The unspoken language of Intuition and Connection.
We feel more than we know and we know more than we can say.
The Bandwidth of Feeling: Beyond What We Know and Say
“We feel more than we know, and we know more than we can say.” This phrase captures the mysterious power of human perception—a bandwidth of feeling that stretches far beyond the limits of conscious knowledge. I’ve recently been reading The User Illusion: Cutting Consciousness Down to Size, and here Tor Nørretranders explores the idea that consciousness is just a narrow interface for navigating reality, filtering an overwhelmingly complex world into something manageable. He argues that much of our mental processing occurs outside conscious awareness, whereas feelings, intuitions, and subconscious insights play a guiding role in our decisions and relationships. He suggests that the “bandwidth of feeling” surpasses that of conscious thought, allowing us to sense and feel far more than we can explicitly know or articulate. Perhaps, as someone who isn’t neurotypical, my antennae are more attuned to different frequencies. Those closest to me often remark on this, noticing how I always seem to discover unique things or stumble into fascinating situations, or probably not concentrating.
Knowledge vs Feeling: A False Dichotomy?
Our culture often holds knowledge up as a form of power, valuing what we can quantify and communicate. But, as Nørretranders points out, knowledge alone captures only a fraction of our experience—what we’re aware of and can put into words. In contrast, feeling taps into a broader, richer dimension of perception that language struggles to hold. “We feel more than we know, and we know more than we can say” speaks to this layered understanding. Feeling taps into intuitions, instincts, and emotions that draw from countless sensory inputs we’re not fully conscious of. Knowledge may root us, but it’s feelings that elevates us to realms where language often falls short. Think of our deepest connections: friendship, love, our purpose. We can try to describe these emotions, but their real impact lies in how fully we experience them, often beyond what words can convey.The Role of Emotion in Creativity and Innovation
In creativity, feeling is where true originality and insight lie. We often talk about “gut feelings” or “creative intuition” as if they’re secondary to knowledge, yet they are frequently the force behind groundbreaking ideas. Nørretranders’ concept of layered understanding supports this, suggesting that creative sparks arise in spaces we feel but may never fully rationalise. This made me think of Primal Scream’s sentiment: “Don’t fight it—feel it” which reminds me of this. When we let go of trying to control or define every thought and allow ourselves to be guided by feeling, inspiration often finds us.Many creators describe moments of insight that seem to come out of nowhere, guided by feeling before logic. These moments—where we “know more than we can say”—are rich with intuition and meaning. They show that knowing isn’t always about facts; sometimes, it’s about sensing the truth of an idea before it can be articulated. This is the space where feeling meets knowing, the spark that fuels both innovation and art.
I often listen to podcasts that explore this phenomenon, the way an idea or a “life force” finds one person and then floats to the next. But that’s a topic for another article.
Building Trust and Connection in the Bandwidth of Feeling
The bandwidth of feeling is also where our deepest connections form. While knowledge can help us understand patterns, it’s our ability to feel that allows us to truly connect. Relationships grounded in empathy and shared experience go deeper than words or facts. Nørretranders’ insight that we can “know more than we can say” applies here, as much of our connection with others is felt and intuited rather than defined. Relationships based on genuine feeling go beyond breaking each other down into explainable parts; they’re about seeing each other as a whole, as a felt experience that words rarely do justice.Sometimes I hear a song while I’m out and about with my son, and it amplifies the moment tenfold, making it even more meaningful. I often add that track to a playlist afterwards, so I can anchor the memory and relive the moment.
The Limits of Language and the Strength of Silence
Language can only take us so far. Nørretranders describes “saying” as the narrowest bandwidth, where language falls short of capturing our full experience. Often, when we truly understand each other, words become secondary. A look, a touch, a shared silence can communicate more than language ever could. “We feel more than we know, and we know more than we can say” reminds us of the depth in human experience that words cannot reach. This silent bandwidth allows us to connect in ways that transcend language, creating bonds that are felt more than articulated.Moving Forward: Embracing Our Capacity to Feel
If we lean into this broader bandwidth of feeling, we might find a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other. Nørretranders’ work suggests that there is an unspoken knowledge within us, where feeling, knowing, and saying all intersect. Feeling lives at the deepest level, guiding us in ways logic alone cannot.Hey, I wouldn’t say I’m religious, but I’d describe myself as spiritual, into serendipity, about good vibes, and about opening yourself up to the ‘muse’ of a situation. And moving forward, perhaps it’s time to embrace this broader spectrum. Knowledge grounds us but feeling frees us to imagine, create, and connect beyond the limits of language. Embracing this full bandwidth of experience may be the truest way to explore and understand the rich complexity of what it means to truly a human be - ing.