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Intuition: Preview It was heartening to read the e-mails and discover that so many people believe that you should trust your intuition. As an artist, I have been encouraged to believe this and believe this very strongly. So if we believe this, what are the things that get in the way of us using this wonderful ability? When looking for sites on Intuition on Google.com, it found me more than 2 million sites! Clearly this is something that a lot of people believe in and have interest in. So what is intuition? How do we acquire it? What things get in the way of us using it? What steps can we take to make us more open to it's wonderful possibilities? First of all I have two quotes on intuition the first one is by Carl Jung and I think it describes intuition beautifully. Sensation and Sensing is paying attention to what is going on outside of ourselves --that is external attention. Intuition is listening to the inner voice or heeding the promptings from within. The second is by Edgar Cayce. The more and more one is impelled by
that which is intuitive, or the relying upon the soul force within, the
further, the deeper, the broader, the more constructive may be the result. The dictionary describes intuition as1) The act or faculty of knowing without the use of rational process. 2) A capacity for guessing accurately; sharp insight. 3) A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression or notion. How would you describe intuition? Do you believe it should be trusted?
And can you give an example of a time you have trusted it that it's been
beneficial to you? In an essay by Nancy Polile and Ellen L. Selover entitled Awareness and Intuition they state that they believe our five senses are powerful receptors able to retrieve immense amounts of information every second. They say that they believe, as I believe, that intuition is our greatest link to our higher selves. They believe that intuition comes to us in a variety of ways: Clairvoyance -- ( clear seeing or clear vision), Clairaudience -- (clear hearing) Clairsentience -- (clear sensing) Clairsavorance -- (taste) Clairscent -- (smell) In my first year of art school we played a game called aesthetic chess which is designed to help enhance your intuition. This game can be played in a three dimensional way by having a group take turns in placing found objects or in a two dimensional way using paper and a colored markers. In the two-dimensional game each member of the group takes turns in choosing a marker to place a texture or shape or mark of some kind on the paper. It should not be a figurative or recognizable mark. Really concentrate when it's your turn on how you are going to make your mark compliment and work with the other marks on the paper, until all the group members agree that your art work is finished. You'll be surprised at your collective creation. One of the major criticisms of abstraction art is that many people believe
and say a child could have done that. Many artists and art teachers
will say, That's the point! We are born with expressive intuition,
which society and our fact based education teach us not to trust. As an
adult artist we have to relearn to use and trust these instincts. In life, particularly in successful dating it would be useful to be able to call on our intuition in helping us to make the right decision in terms of choosing and judging partners in the early stages of a relationship. In the essay mentioned above, Hugh Lynn Cayce, is quoted as saying that there are three valuable outcomes from trusting your intuition. They are: Improved Communications -- When we learn to use our intuition
in positive ways a greater understanding of motivation, thoughts and feelings
develop, allowing us to be more tolerant, excepting and loving towards
others. Unleashed Creativity -- Intuitive insights motivate us to grow closer to the creative source, thereby igniting our own creative spark and expression, which is the essence of our true self. Healing of Others and Ourselves -- As we attune to the highest
within ourselves and feel motivated to help humanity, we open ourselves
to creative forces that allow healing energy to operate through us. More E-Question Responses: I most always trust my intuition, especially in relation to family and work. I usually trust my intuition concerning financial matters and my kids. As for people and relationships, that's not always a sure thing. But sometimes I just have a gut feeling about something that is wrong when I meet someone, such as a person at work, and I have a tendency to go with it. My intuition/instinct has served me well over the years, in business and in life. I always took a lot of pride in that. Beware though there's a chance it can fail you, and that one time is bound to be a dooozy. After that, trust is not an option. I trust my intuition a lot, especially like "don't go in there." In raising kids isn't intuition the only tool you have? I have a very good sense of direction and rarely get lost. I need this same sense of direction when it comes to men and relationships. Someone needs to tell me "Don't go there, watch out, disaster ahead!" Oh well live and learn I guess. My Intuition has been good and bad as far as reading people.
But if I compare the apples to the oranges, I've been right on target
most of the time. But when I'm wrong, and I think I'm right, it takes
a small army to prove my intuition wrong. As far as, for example, that
dog is going to bite somebody - then it usually will. Or, I have this
funny feeling the house across the street is dealing drugs. But it doesn't
take a Rocket Scientist to figure it out. Traffic coming and going at
all hours, staying for ten minutes and leaving. Intuition tells me that
some serious stuff is going on there. So with using a little common sense,
most peoples' intuitions will be right. I don't trust my intuition where men are concerned. I
think I always find a good guy and I have been proven wrong every time.
