Chapter 13: Sensing as a Hidden Superpower
Nine months to one of the fiercest examinations in Singapore the "PSLE", Eshan’s sensory journey through learning and Jake’s reflective interview experience—into a unified narrative with clarity.
STORY BY WYBIE AND ESHAN | CHALLENGES BY WYBIE
A. THE PASSAGE
Chapter 1: Small Moments, Big Signals
Nine months to PSLE….
PSLE stands for Primary School Leaving Examination.
It is a national examination in Singapore taken by students at the end of Primary 6 (around age 12). The PSLE assesses students' proficiency in:
English Language
Mother Tongue Language (e.g., Chinese, Malay, Tamil)
Mathematics
Science
While most students were beginning to feel the exam season creeping in—notes thickening, teachers nudging toward assessments—there was still space for moments that felt unforced.
For Eshan, it began in the canteen. He had just left Math class, where they were exploring fractions and ratios—how parts come together to form wholes, and how what we see isn’t always the full picture.
That thought followed him into the noisy canteen, where Bryan sat alone, his tray untouched. His spoon traced slow circles on his rice, as if stirring time. Eshan didn’t ask questions. He just sat beside him.
No words. Just presence.
Eventually, Bryan said, “Thanks.”
That was enough.
And Eshan made a connection:
People are like fractions. They can look whole but still be missing parts inside.
He didn’t know the term for it yet, but that was emotional awareness—noticing without being told.
Chapter 2: Focus Like Light
Later that day, in Science, they studied light—how it bends, reflects, finds its way around obstacles.
As the teacher demonstrated reflection using a mirror and laser pointer, Eshan noticed something else: his hand trembling. His mind buzzing. He’d rushed breakfast. Overthought a comment he made earlier.
He exhaled. Loosened his grip. Realigned his focus.
Maybe focus is like light—you don’t push it. You guide it.
That was interoception—reading internal signals so you can redirect energy instead of resisting it.
Then came English. Character monologues. Alya read hers with rhythm and heart. Her tone shifted with emotion, not as an act but an understanding. Eshan noticed the beats in her voice. When it was his turn, he mirrored that feeling—pausing at uncertainty, amplifying hope.
He thought of angles in Math. The right one changes everything. Just like a well-placed pause in a sentence.
That was sensory learning—letting tone and timing deepen understanding.
Chapter 3: Learning Without a Script
While Eshan navigated classrooms through sensing and reflection, another student, Jake, was learning on a different path.
Jake always knew he absorbed life differently. While others buried themselves in books, he longed for something he could touch, hear, feel. He did study. He did what was expected. But his favorite kind of learning—experiential—was often sidelined.
Until the day his older brother asked him for help on an interview assignment.
Confused but intrigued, Jake agreed.
The question?
"What is a place that moved you?"
At first, Jake struggled. His classmates picked safe, familiar choices—home, school. He chose the woods.
But his first answers were flat. It wasn’t until he stopped trying to sound right and started feeling right that it clicked.
He remembered the trees, the hush of wind through branches, the eerie peace that never felt threatening. How the woods gave him stories, ideas, characters. He even sketched a scene using only sticks he’d collected—an instinctive gesture that made the experience vivid.
The interview transformed into something more—part narrative, part atmosphere. A podcast-like conversation that wasn’t just heard, but felt.
And it scored well—not because it followed rules, but because it was real.
Chapter 4: Sensing People, Sensing Self
Back at school, Eshan was in a group activity on the digestive system. Roles were handed out quickly. But one student, Kai, stayed quiet, doodling spirals on the back of his worksheet—shapes of intestines, repeating.
Instead of assigning him a role, Eshan asked, “You’re good at drawing, right? Want to lead the visuals?”
That small shift lit something in Kai. He smiled. Took the lead. The energy changed.
Like digestion, Eshan thought—it doesn’t start where we expect. It begins with sensing. With noticing.
That was attunement—feeling the group’s rhythm and nudging it into balance.
Epilogue: When Feeling Becomes Learning
On the bus ride home, Eshan leaned on the window, sunlight filtering through like the diffused light they learned about. The streets passed in angles and patterns, like puzzles waiting to be explored.
He thought about Bryan’s stillness. Alya’s tone. Kai’s spiral doodles. Jake’s woods.
Learning wasn’t just about facts.
It was about what you sense. How you adjust. Where you connect.
Because whether it’s in a canteen, a forest, or a classroom—real learning often begins before the lesson starts. In the small, quiet signals.
And once you start picking them up, everything begins to make sense.
JOIN US THIS WEEK ON 12 APR @ THE EXPO and let’s discuss your academic notes on Sensing from the WATCHFUL SPIRIT module.
