What is Intuition
The Oxford Dictionary defines intuition as, “the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning”. For me this implies that it is a thought or idea that pops into your mind that has no immediate connection to your other thoughts at the time.
Your mind holds all the knowledge you have ever been subjected to. Everything from the moment your brain begins to function in-utero up until now is held in your mind. This means there’s a good chance that what you think is an intuitive thought could be information that you did in fact learn. It could possibility be a memory from a past life. When you think about it you might begin to question exactly what it means to be intuitive.
Gut Instinct
Then there’s the idea that intuition is connected to your gut instinct. Most of us have felt that at one point or another. You suddenly know or become confidently sure about something. It’s a feeling that centres in your solar plexus or abdomen and you totally trust and believe it. Is that intuition? Or is it a deep instinct that stems from our ancestors who relied on such knowing for their survival?
Intuition is sometimes lumped in with psychic abilities too. You could align it with clairvoyance or perhaps clairsentience. Could your intuition be a psychic ability?
Do we tap into something greater than ourselves when we activate our intuitive muscle?
One thing is for certain intuition is a slippery sense to define.
Intuitive Readings
When I do tarot card readings there’s a part of me that calls up the details I have learned about the cards by studying them. I recognise the symbols and connect them to meanings I have definitely learned. I mentally review a catalogue of sorts. And that can be entirely enough. I simply say what I see in the cards and they tell a very accurate story. However another part of me tunes into guidance from elsewhere. I reach out to feel, hear or see if there are any messages related to the cards I am viewing, and usually there are. I like to think that I commune with spirit. I’m not sure if this can be defined as intuition but it’s an acceptable term to use for now.
Spirit is another word that is difficult to define. It could be my higher self or universal energy. It could be some other kind of divine guidance. Whatever you choose to believe spirit is, I know that it is an energy that I trust implicitly. The more I work with spirit the easier it becomes to communicate with this energy and to understand the messages I receive. I’ve found that my willingness to listen for spirit messages very often opens a door to some really helpful information for my clients.
Divining with Spirit
In my tarot readings messages from spirit can be sparked by one specific card, but more frequently they relate to a group of cards or even the whole spread. Spirit messages can change the interpretation of my entire reading. What’s more, I often find that the longer I sit with messages from spirit, the deeper and more profound the meanings become.
Some messages come quickly and are quite literal but others are very metaphorical. Sometimes I might have to ask for more clarification or mull things over a bit. It can take a little while to get an accurate interpretation. On some occasions I’ve actually completed a card reading and later on received a message from spirit insisting that I pass on further information.
Learning to use this ability is amazing. Sometimes it’s mind-blowing and sometimes it’s spine-tingling. Occasionally it seems so completely obvious and acceptable that it would be ridiculous to ignore it.
I firmly believe that it is an ability anyone can learn if they want to. All it takes is a willingness to be open, lots of practice, the more the better, and a willingness to trust in what you receive.
Some days I’m convinced that I am simply a channel for spirit to pass on messages to human beings who need to hear them. While I take responsibility for what I say, I’m guided to say it. There is joy in the feeling of passing on these messages and feedback from my clients always affirms how relevant and valuable it is.
What do you think intuition is? Do you get intuitive messages? Do you trust them? I’d love to know.
