Monday, February 07, 2011

Intuition

in·tui·tion:

1. the direct knowing or learning of something without the conscious use of reasoning; immediate understanding
2. something known or learned in this way
3. the ability to perceive or know things without conscious reasoning.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I’ve often heard it said that intuition is a female characteristic. What I take that to really mean is not female in the sense of gender, but rather female in the sense of feminine energy. I’ve no doubt that most females are more naturally in touch with their intuition, because they seem to go with their feelings rather than always logic. But, I also believe that many males are the same. I know a lot of guys who are very much in touch with their intuitive feelings. And after all, we each have a bit of feminine and masculine energy within us, regardless of our gender.

I truly believe we are all born with the ability of intuition, it’s just a matter of learning how to recognize it.

And not only us humans, but also animals. In fact, animals are probably the most in tuned with intuition because they don’t analyze like we humans do, they just take it as truth.

It is also my belief that intuition comes from a higher source (call it God, the Universe, or whatever you believe is a greater power), and is fed through our feelings. My intuition has saved me many times from making some not-so-good-choices, yet that doesn’t mean I’ve always followed it 100% of the time. No, I’ve often struggled by going against it; only to discover that it was correct. I’ve sometimes had to learn the hard way.

For me, the guidance I receive from my intuition isn’t always delivered in the same way. Sometimes what I hear will be very subtle and quiet, yet other times it’ll be loud and clear as if something inside is saying, “Warning! Warning!” I’ve had this happen to me several times while walking down a city street at night, and immediately turned around and went down another street.

Not only has my intuition warned me about something negative, but it has also guided me to see something against my own sense of initial judgment. Such as, meeting someone for the first time who may have appeared rather gruff on the surface, however my intuition told me, “This guy/gal is actually a very good person, it’s just that they don’t show it outwardly.”

Sometimes the challenge in following my instinct is in my ability to trust it when something appears to be totally illogical at first. Like, when an opportunity for a job arises which sounds like it would be ideal, while my inner gut is telling me, “NO.”

This happened to me many, many years ago when a job became available that sounded right up alley. The perks were awesome and the salary was much more than I was making. So, I updated my resume and was getting ready to email it to the company, though this nagging feeling in my gut kept making me hesitate. I felt that even though the job was ideal, somehow it would only be temporary.

And do you know what I found out? The person who got that job was laid off in six months for reasons of severe cutbacks within the company.

I believe in intuition, wholeheartedly. Yet, is there any provable scientific logic as to where it comes from or if it can be relied upon as truth?

No.

But, I’ve never needed a logical reason because the proof has always been in the outcome.

Whether I followed it or not.