ZOOM ID : 769 712 5558 (click ZOOM for the link or use the ZOOM ID)
PASS CODE : MEET
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM SINGAPORE TIME
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM VIETNAMESE TIME
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM INDIAN STANDARD TIME
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM OMAN TIME
The agenda this week
score board - Self reflection for Wybie and Mihf
challenges for the week
practical use of school knowledge.
New chapter 14
B. THE CHALLENGE :
Make sure to read the whole passage — it shows how these challenges link to what you learn at school, and that’s key to how you’ll be scored.
Sensing isn’t just something your eyes, ears, nose, skin, or tongue do. Your mind also helps you sense and understand the world.
Your brain collects information from your body—like how something feels, sounds, smells, or tastes—and turns it into thoughts or feelings.
That’s how you know when something is hot, cold, funny, or scary—your brain is helping you sense and understand what’s going on.
Some smart people, like a man named Carl Jung, said sensing is one way our mind learns new things. It’s like one of the brain’s “superpowers” to notice things happening right now, right around us.
There’s also something called interoception—that’s your brain listening to the inside of your body. Like when your tummy feels hungry, or your heart beats fast when you’re nervous. That’s also a kind of sensing!
So, when we say "sensing with your mind," we mean that your brain is noticing, feeling, and thinking about what’s happening—inside and outside of you. It's one of the coolest things your brain can do!
Your Mind’s Super Sensing Skills:
Intuition – Trusting your gut feeling when something feels right or wrong, even if no one says it out loud.
Adaptability – Changing how you act when something around you changes — like when a plan changes and you stay calm.
Attunement – Paying close attention so you can match the energy or mood of people and places.
Emotional Awareness – Noticing small changes in how you or others feel — like sensing when someone is upset before they say anything.
Perception – Spotting tiny clues in people’s faces, voices, or behavior to understand what’s really happening.
Empathy – Feeling what someone else is feeling and showing that you care.
Sensory Engagement – Using all your senses (eyes, ears, nose, hands, heart) to enjoy and understand things more deeply.
Foresight – Sensing what might happen next, like a mental “sneak peek” into the future.
Self-Awareness – Noticing what’s going on inside you — like when your heart beats fast or your body feels tight — and knowing why.
What Am I Really Learning? – A School Subject Breakdown –
Language Arts & Creative Writing
Narrative Skills: Turning a real event into a story with mystery or fantasy.
Point of View: Rewriting from someone else's perspective (a ghost, your future self).
Voice & Tone: Learning how the way you say something affects how others feel it.
Drama & Public Speaking
Voice Acting: Using your voice to act out emotions — whispering for suspense, loud for drama.
Storytelling Performance: Practicing rhythm, volume, and pacing to make your story come alive.
Sensory Learning & Descriptive Writing
Using All 5 Senses: Describing not just what you saw, but what you heard, smelled, touched, and felt.
Abstract Expression: Learning to describe feelings using colors, sounds, and textures.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Self-Awareness: Recognizing how a moment made you feel.
Empathy: Imagining how others might feel or experience the same moment.
Emotional Expression: Turning feelings into stories or performance.
Science
Neuroscience (Brain & Senses): You're learning how the brain collects data from your body to create memory and emotion.
Perception Science: Understanding that two people can experience the same event differently based on how their brain processes sound, light, and touch.
Environmental Cues: Picking up on how temperature, light, noise, and space affect your mood — this is what scientists call stimulus-response.
Fun Fact: When you sense something “off” or magical, your brain is combining sensory input with emotional memory — scientists call this neuroassociation.
Have you had that when you studied something?
Mathematics
Patterns & Prediction (Foresight): When you sense that something is about to happen, you’re recognizing patterns — just like in math when you predict the next number in a sequence.
Timing & Measurement: In voice acting, you’re playing with timing — fast or slow, short or long pauses. That’s an intuitive sense of duration and rhythm, which links to time measurement in math.
Symmetry & Structure in Storytelling: Good stories often follow patterns — setup, tension, resolution. Recognizing these is like recognizing shapes and sequences in math.
Bonus Concept: When you build a “sensory postcard” or “memory jar,” you’re also learning about classification — grouping things based on properties (touch, sound, smell) — a key part of both math and science.
Take a minute to think if you have been able to do this in school - there must have been something - recall the number of times you seem to have done this!
Final Takeaway: A Superpowered Brain Workout!
When you use all these sensing skills together, it’s like your brain becomes a wise guide. You start understanding more, helping others better, and making smarter decisions.
“Want to discover the secret powers hidden inside your mind? Let’s begin your training - it starts at school.”
Read MORE… from our collaborator’s library
Read and place your comments on the substack- come back here and share with us how you felt - a deeper meaning.
