newbee,
Also, do some people feel nothing at all and only relate to mitzvos out of a sense of intellect or obligation?
Sometimes. I tend to have varying degrees of experience in my relationship with Hashem.
Once on Yom Kippur during Mussaf, when the kohanim began their bracha, I sensed an intense energy radiating from their hands, somewhat like the feeling of direct sunlight on my face when my eyes are closed. Although there were no physical sensations, I would have feared to look directly at the kohanim had I tried to. Emotionally I felt very protected. Other times I do not feel anything special during bircas kohanim.
Once I was davening very intently for the success of something I was trying to accomplish, and if I was successful, it would have helped me Jewishly, so I thought Hashem would surely help me. Instead, events seemed to conspire to thwart me at every turn, and I was ultimately unsuccessful. I felt dejected and rejected. Several months later, however, a new opportunity came up that was far better than what I was previously trying to accomplish. Had I been successful previously, the new opportunity would never have come up. I once again felt very protected. Other times I have a more difficult time seeing the good in disappointments or frustrations.
Sometimes when I am learning Torah I get a sense of awe that what I am dealing with is not of human origin, but is in fact Divine. Other times, while intellectually aware of that fact, I don’t attain the sense of awe.
I have been slowly learning that kavannah is important, not just in davening, but in everything that I do.