffywolf]

As above.

But be wary, you will have dreams that you have no recollection of apart from the subconscious thought you had a dream, and something bad happens giving you that deja vu feeling as if you have seen it in your dream, while in reality your brain is just fooling you into believing what just happened was also in the dream because your emotions matched your dream.

Because in reality, N dreams are unexplainably insane.

The few dreams I remember (real dreams not day dreams), you don't wanna know man. You don't wanna know.

 

[raz]

From a book I have:

Imagine that you are focusing on a lamp near you. With little effort, you can see its shape, color, design, and can use that data to determine if you like, dislike or feel neutral toward it. Now, focus inside and let your mind produce associations that the lamp evokes. Relax, and let your mind explore and play with the image of the lamp. If you find it easy to unfocus your attention from the external lamp and follow the associations and impressions it evokes, you probably have learned how to switch from sensory attending to intuitive processing. If you try to focus internally and your mind is blocked with the physical reality of the lamp, then you are having difficulty accessing your intuitive processing on demand.

1. Learn to get quiet and focus internally.
2. Practice deep breathing as a method of slowing down, relaxing and looking internally.
3. Select an external sensor object, close your eyes and let your intuitive mind play with the object. Don't control or judge -- let the intuitive mind expand, flow and invest ways of looking at the object.
4. Observe several people in a room. Consciously see the pattern in which they are standing. See the objects in the room as colors only, or in hues ranging from light to dark, or in terms of tall or short.
5. Unfocus attention to the details of a situation and see what it reminds you of. Let the mind produce some associations, some patterns.
6. Sensors tend to see what people are doing now. Use an exercise in which you imagine them in the same room five years from now. At first sensors may feel silly stretching the mind in such a way. Remember: the sensing perception is an actuality process and the intuitive perception is a more flexible possibility process.

All of this stuff is good. There's actually a lot more information about it in the book, another 1-2 pages. The one thing that bothers me is the book telling you to look for associations or seeing what something reminds you of. How do you differentiate between an intuitive leap and introverted sensing kicking in if you're an SJ?

 

[thisGuy]

From a book I have:



All of this stuff is good. There's actually a lot more information about it in the book, another 1-2 pages. The one thing that bothers me is the book telling you to look for associations or seeing what something reminds you of. How do you differentiate between an intuitive leap and introverted sensing kicking in if you're an SJ?

dont try to differentiate between the functions, not in the beginning anyways...

there are different means to the same end, whatever means you find the easiest to ride along

when i see associations, im usually playing connect the dots with experiences ive already had. but thats not introverted sensing because the only reason i remember those experiences are for the things i learnt from them.
remembering those doesn't exactly take me back or trigger any hormones, which i think is what defines Si and Fi

you wanna work on your N? play detective with the randomest things...whys that dog lifting his left leg to pee, why not right...what would happen if there was a meteor crashed into 5 feet in front of you...

also, one of the best ways is to try and type people...that needs a lot of intuitive processing

 

[Cenomite]

I don't think it's possible to develop your N to an extent that it'll be really useful.

Associations and connections just come naturally to me, I don't see how you could train your brain to do it. It's always going to be a conscious effort to make those associations, where as a lot of N people make them even if they're not trying / don't want to.

IMO if you practice developing N, all you'll be doing is practicing your brainstorming abilities. For Ne at least. Beyond that, I doubt you can learn the other aspects of N. I think this goes for all other functions as well. I'd like to get some more Se for example, but I know that's not happening.

 

[Nonsensical]

There's no specific way, as you can see, different people are telling you to do different things, and it's all right.

My personal advice:
Read more 'intuitive' books. Books about more abstract concepts, learn about abstract concepts. This won't develop your N, necessarily, but it will fuel it.

Think differently. Re-wire your brain, it's a lot easier than people think. Question things that you wouldn't normally question, and just get yourself in a routine of thinking differently.

Do different things, be a little more open.

Take time to really think. Try hard to contemplate things, spend time around Ns, listen to what Ns have to say here.

If you're trying to develop your N, Beat, I have no doubt in my mind you can. You've always struck me to have a bit of an N developed already, you aren't really a typical ISTJ (compliment).

 

[Nonsensical]

Beat, you don't want INTJs and their crappy Ni. Turn to an INTP, and you'll get the greatness of Ne filtered to perfection with Ti.

Yeah, it'd be much easier to try to evolve into an INTP from ISTJ, than into an INTJ surprisingly. Just get to understand them, learn about them, and try to be like them..in plain and simple words.