C : THE LEARNING SPACE – SESSION SUMMARY
12 April 2025
Facilitator: Wybie
Theme: Sensing Beyond the Surface
INDEX
1. RACI performance
2. Sessions Overview
3. Evaluation
4. Wrapping Up
RACI Performace
Overall RACI Health Score: 87%
100 % performance by Wybie - But others need to improve comment
93% from MIHF and he is still short - but has made significant improvement since the last time.
SESSIONS OVERVIEW
🧘 Mindfulness Session
The session began with a calming welcome from SAHN, highlighting the importance of centering the mind before diving into deeper reflections. A guided “Five-Finger Breathing” exercise was introduced via video.
Instructions:
Stretch your fingers wide.
Use your index finger to slowly trace each finger of the opposite hand.
Inhale while tracing upward, exhale while tracing downward.
Repeat on both hands—either physically or visually—aligned with your breath.
🌀 Objective: Not just physical relaxation, but mental anchoring—shifting attention to the present moment to prepare for deeper sensing and learning.
🙌 Introduction & Icebreaker
Participants, both returning and new, introduced themselves:
Wybie – Student in Vietnam and main facilitator.
Minh Anh, Emma, Richard, Cloudy – Students from Vietnam.
Mr. Rajesh Achanta – A thought leader based in Singapore, returning guest speaker.
🔍 Core Discussion – Sensing vs Observing
Guiding Question: What is sensing, and how is it different from observing?
💬 Participant Insights:
BLC OP: “Sensing is about decoding emotions and atmosphere into personal language.”
Elf: “Observing is quick; sensing means tuning in—it's deeper and more detailed.”
JFP: “Observation uses one sense. Sensing engages all five senses and even the imagination.”
Emma: “Sensing activates when we're awake. It’s how we fully experience the world.”
Richard: Used scuba diving as a metaphor for immersive sensing in new environments.
🎙️ Mr. Rajesh’s Story: The Grass Remembers In a forest ruled by the eagle (protector but selfish), dragon (watcher but inactive), and bear (asleep but dreaming), the lambs quietly changed the ecosystem through subtle actions. Over time, even the dominant forces sensed the shift—but the lambs kept grazing, and the grass remembered.
Discussion Prompt: Which animal do you relate to, and why?
BLC OP: The bear—quiet observer with unseen depth.
Richard: The lambs—small actions, big impact.
Wybie: Connected the bear's dreams to subconscious sensing.
💭 Reflection Prompt
Question: What do you sense in your world that adults might miss?
Richard: Kids often feel joy more deeply in simple moments.
Wybie: Young people adapt quickly to tech and learning styles—emotional learning today is overlooked by adults.
Sensing is deeper than observing. While observing can be passive and visual, sensing requires full-body awareness—engaging with emotions, energy, environment, and unspoken cues.
🧩 Challenge of the Week
📘 Story: "Corvus" by BLC OP
Corvus, a solitary crow, lives in shadows and carries messages. After witnessing a girl's sorrow, he sings a melody that brings quiet miracles. Though he returns to solitude, the moment of emotional connection stays with him.
Reflection:
“Emotional sensing is heavy—it’s not just a skill but a burden.”
Feedback:
Wybie: Praised the symbolism and emotional weight.
SAHN: Commended the reflective depth.
Q&A Highlights:
Should Corvus stay in the shadows or come into the light?
→ “His nature is observation. Connection sparked hope, but solitude brings clarity.”Why does Corvus observe?
→ “It’s how he feels safe and makes sense of the world.”
🌌 Story: "Cythera" by JFP
After a fall from a bike, the protagonist enters a surreal world where their bicycle becomes “Veloceron,” a mythical creature. The adventure includes glowing skies, floating cities, and talking ravens.
Reflection:
“Sometimes a fall is the start of flight.”
Feedback:
Wybie: Noted improved structure and clear reflection.
Q&A:Why did the story stand out?
→ “It made me think differently.”Any real-life inspiration?
→ “Inspired partly by Geronimo Stilton, but the story is my own.”
🌿 Reflection: Balinese Restaurant by ELF
ELF recalled a visit to a restaurant resembling a peaceful village—birds chirping, rabbits roaming, rich aromas. A rabbit gently tugged on their shirt, creating a magical moment of human-nature harmony.
Reflection:
“It wasn’t just visual. I felt that place—its peace, its magic.”
Feedback:
Wybie: Admired the vivid sensory details and emotional grounding.
Q&A:
Why was it memorable?
→ “Because it felt natural—animals unafraid, humans at peace.”
🌟 Thought for the Day
Curated by BCDF: An animated video featuring Lionel Messi, highlighting persistence, purpose, and self-belief against all odds.
