The Sixth Sense
We've all heard remarkable stories of animal intuition: lost pets finding their way home across vast distances, crows recognizing humans who harmed their kind, and countless other examples that defy conventional explanation. During my recent visit to South Africa, I witnessed this phenomenon firsthand as elephants detected approaching lions before any visual confirmation was possible.
This extraordinary sensitivity isn't limited to wild animals. My own cat would position herself at our back door minutes before I arrived home—a behavior my wife observed consistently, despite no apparent external cues signaling my approach.
The Elephant's Wisdom
My fascination with elephants led me to two profound books. Lawrence Anthony's "The Elephant Whisperer" chronicles his rehabilitation of a traumatized elephant herd at his South African reserve, Thula Thula. The bond he formed with these intelligent creatures transcended ordinary animal-human relationships. After Anthony's sudden death in March 2012, over 100 elephants—descendants of the seven he had rescued years earlier—traveled hundreds of miles to congregate at his home for two days. Remarkably, they continue to return annually on the anniversary of his passing.
Dame Daphne Sheldrick's "Love, Life and Elephants" further documents this phenomenon. As the first person to successfully raise newborn elephants, Sheldrick's memoir details countless instances of elephants demonstrating what appears to be a sixth sense—an intuitive knowledge that extends beyond conventional understanding.
Our Dormant Potential
This heightened awareness isn't exclusive to animals or plants—substantial scientific evidence now points to extra-sensory perception in humans as well. This might be expected given the size and complexity of the human brain, however that can work against our ability to access our sixth sense. That’s because our brains generate a continuous flow of thoughts which some have called “the monkey mind”. Albert Einstein said “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift,”
Most people have experienced intuitive moments: feeling negative "energy" from someone upon first meeting, thinking about a person moments before they call, or having an inexplicable sense about a situation that later proves accurate. The real question isn't whether this ability exists, but why we don't access it consistently.
The Busy Mind Barrier
Dr. George Pransky suggests that our "busy mind" blocks access to these intuitive capabilities. When our thoughts are crowded with daily concerns and endless mental chatter, we disconnect from our natural intuition. This constant internal noise—often called "monkey mind"—may be the root of various mental health challenges and our insatiable need for distraction through entertainment, physical pleasure, or substance use.
By learning to quiet our minds, we can create space for insight and intuition to emerge. When we reconnect with these deeper perceptive abilities, we tap into something essential for our wellbeing—whether we describe it as spiritual, mystical, or intuitive awareness.
This reconnection may be the key to true healing and wellness that many of us seek through external means. The resources I've included below offer practical guidance for developing your own sixth sense by quieting the mind and opening yourself to deeper awareness.
