What is intuition? Understanding the inner workings of this mysterious phenomenon has fascinated philosophers, scientists, and ordinary people alike for centuries. Intuition can be defined as a deep knowing or understanding without the need for conscious reasoning or logical analysis. It is an instinctive feeling that arises within us, guiding our thoughts and actions in ways that often defy explanation.
Intuition operates on a subconscious level, drawing upon the vast wealth of knowledge and experiences that each of us has accumulated throughout our lives. It taps into our innate wisdom and allows us to make quick decisions based on patterns and connections that our rational minds may not immediately recognize. This extraordinary ability enables us to navigate complex situations more easily, sometimes leading us to outcomes far beyond what we could have achieved through deliberate thought processes.
While intuition is often associated with gut feelings or hunches, it goes much deeper than mere guesswork. There are a good number of “types” of intuition (or different terms/descriptors for intuition) and it’s good to have a general idea of the various concepts.
Cognitive intuition arises from our subconscious mind’s ability to process vast amounts of information without conscious effort. It allows us to make quick judgments or decisions based on patterns or associations formed through previous experiences. If you’re someone who continually repeats the same mistakes or patterns, however, cognitive intuition may not be your strong suit.
Emotional intuition is deeply rooted in our feelings and emotions, guiding us through situations where logic alone falls short. This is where you’d throw all the gut feelings and emotional reactions.
Expert intuition is based on previous experience and knowledge in a specific domain. It can help you make rapid and accurate decisions when the situation is similar to previous ones.
Social intuition is based on our sense of interpersonal relationships and emotions. It can help us build new working partnerships and collaborations when face-to-face interactions are involved. If you are socially awkward, social intuition may not be your strong point.
Temporal intuition is based on a sense of timing and readiness. It can help make decisions on when to enter or exit a market or opportunity when external and internal factors are aligned. People who are “before their time” often lack temporal intuition.
Creative intuition is based on a sense of direction for an unfamiliar solution or opportunity. It can help generate innovative ideas and solutions when the situation requires a new approach or perspective. While all these types of intuition can play a role in magickal intuition, it’s primarily creative intuition that comes into play when we’re discussing using intuition in a magickal practice.
The good news is that intuition is a skill that can be developed and honed. It’s not something that only some people have and others don’t. Everyone has it. It’s a natural and innate ability that we all possess, but we may need to learn how to hone and use it effectively.
There are many ways to strengthen our intuition:
Spend time in silence or meditation. This can help you quiet your mind and tune into your inner voice. You can also use guided meditations or affirmations that focus on enhancing your intuition,
Listen to your body and emotions. Or, as you’ve probably heard many times – listen to your gut. Your visceral and emotional reactions can give you clues about what your intuition is telling you. Pay attention to any physical sensations, feelings, images, or thoughts that arise when you face a decision or a situation. Notice if you feel relaxed, tense, excited, fearful, and so on. If the prospect of something makes you feel sick – don’t do it. If your immediate reaction is to not do something, don’t do it. The first instinctive reaction can often be the correct reaction. The best way to strengthen your intuition is to use it and trust it. Whenever you have a hunch or a gut feeling about something, follow it and see what happens. You may be surprised by the results. The more you act on your intuition, the more confident and accurate it will become.
Ask yourself questions and trust the answers. You can use your intuition to guide you in any area of your life by asking yourself questions and listening to the first answer that comes to mind. Don’t overthink or doubt yourself, just go with what feels right. You can also write down your questions and answers in a journal to keep track of your intuitive insights.
Acknowledge and appreciate your intuition. Another way to strengthen your intuition is by actually acknowledging its presence in your life. Whenever you notice a synchronicity or have a sense of déjà vu, take a moment to appreciate and thank your intuition for guiding you. This way, you are giving it a chance to grow and blossom. Not to mention regular acknowledgement makes us more aware that something exists, and causes us to pay closer attention to it.
Play intuitive games and exercises. You can also have fun with your intuition by playing games and exercises that challenge and enhance it. For example, you can try guessing who is calling before you answer the phone, picking a card from a deck and sensing its color or suit, or imagining what someone is wearing or doing before you see them. This is something we did with my old coven back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It really does help. You can also get together with friends, each of you bringing an object with you, then feeling each other’s objects and jotting down your intuitive feelings about the objects. At the end of the game, everyone excluding the owner of the object gets up and reads what they wrote about the object. Finally – the owner of the object gets up and explains who owned the object, why they brought it, whether it was cherished or used, etc…
Learning to trust your intuition can be challenging, especially if you have been taught to ignore or doubt it. However, trusting your intuition can help you make better decisions, align with your true self, and live more authentically. Practice strengthening your intuition using the suggestions above in order to trust it more.
The Role of Intuition in Magick
Intuition is a very important aspect of magick, as it can help you connect with your higher self, your Daemonic Guides, and the natural world. It can help you choose the right rituals, interpret the results, and receive guidance and inspiration for your magickal goals. It can also help you to create your own rituals.
Intuition can be a form of communication with the divine. Many spiritual traditions and magickal practitioners believe that intuition is a way of accessing the divine wisdom that resides within us and around us.
Intuition is often seen as the voice of our soul, our higher self, or our spirit guides. By trusting our intuition, we are aligning ourselves with our Great Work and potential, as well as our authentic selves.
Intuition is a source of creativity and innovation. Intuition can also help us tap into our creative and imaginative abilities, which are essential for magick. It can help us generate new ideas, solutions, and possibilities that may not be obvious to our rational mind.
So, how comfortable are you with your intuition? How often do you access it for your magickal work?