🎥 Video Message Summary:
BCDF shared a video that depicted Messi's journey—his growth defect, emotional setbacks, missed goals, and ultimate perseverance. The key quote repeated in the video was:
“When you have a dream to chase, nothing can stop you.”
This story was used as a metaphor for mindset development—emphasizing determination, discipline, and the refusal to give up, even when faced with physical limitations or failure.
💬 Key Messages from BCDF:
“Everybody can have and should have dreams.”
“Work hard. Never leave. Never give up.”
“You have to approach the people who can help and be ready to work for your goal.”
🌱 Essence of the Thought:
The core mindset message from BCDF was:
Dreams are not enough—you must combine belief, hard work, and persistence. The journey may have obstacles, but the fire within can take you through.
It was a heartfelt closing that bridged personal inspiration with a universal lesson on resilience and goal-setting.
Evaluations
1. Wybie – The Facilitator
Strengths:
Wybie demonstrated clear leadership and a natural flair for facilitation. He managed technical disruptions with calm, guided introductions with respect, and seamlessly transitioned between participants. His ability to ask reflective questions—such as the distinction between "observing" and "sensing"—stimulated layered thinking among attendees.Weaknesses:
While his facilitation was commendable, there is room to strengthen summarization and tighter transitions to maintain flow and engagement across longer sessions. He also lacked volume for his sessions and boldness in his voice. He was quick to concede and still had room to work out challenges. In short there was much room to improve on to improve excitment.
2. Richard – Participant
Strengths:
Richard emerged as a creative thinker with clear articulation. His analogy of being a scuba diver exploring the unknown showed a natural inclination towards imaginative and structured thought. He participated multiple times, showing curiosity and a willingness to reflect.Weaknesses:
His responses, while insightful, could benefit from clearer summarization and brevity. With practice, he can refine how he delivers long ideas in a more concise and structured manner.
3. Emma – Participant
Strengths:
Emma contributed confidently and introduced a unique angle linking dreams and senses. Her idea that the senses "activate" upon waking showed intuitive reflection and a conceptual leap.Weaknesses:
Emma would benefit from expanding on her ideas further and connecting her reflections to others' inputs. With encouragement, she can develop deeper reasoning and clarity in responses.
4. BLC OP – Participant
Strengths:
BLC OP offered thoughtful perspectives with maturity. His insights on miscommunication, quiet sensing, and how the lambs observed the disorientation of stronger animals were sharp and well-articulated. He exemplified critical thinking and metaphorical interpretation.Weaknesses:
Minimal. However, deeper interaction with peers’ views or challenging contrasting ideas could further enrich his contributions.
5. JfpThelast – Participant
Strengths:
JFP distinguished between observing and sensing with a layered understanding. His explanation that observing may involve just one sense (seeing), while sensing taps into multiple senses—even with eyes closed—was conceptually strong.Weaknesses:
JFP showed slight hesitation under pressure and would benefit from more practice in spontaneous articulation. Encouragement in structured speaking will help unlock greater clarity.
6. Minh Anh – Participant
Strengths:
Minh Anh showed willingness to participate despite language barriers and initial hesitation. Her re-engagement later in the session reflected perseverance and effort to contribute.Weaknesses:
She struggled with fluency and clarity, likely due to language limitations. Continued support and confidence-building opportunities will help her voice strengthen over time.
7.ELF001 – Participant
Strengths:
ELF001 contributed actively to the discussion, especially in differentiating between “observing” and “sensing.” She articulated that sensing goes beyond a quick visual scan—it involves engaging with the full spectrum of sensory input, including sounds, smells, and behavioral cues of people. Her detailed explanation added conceptual clarity to the session and helped bridge literal and emotional perception.Weaknesses:
While her content was rich, her delivery at times included fillers (“uh,” “you know”) and lacked structural sharpness. With practice in concise expression and pacing, her communication can become more impactful and audience-friendly.
What is one mindset, skill, or habit you noticed in others today that you’d like to strengthen in yourself?
Wrapping Up
Next Week’s Focus: Journaling
Read Chapter 14
Select the Challenge and Submit responses to challenges listed at the end of the article
Come prepared to share and reflect
📌 Also Discuss Next Week: Comments and questions from Chapter 13
Like:
- The reason why Mr. Rajesh let us watch a video
- The story that BLC OP made
Dislike:
- When the story "Corvus" was read, there was nothing to do
- It was strict but not too much just because we can't talk publicly
- Be more a bit like you know let the participants talk more
Emma would benefit from expanding on her ideas further and connecting her reflections to others' inputs. With encouragement, she can develop deeper reasoning and clarity in responses.
I don't fully understand can you tell me in detail what should I do.