{"id":10228,"date":"2026-02-11T17:24:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrundgunnsteinsdottir.com\/?p=10228"},"modified":"2026-02-11T17:24:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:24:31","slug":"how-to-find-your-innsaei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrundgunnsteinsdottir.com\/is\/how-to-find-your-innsaei\/","title":{"rendered":"How to find your InnS\u00e6i"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally published on psyche<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In uncertain times, an Icelandic concept can help you reconnect with your intuition and follow your inner compass<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018InnS\u00e6i<\/em>\u2019, pronounced \u2018in-sy-ay\u2019, is an Icelandic concept that refers to the magnificent, complex, largely incomprehensible but fascinating world that exists within all of us. InnS\u00e6i merges two words: Inn<\/em>, translated as \u2018inside\u2019 or \u2018into\u2019, and S\u00e6i<\/em>, <\/em>derived from the verb \u2018to see\u2019 but also evoking s\u00e6r<\/em>, the word for \u2018sea\u2019. I love the alchemy of words and the way they can help us make sense of things. InnS\u00e6i poetically captures the nature of intuition and provides a framework for cultivating it. In this Guide I will show you how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

InnS\u00e6i has three meanings: the sea within; to see within; and to see from the inside out. The \u2018sea within\u2019 refers to the flow of your unconscious mind: a world of imagination, vision, sensing and emerging that works<\/a> much faster than the relatively slow, focused mind. To \u2018see within\u2019 refers to self-awareness and metacognition: the ability to see inside yourself, to discern intuition from your biases, fears and wishful thinking, and to know when you can rely on intuition and when not. Finally, to \u2018see from the inside out\u2019 implies a strong inner compass, which enables you to navigate and create your own path in the ever-changing ocean of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a world characterised by uncertainty, opportunities, speed and ceaseless attempts to numb our senses and hijack our attention, developing your InnS\u00e6i will give you clarity, focus and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know this all too well myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way out was in<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my late 20s, I hit a wall, lost direction in life, and descended into darkness. A series of crises brought me to my knees and forced me to connect within, to my intuition, as I had nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It started when I embarked on my dream career at the dawn of the 21st century, working for the United Nations in war-torn Kosovo, where I managed a small UN agency. Coming to Kosovo after the war was like walking into an open wound. I was determined to give it all I had, knowing that the people who\u2019d suffered war were my priority, and thinking that my wellbeing was not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You probably know the feeling I had at the time \u2013 that sense of overwhelm when faced with an urgent task, thinking that it will be OK, if only you work harder, try better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early 2002, I was travelling for work from Kosovo to Kazakhstan when I felt a terrible pain and started to bleed. I didn\u2019t think much of it, took painkillers and went on with work. It was only a couple of years later that I realised I\u2019d had a miscarriage. Instead of this being my wake-up call, I\u2019d just kept ploughing on, deepening my disconnection from my emotions and body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon after, I was in the unique position of having a guaranteed job at the UN for life. But the heavy bureaucracy and hierarchy at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland felt all-consuming. There, I felt my sense of drive and purpose get weaker, and I felt out of touch with the living world. It was as if we were serving a system instead of serving people and the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not long afterwards, I also started to go through difficulties in my personal life. The accumulated effect began to take its toll on my physical health. But then, in the middle of a turbulent, sleepless period, I experienced a precious moment of clarity, close by the sea near our home in Iceland. I realised deep down that I wanted a different life. I decided to leave my job at the UN: what followed was a period of uncertainty, healing, rehabilitation and finding my InnS\u00e6i.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My story about losing hope in life, about my body caving in, to alert me to my disconnection from within, is by no means unique. Many people all over the world have had similar experiences. Perhaps you have too?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to align with InnS\u00e6i and its rhythms meant that the world inside and around me started to move and flow. I had begun the process of healing. Let me share with you four ways that helped me\u00a0do it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key points:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. InnS\u00e6i is an Icelandic concept that poetically captures the nature of intuition and how to cultivate it.<\/strong>\u00a0InnS\u00e6i has three meanings: \u2018the sea within\u2019 (your unconscious); \u2018to see within\u2019 (self-awareness); and \u2018to see from the inside out\u2019 (a strong inner compass). You can find your InnS\u00e6i by following four exercises.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Connect with your gut.<\/strong>\u00a0Mind-body connection is necessary to be able to align with and hone your intuition through InnS\u00e6i. To practise, take some deep breaths, try asking yourself questions and see how your stomach reacts to them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Use journaling for mental clarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Keep a daily journal each day for 5-15 minutes. Don\u2019t analyse or judge your thoughts. Simply allow them to flow onto the piece of paper. Make sure you also tune in to your body as you write.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Keep an attention journal.\u00a0<\/strong>Carry your daily journal with you wherever you go and make a note of anything that captures your attention. Paying attention to your attention provides information about what you\u2019re allowing into your system \u2013 what\u2019s informing and shaping you, mostly unconsciously.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Cultivate a state of flow.<\/strong>\u00a0Choose a meaningful, challenging task that you really want to achieve, set aside 60 minutes of private time to focus on it (consider playing instrumental music in the background) and then let your ideas flow. Reflect afterwards on whether you manged to become fully immersed and lost track of time (a sign of flow). What would you do differently next time?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Connect with your gut (the sea within)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Mind-body connection is necessary to be able to align with and hone your intuition through InnS\u00e6i. Reading your body\u2019s signals (eg, your \u2018gut feelings\u2019) will help you tap into unconscious information: the sea within<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When something feels off, we talk about getting chills down our spine<\/a> or a gut reaction<\/a>. That\u2019s your cue to ask: what is my unconscious trying to tell me? Learning how to read your body signals is a matter of constant practice \u2013 you are the only one who can become an expert at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Take the example of a knot in the stomach. It could have different meanings. It might signify an urge to do something you\u2019ve been postponing, avoiding or are ready to do. Alternatively, a knot in the stomach may be telling you that you are about to do something that goes against your values. Honing your InnS\u00e6i will help you tell the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Learn to interpret your body\u2019s signals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s an exercise to help you practise interpreting your gut\u2019s signals. It\u2019s especially good if you are worried, stressed or anxious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n