INFJ’s dominant function Ni often goes unnoticed growing up. This is partly due to being introverted, however it has a lot to do with being misunderstood, missed, and therefore rejected. The outer rejection of Ni by others, can lead to an inner rejection of Ni in the self.
Due to the INFJ’s Ni seeming to mirror the behaviour of the unconscious in many respects, for the INFJ it’s like Ni continues to develop in the unconscious of the INFJs unconscious. One could say the Ni has been lost into shadow; a sleeping giant waiting to be awoken.
The loss of Ni connection can cause an INFJ to grow up somewhat lost to the world of their own and others’ feelings. While it is natural for an INFJ to express and show emotion outwardly, this Fe function can act more like a survival mechanism, than as a supporting role to the introverted intuition leadings.
An untapped Ni life is a half lived life; however sadly, the INFJ is often unaware of this….for now.
Rediscovery of Ni is like the hope of a face to face meeting with a lost family member he or she never really knew. There is something familiar, yet a relationship needs to be established. The discovery of Ni does not automatically mean that Ni can be fully experienced.
For a lot of INFJs, Ni is lost in the shadow unconscious, covered over by a kind of inner bedrock that can limit the Ni message. The formation of the bedrock is different for every INFJ, however the rejection of its processes and the corresponding estrangement from it, is a common theme that leads to the many difficulties experienced in life that packs the rock down fast. A supercharged Ni life requires the identifying, understanding and eventual removal of this bedrock, so that Ni can take its rightful place in the INFJ’s unconscious.
What keeps many INFJs from recognising and breaking this ground, is what we will call soul noise, a kind of inner disturbance that one can experience in the emotions and/or cognitions. This disturbance is due to unguarded Fe, confusing one’s own feelings, wants and needs, from that of others. This conundrum distracts the INFJ from themselves, keeping them looking out and feeling lost within.
A powerful remedy to this soul noise is quiet, getting quiet enough to recognise the who, what, when, where, and why of the melody. Figuring out who’s who can help the INFJ differentiate their complex reality from the complexity of the outer world.
What is wonderful about this process is that the INFJ’s Ni begins to stir the moment they choose to get quiet. Mysteriously, it is silence that awakens the Ni giant below. Ni begins to call out from deep within helping the INFJ to figure things out, make connections, and resolve the noise.
Hearing the calls of Ni can be hit and miss, as Ni is an elusive function to get to know. Like the blind spot in the retina, direct attention of Ni tends to render the intuition invisible. While taking one’s eye off it completely, keeps Ni knowledge out of sight. Indirect attention appears to allow the light of Ni to hit the cones and rods of the eye allowing Ni in to influence the cognitive process. Developing this skill is the beginning of Ni development.
The elimination of the environmental pollution promotes clarity, allowing the INFJ to sit with their own reality. This differentiation process does not remove all the inner bedrock, however it’s like it helps loosen the ground allowing the remaining bedrock to be dug out from the inside out. While this process helps the INFJ and Ni build a relationship, it happens from a distance.
Like a well being dug from two directions, the INFJ and Ni need to continue to work together to break through the bedrock to reconcile the self.
Whatever the remaining inner bedrock represents, sitting with it is the key, as Ni loves it when time is given to these things, as it gives it room to envelop and penetrate the problem, and offer insight and strategy to overcome it. This empowers the INFJ to direct their attention in the right direction. Like reading the right book, asking the right question, talking to the right people and so on.
This whole process can lead an INFJ down many paths, addressing any number of things. The secret is to get started. And if you have started, keep going.
The quiet intentionality of the INFJ, allows messages to be sent between the INFJ and Ni, like ground penetrating radar that goes both ways. This solves and dissolves the barrier separating them. By the time the walls have been broken down, they have been on an epic journey into the self, they know each other intimately. The embrace is a reunion from what was once buried. With the Ni now moving back into the mansion of the INFJ’s unconscious, they are now able to have much clearer interactions with each other and the outer world.
The INFJ and Ni now hand in hand, can walk freely inside and out. The supercharging of Ni through the process of reconciliation means unhindered insight, real time intuition, life direction, confidence, purpose, a richer understanding of whatever is noticed, a deep sense of inner connectedness, and peace.
The conscious and contemplative INFJ, is a supercharged INFJ.
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Scott Morgan is a professional Counsellor and a certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator practitioner. To make a booking enquiry click here, or to find out more about what we do click here.