Holistic introverted Intuiting (Ni-H) aka The Oracle in Relationships
Introverted Intuition is the dominant function for INTJ and INFJ types. According to recent research by Dr. Dario Nardi, it can show up in two flavors. This post outlines the holistic introverted intuition version.
In addition to my own experiences and interpretations, these are the resources I quote and/or reference:
Berens, L. V. and Nardi, D. (2004) Understanding Yourself and Others, An Introduction to the Personality Type Code, p.7 https://amzn.to/3Glt53J
Jones, J. H. and Sherman, R. G. (2011) Intimacy and Type, p. 35 https://amzn.to/47NHe5k
Jung, C. G. (1976 edition) Psychological Types (The Collected Works), p.368ff https://amzn.to/46CJGuy
Nardi, D. (2023) Decode Your Personality - Go Beyond Myers-Briggs With 64 Brain-Based Subtypes, p. 338ff https://amzn.to/3GoU6mL
Thomson, L. (1998) Personality Type, An Owners Manual, p. 35 https://amzn.to/4a3mxEy
This is the eighth post in a series where I’ll share what the Jungian functions look like in their 2 Nardian flavors, adding specifically how they might show up in romantic relationships. Yay we’re halfway through, we’re concluding with the perceiving functions today!
If you’re following the series, you will note there’s some repetition, but in case this is the one and only post you see, I want you to have all the information. So feel free to jump ahead.
My main references for this post are Carl Gustav Jung and Dr. Dario Nardi. Jung was a Swiss Psychiatrist who published his theory of psychological types in 1921, and Dario is a university professor, prolific researcher and author. He found evidence of psychological types in the neuroscience data captured by EEG assessments he’s been doing with people from all walks of life since 2006.
And in case we haven’t met, I’m Doris Füllgrabe, a certified coach with a masters in applied psychology, and I help people create happier, healthier relationships.
A few caveats before we begin, just to manage expectations and again in case this is the only post you follow:
1, these posts describe the functions in their purest state. Functions rarely show up in their purest state, as they interact with other functions and your brain is really active doing multiple things at any given time, like it’s figuring out whether you’re tired or thirsty right now.. So, you may not resonate with 100% of the description of this function 100% of the time, and that is normal.
2, these posts describe the function for this function type. You may not be this particular function type, which means this function may not be at the top or dominant in your consciousness. That’s ok, too, because it’s still in your system, you still have access to it, and paying attention to this function may help you recognize when it pops up out of your subconscious, so you can practice integrating it consciously. That will give you better control over it and you can reap its benefits.
With that, let’s move from the broad to the specific, starting with the function, Intuition as Jung called it, or Intuiting which is also used to describe it as a process, and then the function attitude introverted Intuition, then the flavor, holistic introverted Intuition, and finally how it shows up in relationships. Here we go.
The Intuiting function is one of the two irrational perceiving functions.
Irrational, because it’s just about experiencing, and perceiving because that’s literally what it’s doing.
The Intuiting function helps us appreciate underlying patterns and grasp “the bigger picture”, things that go beyond the immediate senses.
It gives us vivid imaginations and a curiosity about the as yet unknown.
It is creative and enthusiastic, novel and original, but also ingenious and geared towards freedom.
Dr. Linda Berens describes it this way:
“Intuiting is a process of becoming aware of abstract information, like symbols, conceptual patterns, and meanings. It is an intangible “knowing” of what something means, how it relates to something else, or what might happen. As an active perceptual process, it is more than a “sixth” sense. It often involves actively bringing together or forming ideas in novel ways. Sometimes this process is “triggered” by an external event, or sometimes this abstract information just seems to present itself to our awareness.”
Moving on to the function attitude, introverted Intuiting, which is the dominant function for INTJ and INFJ types.
What follows are Jung’s words, and he has a lot to say on the topic of introverted intuition. However, his language from 100 years ago is a little different from how we speak today. He’s quite male-centric, so uses he/him when describing all functions that aren’t Feeling types. He also uses the word “object” to describe anything and anyone outside of you, and “subject” to describe yourself, you, the person.
“Just as the extraverted intuitive is continually scenting out new possibilities, which he pursues with equal unconcern for his own welfare and for that of others, pressing on quite heedless of human considerations and tearing down what has just been built in his everlasting search for change, so the introverted intuitive moves from image to image, chasing after every possibility in the teeming womb of the unconscious, without establishing any connections between them and himself.”
He clarifies this by saying that since it’s a perceiving process, “the introverted intuitive has little consciousness of his own bodily existence or of its effect on others. The extravert would say: “reality does not exist for him, he gives himself up to fruitless fantasies.” But since these images represent possible views of the world which may give life a new potential, this function, which to the outside world is the strangest of all, is as indispensable to the total psychic economy as is the corresponding human type to the psychic life of a people. Had this type not existed, there would have been no prophets in Israel.”
So, impractical maybe, but definitely indispensable.
Jung’s model of the psyche supposes a personal and a collective unconscious, suggesting that “the accumulated experiences of organic life in general, a million times repeated, and condensed into archetypes” are the source of these introverted intuitive images. He describes the collective unconscious as an active and dynamic entity that can relay important messages to those who can perceive and decipher them.