I have let the latest man meet friends and family. They all seem to like
him (except one) but I still hesitate. So I'm trying to get over that
in myself. Where life is concerned I guess I did let my intuition rule
in the fact that I did move away from family and friends. I'm not always
sure it was the greatest move I have made but I do know that I did learn
to grow within myself so that is a good thing. I usually trust my intuitions when it comes to people and situations, but, as I am SEVERELY "directionally impaired," I do not trust my so-called "sense of direction". When I do try to trust it, I usually end up lost! I have a poor sense of direction. If I am home I'm OK, but when I travel I don't know what direction I'm going. Thank goodness my rearview mirror tells where I've been! |
E-Question: In
what ways do you trust and not trust your intuitions? My intuitions usually play out to be right on target.
But what I don't understand (about ME) is that I don't listen to them.
I have let other parts of me over-ride what my inner voice says, because
of other needs. I am sitting on the sidelines now, not ready to jump into
any relationship, again, until I learn to trust that inner voice, and
pay attention to what it is saying. I have had this bizarre intuitive skill that I cannot explain. Within minutes of looking at a woman (friend or complete stranger - it doesn't matter), I can tell if they are pregnant -- even if it is within the first few weeks of pregnancy. There is no way to explain this and I have no medical training. It's just one of those weird intuitive things that I have. So far, I've had a 95% correct-rate and I've been able to do this for more than 25 years. When I meet someone I usually can tell right off the bat whether they are a good person or not. I go with my gut feeling, and 9 out of 10, I can tell whether or not that person would make a good friend. I always have a gut feeling about things for "others" but not for myself. I more often then not trust my intuition. It's a gut feeling I get about people, things, events and for the most part my instinct is right on. I'm not saying that I haven't been wrong a few times, for it's happened, but it seems when I don't listen to my intuition is when things do go wrong. I have always believed that intuition is a gift. My Grandfather was a very spiritual man and my grandmother was very intuitive. My grandfather always believed that I was "protected" and I was very close to him right up until his death. They taught me to listen to my inner self. I was very young when I learned to meditate. But, at a very young age I developed a "knowing" that guides me everyday. I trust it completely and it is always there for all of us if we just listen. Intuition works for me with horses - every time -- but so far has failed me miserably with men! I think I'll stick to horses. I have trusted and moved with my "different drummer" intuitions about how to choose my paths in life. Lately I get feelings, like "superstitions" - which say things like "stop the gas pump on an even number" or "get the orange juice poured before the microwave buzzer for the coffee goes off. The feeling is that something bad will happen if I don't do it. I think it's dementia setting in or maybe one of those psychological disorders that Gregg was mentioning at one the Mondays. I resist these stupid feelings - well, most of the time I resist! My intuitions about people are usually right on target. I know when a man is cheating or lying. I know when a 'friend' is not a real friend. Sometimes, though, that person can bring other things into your life so you deal with it -- you just know how far to go because they won't be there for you when it really counts. I can meet a person and sum them up in a few seconds -- sometimes before they have opened their mouths. Body language tells a lot about a person. I learn more by observing than anything else. People say I'm very quiet -- but there's a lot going on inside. "Still waters run deep"! I trust my intuitions in meeting people as there is a feeling of good or bad. I'm generally right in the intuition. Usually your intuition is your gut feeling, and 9 times
out of 10 your gut As far as I'm concerned, I do trust my intuition in most ways. However, I don't trust it entirely. I do utilize my "gut feeling" as a part of my decision making, but I use other elements as well to come to a final determination, whether it be personal or business. There's no scientific method in any way shape or form that explains this phenomena. There is something strong within in me that tells me to follow my "gut" instinct. Even when logically I know I should take a different route. There may be times when there is a slight hesitation, but I always follow my intuition. I am alive because of it. I instinctively know deep within me. It scares me sometimes -- this feeling that overwhelms me at times - still, I follow through and it's the right decision. There's no explanation; it's just there. Intuition or that gut feeling always seems to come through for me. It's sort of a way of not looking at a person but right through them or not at what's happening but what's going to happen. It's hard to explain but it's like that angel on your shoulder telling you to stop when everything and everyone else is telling you to go. My intuition is usually right on. My gut instinct is usually the right choice even though I do not always go along with it. I guess that is the rebel in me. I can't explain it, but for some reason we were all given it! I never trust my intuition. I know women are supposed to have it, but I don't think I have any. I do feel that when you know something about a situation or a person you can make assumptions that are pretty accurate. I call this ability! My intuitions are strong and I follow them except the one I always get the night before boarding a plane for a trip, which of course says something like "don't get on the plane!" I have to ignore that one because I just love to travel. Gut feeling, intuition, Holy Spirit, whatever -- always listen. You know what they say, "Stubborn is as stubborn does." If we listen intuition will always guide us along the right path. I usually trust my intuitions about people although I
admit that I have been wrong. |