Nederlands Pedagogisch Instituut
Syllabus: 8040.908
KL/ES
INTUITION AND RATIO, masculine and feminine?
In this title two elements have been introduced deliberate-
ly. The one is the suggestion which stems from the successi-
on of notions: intuition is masculine and ratio is femi-
nine. Against the grain for our feeling. Exactly therefore
it has been put into words in this way, with the qguestion-
mark as second element. Is it so self-evident that normally
speaking intuition is equal to feminine and ratio equal to
masculine? Wel) don't think so. We don't say anymore man =
masculine = ratio and woman = feminine = intuition. It is
more complex and more nuanced, once you really think about
it.
When looking around we see a lot of men proceed with intui-
tion and a lot of women being rational masters. It turns out
that topmanagers rely very much on their intuition2), just
as other men in functions which demand creativity: artists,
traders, diplomats. And it turns out that women in science
at a high level make rational achievements.
But we also notice that the here used notion of intuition:
stands for many different kinds of things. It is more an in-
dication of a domain which distinguishes itself from the
rational thinking. That's why we prefer to use the distinc-
tion rational - non-rational.
conclusion
logic
analysis
facts ;
rational thinking daily conscious
ON
non-rational feeling daily non-conscious
belief
vision
idea
intuition
Our experience and insights acquired through anthropology
tell us that usually men are closer to their thinking and
will and women are closer to their feeling and their being
there. With men, the left side of the brain is active and
with women the right side of the brain. In spite of the
individual variations of the species, the body of the man
and of the woman are in essence differently orientated. This
‘can be observed into the smallest unity. For instance, when ~
one looks at the eggcell and the spermatozoon?) the
following characteristics are striking:
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round unity straight, consisting of two
units
relative rest, waiting mobile, heading for its aim
has to be conduced into coming into motion out of its
motion own initiative
receive penetrate
relatively soft relatively hard
one or a few one out of many, who will be
the first
Every human being stems from a fusion. But immediately
afterwards the one starts to prepare itself for the produc-
tion of eggcells again and the other for the production of
spermatozoons.
Obviously in the duality that every human being is, there is
a main accent for man and woman:
man - action, straight heading for its aim, has to be
there first, splits something open on penetration
woman - being there, round, waiting, receiving, unity.
Now it is easy to slip into the simplification: thus men and
women are so, respectively "action and willpower" and "being
there, presence". But every human being is unique. There are
still many other constitutional and social factors. On top
of that it depends to a large extent on how, every individual
handles those data. The spiritual power of the human being
guides him or her, amongst alli the powers that influence her
or him, to what he or she wants tao become.
But apart from this individual aspect it is known that men
and women can be distinguished as a species. They behave
differently and apart from the physical distinction they are
psychically different. It is known that the behaviour has to
do with inner psychic factors and with physical conditions.
It is also known, that psyche (or soul) and body interact.
With the example of the eggcell and the spermatozoon we have
demonstrated charateristic differences between the body of
the man and woman. This distinction determines the behaviour
of men and women, often mainly instinctively. As an indivi-
dual one has to take this into account. It is not so easy to
observe this free from sympathy or antipathy. For that
purpose one has to make an appeal to one's own spiritual
centre. Getting to know and getting control over your
instinctive behaviour demands a strong input and training of
your soul. ;
Apart from the physical difference there exists also a
difference in psychic constellation between man and woman.
The soul or psyche is pre-eminently the field of the
relation. To be in relation with an other human being, with
yourself and with life. The soul is also rich in feelings,
thoughts and will-impulses. Carl and Emma Jung4) talk as
psychologists with regard to the difference between man and
woman about anima and animus. The man has his anima, the
feminine which is more or less hidden for him. The woman
equally has her animus, the masculine. It is difficult for
women to get in touch with their animus. Likewise it is
difficult for men to get in touch with their anima. The
masculine comprises the thinking which objectivates from a
distance life, one self or an other human being. But it also
comprises the act which imposes his will on other people. ©
The feminine seeks, through talking and acting, the con-
nection with life, oneself or an other human being. And in
that process she reacts with her feeling. A question that is
difficult for a woman to answer, is for instance: "So, what
do you want?". For a man a difficult question for example
is: "And what do you feel?". However, they will both deny
that those questions are difficult for them.
Here again is the pitfall of categorising, which makes one
loose sight of the individual. But the above mentioned
specific facets hinder the human being or give him or her
pleasure and benefit.
The duality of the human being is beautifully represented
to us in the Chinese Yin-Yang sign - In the Yin is a
residue from Yang, and in the Yang a residue from
Yin.
