Intuition is an experience or response that arises from something beyond logic or conscious thought. It is a little like gravity in that it is always present and influencing you whether or not you realise it. Your intuition might not look the way you expect it to. Unlike gravity, it becomes more potent once you become aware of and start experimenting with it.
Intuition is so much more than gut instinct. For a start, there are different types of intuition, and you can have a natural proclivity in one or all those areas. When Albert Einstein speaks about intuition he is mainly referring to cognitive intuition. This type of intuition can be experienced as an easy or immediate grasp of a new skill or task (and might also involve a degree of physical intuition). Cognitive intuition enhances perception, memory, problem-solving and decision-making. It also encompasses analytical intuition which is experienced as a leap of understanding or sudden insight in an area of familiarity.
Emotional intuition conveys the magical ability to sense how someone is feeling. This form of intuition is linked to empathy and the ability to make meaningful connections. While it is helpful for navigating social interactions, those with heightened or unrecognised emotional intuition tend to prefer small groups or one-on-one interactions.
We can learn a lot about intuition from writers, painters, musicians, sculptors, designers and innovators. Creative intuition is an acknowledged ingredient in the artistic process. It’s so openly accepted that it has its own language. A poet may be inspired by their muse and an author might lament the onset of writer’s block. Having words to discuss the intuitive process is so helpful! It normalises and encourages artists to work with their intuition and to recognise its absence. Are they born with creative intuition or is it developed over the hours and hours of repetitive (meditative) practice? In most cases, I think it’s a mix of the two.
By its very nature, intuition can feel mystical. It is, after all, a knowing that seems to come from beyond the known. An innate sense of the mythic or Divine is a manifestation of spiritual intuition. This form of intuition can imbue the mundane with meaning and transform a dream into a revelation. It can be very powerful and linked to a heightened sense of connection, morality, values, charity, justice and more.
I’ve worked and lived and played with psychics since I was young. Understanding the different types of intuition helped me solve the puzzle of how someone might (for example) have a mind-blowing knack for prophecy but lack empathy or compassion for how their blunt delivery makes someone feel. Yes, it can happen that a psychic might not have emotional intuition – just as a divinely inspired artist can have clumsy interpersonal skills or someone who understands your feelings so richly and empathically might not be the greatest decision-maker.
Acknowledging the different ways we all experience our intuition can be humbling and empowering. It can also transform mundane tasks into something magical. For example, editing can activate my cognitive, analytical, creative, emotional and spiritual intuition. Thus, what might be viewed as a laborious task becomes a heightened and fulfilling experience that deepens my connection with the author I am working with.
It is also interesting that acknowledging, developing and trusting one aspect of our intuition can boost others. I’ve often encountered people who believe they aren’t intuitive because the way they pick up on certain things is so organic, they don’t think anything of it. If you are one of those people who believe you aren’t intuitive, chances are it is so natural that you don’t even notice it — like gravity. Once you become aware of it, you’ll see the many ways it has been with you through every step of your journey. From there, you can take greater leaps of intuition.
Image features Oracle of the Wylder Ones: Messages and Affirmations from the Wylderness by Sharon McLeod with introduction and how-to by Leela J. Williams available from Tarotopia.
Connect with Leela at https://linktr.ee/leelajwilliams
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