In the early days of medicine, surgical students would perfect their sewing techniques on tree branches. 

Because when looking at an exposed bone in an amputation, human instinct is to recoil, not cut.

 get out of the habit of listening to instinct.

 

 So what about those times when there is no road map? Should we go with our gut then? If instinct is all we have, it's not always a bad thing. It can bring us wonderful places, joyful places.

 And it can also serve an important service, 'cause our gut is usually what warns us when trouble lies ahead.