But. there is no distinction in the spirit. The spiritual
centre of the human being is neither feminine nor masculine;
is neither man nor woman; but is human being: I am, who I
am. And to this the intuition is linked. Intuition is some-
thing different from the feeling or an idea. It dis-
tinguishes itself from the feminine, although women have
more favourable conditions to get in touch with it. It
distinguishes itself also from the masculine and is present
in him, in spite of the more unfavourable conditions for the
man.
It demands connection and presence of the human being
without domination. It demands in the human being the
masculine as well as the feminine. Intuition is also
something that cannot be seized rationally, but that can be
understood. It can be observed innerly and this can be
consciously trained’). It is therefore important to come
into contact with-your soul essence, with your source of
life, which feeds you and which silts up time and again
because of the dust of your daily life. This source has to
be dug up time and again in order to make it sing®).
Intuition, masculine and feminine, can both be fitted in the
following scheme:
Intuition
Human being
I am, who I am
Man ( 0’) Woman ( )
thinking feeling
rational non-rational
act being there
Until recently, men worked "outdoors" in the socio-econo-
mical, socio-political labour-system. And women worked
"indoors" in the private atmosphere and in what we call
nowadays, voluntary work. In the meantime, in the outdoor
world, rational thinking and action were considered of a
higher value. In the intimate private atmosphere indoors one
was allowed to show one's feelings and emotions, one was
allowed to behave differently and being there as one is.
This way women remained excluded from the one-sided ratio-
nalism, and the men (because of their being Fascinated or
absorbed by their work outdoors), remained estranged from
the non-rational side of our being a human being. The women
became guardians (for the men) of that other part. From both
sides men and women demanded their share and consolidated
the other party in their role, position and contribution.
Through. the work of psychologists (Freud, Adler, Jung,
Assagioli, Frankl, Maslow, Lewin, Rogers, Perls - to mention
a few on both sides of the ocean),through the struggle of
women to be able to play a part outdoors and through the
boundaries of rationalism (which we experience now in a lot
of places) people in the labour-system have become more and
more conscious of that other field: the non-rational. In
that context we look for instance at the actual interest in
transformation, quality, client-orientation and organisa-
tion-culture. A fascinating element in this development_is
the introduction of the following "management-triangle"/):
strategy
(will for action)
structure culture
(thinking) (feeling)
Fascinating, because this scheme with regard to aspects of
the organisation resembles much the anthropological scheme
which we gave before. In the above-mentioned scheme the
structural, rational aspect is the masculine and the cul-
tural, feeling aspect is the feminine.
The strategy would then have something to do with the
identity of the organisation. The centre from which de-
liberately direction is given to the future actions of
people in the organisation. When the manager develops in
himself/herself the structural, rational and the cultural,
feeling, he or she can get the right intuitions for his or
her organisation. And from there strategy will come forth.
rae 4
Literature
1 - The developing group M/V, consisting of: Erwin van
Asbeck (oud NPl-er), Jet van Bruggen (Hoofd opleidingen
van Orde van Advocaten), Wouter van der Gaag (NPI), Kees
Locher (NPI), Floor Schiffers (zelfstandig organisatie-
adviseur) Jerry Schéttelndreier (NPI), Nina Schuilwerwe
(hoofd welzijn Gemeente Dordrecht), Franka van de Ven
(NPI).
2 - Henry Mintzberg: Crafting Strategy, Harvard
BusinessReview, 1977
Hannie Nathans: Intuitie is te leren, Opleiding
enOntwikkeling, 1989-3
Peter Dieleman: Een logisch gevolg van alle ver-
snellingen, maar hoe beheers je
het? Een interview met dr. P.
Winsemius, Bedrijfskundige
Berichten, 1988/89.
3 - Wolfgang Gadeke: Man en vrouw - het kleine ver-
schil.
In Huwelijk en relatie, Vrij
Geestesleven, 1988 °
4 - €.G. Jung: Het ik en het onbewuste, Servire,
1981
Emma Jung: Anima en Animus, Lemniscaat, 1983
5 - Rudolf Steiner: De trappen van het hogere bewust-
zijn, imaginatie-inspiratie-intul
Hannie Nathans: Intuitie is te leren, Opleiding
enOntwikkeling, 1989-3
6 - Antoine de Saint- De kleine prins, Hfdst. XXV-,
Exupéry Donker N.V., 1951
7 - J.B. Brouwer en Workshop "De rol van mannen bij
drs. N. van Oosten: positieve actie in arbeidsorgani-
saties." In congres Positieve
Actie,Intermediair Seminars, 47
april 1989, Amsterdam.
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