During a conversation with one of my mentors, I became aware of the essential difference and the vital connection between sensing and sense-making.
Sensing is the ability to perceive something even if often we can't describe it. It's an innate capacity of our intuitive intelligence that allows us to sense the energy and vibrations of the universe, the one within and the one around us. It is at the base of empathy and compassion.
Sense-making is the ability to find or give meaning to something, to create a logical frame to explain what we experience. It is mostly a cognitive ability.
Our material society favours sense-making. We spend most of our time in school learning how to make sense of everything. Mainly because "making sense of things" is what is supposed to help you move forward in life and have success. Though, a lot of studies proved that very successful people also have a high ability to sense. Emotional Intelligence is now widely considered essential for a successful life.
Sensing and sense-making are activities of different "muscles", but only when they work together, we can express our full potential. A high ability to sense that is not matched by a developed capacity of sense-making can easily lead to a sense of overwhelming. Sense-making without the ability to sense is like an empty shell, dry and non-generative.
How can we develop our ability to make sense of the world without losing our capacity to sense it? And how can we awaken our dormant innate ability to sense?
I have the feeling that "art" is an excellent answer to both questions.