Intuition: Wisdom as Internal Navigation

Definition

Intuition is access to wisdom—an expression of MIND, the power principle. It's a real, context-sensitive navigation system that comes from before the world of form and habitual thinking. Unlike intellect and past experience (which provide data), wisdom provides a higher-caliber information source that is never out of date because it arises in the present moment. It's the "super sat-nav" of life, constantly updated and responsive to actual conditions.

In the Book

Smart rejects material-world metaphors for life (life as a journey, game, battle, lesson) and their associated navigation strategies (get clear on destination, learn the rules, win, etc.). Instead, he points to an internal navigation system: "You have a built-in guidance system; it's called wisdom."

He contrasts two navigation systems: habitual, superstitious thinking is "like an out-of-date map, a distorted snapshot of the world taken at the time it was created," whereas wisdom is "like a constantly updated 'super sat-nav' system for your life." The key difference is timing: "Wisdom comes from before your habitual thinking, so it's never out of date. Even a map you made as recently as last week can't possibly respond to road closures and traffic jams, but a high-quality sat-nav can."

Smart explains that wisdom exists prior to (and gives rise to) THOUGHT-generated experiential reality, just as "the information on the DVD exists prior to (and gives rise to) the forms on the TV screen." He notes that wisdom is context-sensitive, "up-to-the-minute guidance" that comes from "the intelligent energy behind life." It's distinct from the ordinary five senses plus intellect/experience navigation used for physical orientation.

Why It Matters

This reframes decision-making and life direction from rational analysis and planning to attunement to an internal guidance system. It explains why intuitive choices often outperform deliberate analysis (Steve Jobs' emphasis on following intuition). It also aligns with the inside-out paradigm: the answer is already within you, not something to figure out from external maps. Once you trust this system, you're navigating by real-time wisdom rather than stale beliefs, making you adaptive and responsive to actual conditions.