Feeling Too Much

Trauma

Unimagined Sensitivities, Part 2

Michael Jawer on May 27, 2017

When elephants encounter their dead, they become quiet and tense.They also become agitated at the imminent death of a fellow. These behaviors are suggestive of mourning and grief.

When elephants encounter their dead, they become quiet and tense.They also become agitated at the imminent death of a fellow. These behaviors are suggestive of mourning and grief.

Spirituality

Unimagined Sensitivities, Part 1

Michael Jawer on May 27, 2017

While it would seem to be the end of sensitivity, death actually conjures up an amazing range of accounts that are highly relevant to sensitivity, in humans and many other animals.

While it would seem to be the end of sensitivity, death actually conjures up an amazing range of accounts that are highly relevant to sensitivity, in humans and many other animals.

Environment

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 7)

Michael Jawer on September 10, 2015

Sentient creatures share a profound connection, with one another and with nature. The concept of soul can be understood in context of this innately felt connection with creation.

Sentient creatures share a profound connection, with one another and with nature. The concept of soul can be understood in context of this innately felt connection with creation.

Spirituality

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 6)

Michael Jawer on September 5, 2015

Animals that express gratitude, that play, that contemplate nature, that mourn, or that save a fellow creature are all demonstrating aspects of connectedness. This connectedness – underpinned by the ability to feel and emote – is the core of spirituality. It really is a matter of “fellow feeling.”

Animals that express gratitude, that play, that contemplate nature, that mourn, or that save a fellow creature are all demonstrating aspects of connectedness. This connectedness – underpinned by the ability to feel and emote – is the core of spirituality. It really is a matter of “fellow feeling.”

Animal Behavior

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 5)

Michael Jawer on August 11, 2015

Strange but true occurrences suggest that what family members (including our pets) feel for one another bonds us in unusual ways. Such experiences could only be chalked up to sheer one-in-a-million chance were it not for their conjunction with deep emotion.

Strange but true occurrences suggest that what family members (including our pets) feel for one another bonds us in unusual ways. Such experiences could only be chalked up to sheer one-in-a-million chance were it not for their conjunction with deep emotion.

Environment

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 4)

Michael Jawer on August 8, 2015

Some animals have truly distinctive personalities. The passing of one such pet created an enduring mystery while also hinting at the spiritual nature of emotion-laden family ties.

Some animals have truly distinctive personalities. The passing of one such pet created an enduring mystery while also hinting at the spiritual nature of emotion-laden family ties.

Empathy

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 3)

Michael Jawer on August 6, 2015

Examples abound of non-human animals (dogs, pigs, bears, seals, gorillas, dolphins, whales) showing not only empathy but sympathy. In other words, these creatures not only possess an awareness of what someone else is feeling but they seek to alleviate the other’s plight.

Examples abound of non-human animals (dogs, pigs, bears, seals, gorillas, dolphins, whales) showing not only empathy but sympathy. In other words, these creatures not only possess an awareness of what someone else is feeling but they seek to alleviate the other’s plight.

Anger

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 2)

Michael Jawer on July 27, 2015

Evolutionary and behavioral science is giving credence to what Darwin observed and intuited 140 years ago. Studies indicate with a fair degree of certainty that animals have intense experiences comparable to human feelings of joy, anger, love, exuberance, delight, compassion, sorrow, and grief.

Evolutionary and behavioral science is giving credence to what Darwin observed and intuited 140 years ago. Studies indicate with a fair degree of certainty that animals have intense experiences comparable to human feelings of joy, anger, love, exuberance, delight, compassion, sorrow, and grief.

Fear

Living Closer to the Bone (Part 1)

Michael Jawer on July 18, 2015

If you’re a pet owner, then you know that these animals have feelings. Other mammals may even be more aware of feelings that human beings are, because they possess a ‘primary’ form of consciousness: they live closer to the bone, so to speak, than we do.

If you’re a pet owner, then you know that these animals have feelings. Other mammals may even be more aware of feelings that human beings are, because they possess a ‘primary’ form of consciousness: they live closer to the bone, so to speak, than we do.

Intelligence

Sensitivities as Markers of an Infinitude

Michael Jawer on December 16, 2014

The people I've been considering in this series - synesthetes, savants, the autistic, the highly sensitive, the gifted, the prodigious, the psychic - quite possibly retain a degree of access to the universal 'foreground' of all life.

The people I've been considering in this series - synesthetes, savants, the autistic, the highly sensitive, the gifted, the prodigious, the psychic - quite possibly retain a degree of access to the universal 'foreground' of all life.

Fear

Children Who Seemingly Remember Past Lives

Michael Jawer on December 13, 2014

Young children around the world are known to spontaneously volunteer recollections that seem to be about someone else’s life. Something truly significant is going on.

Young children around the world are known to spontaneously volunteer recollections that seem to be about someone else’s life. Something truly significant is going on.

Autism

The Sensory and the Psychical: A Link Worth Exploring

Michael Jawer on December 6, 2014

Genuine differences in sensory processing – and, consequently, a different sense of self – may relate to who reports anomalous perceptions and who generates psychical anomalies.

Genuine differences in sensory processing – and, consequently, a different sense of self – may relate to who reports anomalous perceptions and who generates psychical anomalies.

Memory

Children With "Out of the Blue" Knowledge

Michael Jawer on October 19, 2014

Young children sometimes blurt out statements about what moves them but seems very much beyond what they’ve read or encountered. Here, a closer look at a truly mystifying capacity.

Young children sometimes blurt out statements about what moves them but seems very much beyond what they’ve read or encountered. Here, a closer look at a truly mystifying capacity.

Intelligence

The Emotional Intensity and Complexity of Child Prodigies

Michael Jawer on September 27, 2014

Penetrating intellect, reservoir of energy, passion and drive, empathetic embrace of others – these qualities distinguish prodigies and other highly gifted children. Most striking of all, though, is their intuitive understanding that all life is connected.

Penetrating intellect, reservoir of energy, passion and drive, empathetic embrace of others – these qualities distinguish prodigies and other highly gifted children. Most striking of all, though, is their intuitive understanding that all life is connected.

Fear

The Reverberations of Fear

Michael Jawer on September 19, 2014

Extreme fear registers not just in the individual but can actually make his or her children - and his or her children's children - more sensitive to the same fearful stimuli.

Extreme fear registers not just in the individual but can actually make his or her children - and his or her children's children - more sensitive to the same fearful stimuli.

Autism

Knowing What You've Never Learned

Michael Jawer on September 1, 2014

What theory could possibly account for suddenly knowing something – intensively, thoroughly, and often obsessively – that you’ve never been taught? This is what happens with prodigies and savants.

What theory could possibly account for suddenly knowing something – intensively, thoroughly, and often obsessively – that you’ve never been taught? This is what happens with prodigies and savants.

Every savant draws upon a prodigious, almost uncanny memory. But what happens in the brain to cause this? And how do people sometimes become savants in a single stroke?

Autism

Daniel Tammet: An Autistic (and Synesthetic) Savant

Michael Jawer on August 16, 2014

The mind of Daniel Tammet, while exceptional in many ways, also reflects the experience of many types of highly sensitive people.

The mind of Daniel Tammet, while exceptional in many ways, also reflects the experience of many types of highly sensitive people.

Autism

Sense of Self in Autism

Michael Jawer on August 7, 2014

The way we process environmental and emotional stimuli has a direct bearing on our sense of self.

The way we process environmental and emotional stimuli has a direct bearing on our sense of self.

Autism could result from stressors acting on a pregnant mother's immune system.