He describes dominant introverted intuiting types as mystical dreamers and seers on the one hand, and artists and the crank on the other. A crank according to Jung is “content with a visionary idea by which he himself is shaped and determined”, which sounds a little like the analytic introverted intuiting type we talked about yesterday.
Jung also says these types are often completely aloof and away from tangible reality, frequently a misunderstood genius, or a great man “gone wrong”. When combining introverted intuition with a judging function, the question becomes “what does this mean for me or the world? and What emerges from this vision by the way of a duty or a task, for me or the world?”
But when it stays one-sided, these types stay in their heads and engage with the images for the images’ sake, adapting their life to their inner visions instead of to external reality. Which again adds to their being not easily understood by others.
So much for the function and the function attitude, now we’re moving into the flavor.
Dr. Nardi analyzed EEG data from his participants and found two distinct brain wirings. The one we’re looking at here is the holistic style, or flavor, which is focused on getting input and going with the flow.
It’s more open ended, and looks like patience and relaxation.
That’s not to say it’s flaky, it considers all aspects at once, which allows it to connect ideas in fresh and new ways.
Its approach is bottom-up, open to discovery and synergy, wherever the data might lead.
People of this style like to find new tools and solutions, and are so aware of their biases they might lack the confidence to make a change.
The style is often more auditory.
It pays attention to how things are said, but also ethics, intentions, and emotions.
Thinking is often figurative and might focus on identity and values, and they often describe using metaphors.
In business, it’s more comfortable with an egalitarian and collaborative approach.
Likely careers for those with a holistic style include creative arts, social services, humanistic pursuits, soft sciences, and multiculturalism.
Dario calls the holistic flavor of introverted Intuiting the “oracle.”
He describes the experience of this function as “getting into an altered state or a curtained state of consciousness, that is engaged with, dancing with a creative muse and the archetypal world in general”. Basically, it is out of this world, and probably what made contemporary and current scientists call Jung a mystic, because Jung described introverted Intuition in terms of imagination and spiritual experiences.
Oracles hold many interrelated insights lightly, and are open to transformation.
They connect to the many facets of the archetypal world, and this includes dream symbols, spirits, ancestors, basically connecting the material and spiritual worlds, like a shaman or a medium or a clairvoyant.
Oracles like this respond to other people’s questions, and potentially innovate for the group, although they’re generally not as productive as their Yang or analytic siblings, whose tunnel vision enables them to make progress towards realizing their goals more effectively.
Oracles cultivate an aesthetic or spiritual practice, and Dario says when overdone, they can be lazy and not just disorganized, but mentally confused. Since this function is neither prominent nor valued in today’s western society, oracles “easily satisfy themselves with dream analysis, tarot, and fantastical books, fairs, films, games, and so on.”
Now here’s a new addition in terms of caveats for the relationship portion of this information: based on a comment I received, I want to preface this and the following posts by saying that all types can and do have relationships with all other types. Just like you wouldn’t hire an employee based on their type, you shouldn’t choose a partner solely based on their type either, because yes, it explains a lot, but people are much more complex than that. Still, type is the best framework I know to understand, and then bridge our differences, no matter who you’re with.
Also, to my knowledge, there is no reliable statistical research into people’s types and sexual preferences as yet, so what I suggest may or may not resonate. However, if you’d like to take part in such research, please email me.
in dating
when dating a holistic introverted intuiting type, you’re probably attracted to their ethereal quality, their mystique, their deep kind of knowledge of the world that you know and feel is true, although they or you can’t quite prove it. I can see you going to Gregorian chants concerts or burning man, comparing notes on your last ayuhasca journey, but also do a drink-and-draw art class, doodling up mandalas or other geometric beauties. Whatever you end up doing, the date is probably going to feel quite intense. Hopefully in a good way.
in mating
as a sexual partner, again, I wonder if solo play might be their favorite past-time, since introverted intuiting is all about getting cosmic downloads, and fantasies are a great way to blur the lines. I can also imagine these types being fans of the Kama sutra and tantric practices, to experience, and facilitate experiences of, spiritual ecstasy with their partners. For holistic types, this may include group experiences as well, and they probably kiss with their eyes closed.
On the flip side, they may consider sex too mundane and earthly, it really depends on the individual. But I do think these types are affectionate either way, even if it’s not directly sexual or sensual.
in relating
As partners, these types may forego the usual societal trappings of formalizing a relationship. They will be most comfortable in a harmonious home, although they can also be stubborn and usually have a strong value system. In conflict, they may have a hard time showing how they arrived at whatever opinion or solution, because they might say they just “know” and that’ll be that. Careful when criticizing them though, they might be sensitive to feeling challenged - unless they’ve completely accepted that their trips into the collective unconscious are misunderstood by others, to a point where that reaction no longer affects their ego. Either way, you want to show them appreciation for who they are, as you would with all types.
Again, this information is meant as an overview of the function and its holistic flavor, it cannot describe all the nuances and individual idiosyncrasies - but I hope you now have a better idea.
If you think you have a holistic flavor of introverted Intuition, or a partner of that type, I’d love to hear from you!
