There is a common misconception that only certain people are intuitive, that it is purely a metaphysical skill. A quote that really changed my perception of intuition was discussed by an author who gave a discussion on the different  books on intuition and witchcraft she had written, âIntuition is a muscleâ. But this would mean that everyone has this muscle! Many people feel barred from even trying to do magic, pick up a tarot deck or rune set, communicate with a passed relative, or even consult with their deity or god because they believe they are not intuitive. Coming from someone who is naturally gullible / somewhat naive, I want to talk a bit about what intuition is and how anyone can become more intuitive.
The best way I can define intuition concisely is the ability to understand or know information immediately, without any conscious reasoning or evidence. The ability to know something without being told or being shown proof. This may sound completely foreign or impossible, so let me provide some context. Have you ever heard the phrase âThe tension was so thick you could cut it with a knifeâ? Have you ever gotten a âbad vibeâ from someone and avoided them? That is your intuition at work! Â Even interpreting emotional context based on someoneâs vocal tone, pitch, body language, are forms of intuitive understanding.Â
It may seem strange to think social nuances we have been trained to observe and interpret since the day we were born could involve intuition, but think about it. Is there any physical evidence or conscious reasoning to explain tension that is literally palpable? Is there physical proof that when someone speaks in a certain tone or pitch, or moves in a certain way, that they are angry? No, these are just things we have trained ourselves to understand. A form of intuition. But of course, this may not translate over to tarot, or spirit and deity communication as easily as one would like.
When discussing how intuition works exactly, we have to discuss what exactly someone who is intuitive actually senses. I look at intuition as a form of energy work. Lets briefly discuss the âThick Tensionâ example. Tension from a conversation is not a physical concept in that it is not a literal brick that has weight when held in someoneâs hand. But the conversation still disrupted the surrounding area, due to the energy that conversation created. Think about how different emotions feel like different things. Many describe anger as sharp, jabbing, thick. Sadness is often equated with water, such as when someone is âpouring their heart outâ. Â Although emotions are not bricks, the energy they have creates a physical disturbance. intuition includes being able to interpret those energies even though they canât be given physical evidence of existing.
There are a variety of different ways to sense energy, many of which include employing clair senses. Clair senses refer to the ability to have intuitive understanding through our senses, the discussion of which could take up many more posts, but I will link resources at the end of this post. Some of the kinds you may be familiar with include clairvoyance, clairaudience, claircognizance, and clairempathy (also known as being and âempathâ). Â
So how can I improve my intuition?
Well, it depends on what you want to be able to do! But I will link and discuss a multitude of different exercises and things you can do to improve your intuition.
Be aware of physical sensations when speaking with others or entering situations. Do you feel at ease with someone even though you donât know them? Or do you have a sinking feeling in your stomach that you are trying to ignore? Listen to your gut! More often than not, you will find your âhunchâ being right, especially as you practice.
Practice divination! I am not just saying this because I love divination, Iâm saying this because I primarily improved my claircognizance through using divination. I used to not really have hunches, but now I have extremely accurate ones after 3 years of practicing tarot reading and other forms of divination.Â
Keep a dream journal and try to start interpreting your dreams. As nonsensical as they may seem, if you research symbolism, you may begin to see patterns in your dreams that reflect the main  problems or situations in your life. I know I have! And I rarely remember my dreams.
Practice identifying objects without looking at them. This is a fun sensory game for most, but with time and more difficult items, you may be able to sense the energy of the item itself, see an image of it in your minds eye, hear a sound it makes, etc. If you want to amp this up, close your eyes and walk through a room while trying not to bump into anything! This is great for practicing sensing the auraâs of objects, and the more you can sense, the more you can try to interpret.
The next two exercises I am taking from Ellen Douganâs book âThe Natural Psychicâ.
The first is practicing using your senses, and requires you to journal for four days.
You should focus on your environment as if you are seeing it for the first time. When you enter a new room or landmark, you scan teh area to get a lay of the land, right? Take time to notice colors, shapes, people and items that catch your attention. How do these make you feel? Write down what you notice.
No background music today! We drown out a lot of the sounds in our environment to focus on individual tasks. Today, spend time listening to your environment, what do you hear? It would be great to go to a nature location during this day. Take note of what you hear and how it makes you feel.
At this point, you should be getting the drill. When you touch items today, really spend time touching them. Feel the fabric of your clothing as you get dressed, your keyboard and mouse when you type, feel your own pulse, pet your animals. How do you feel when touching different items, and how does touch impact others, such as your pets?
Today we focus on our emotions, and how our environment makes us feel. Take note of how certain environments, certain people, make you feel. You can do this with plants as well! Take note of what you sense.
The second is the ace of spades exercise, and requires a deck of cards.
Take the ace of hearts, the ace of diamonds, and the ace of spades out of the deck. Place all three face down on a flat surface and then mix them up before lining them up in a row. Go over each card one at a time and try to figure out which one is the ace of spades. Turn it over to see if youâre right! For a trial run, do this no more than 10 times in one sitting, and note how many times you were correct. This is a great way to identify what clair senses you may be employing. Answer these questions about the times you were correct,
Did you âjust knowâ it was that card, a feeling in your gut?
Did you know it was the card when you touched it?
Did your inner voice tell you which one it was?
Did you feel an emotional response?
Did you see the card in your mindâs eye?
Other Resources:
http://www.okinhealth.com/articles/10-clairsenses-intuition-emily-matweow
https://consciouslifenews.com/8-simple-way-to-boost-your-clairvoyant-abilities85450/1185450/#
âThe Natural Psychicâ by Ellen Dougan
https://powerpriestess.tumblr.com/post/176034234934/clairvoyance-101
https://ghosthuntingrebelwitch.tumblr.com/post/169571479633/developing-your-super-senses-in-particular
https://messageinthecrystal.tumblr.com/post/178155680555/empath-info
http://rosymystic.tumblr.com/post/177522966777/smalls-ways-to-develop-intuition
Many thanks to dislocated-cannibal here on tumblr, who is my mentor for energy work, as well as other things, who discussed the concept of emotions creating a n energy we an feel with me at length. Please check them out! http://dislocated-cannibal.tumblr.com/
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