My friend, prosperity expert, Randy Gage emailed me to ask if I believed in “Intuition” or did I think that believing in such was irrational? Because intuition is a topic I’ve never actually studied in detail, I hesitated to respond too quickly or reflexively without giving it at least enough thought to respond intelligently (or, at least “thinkingly”). 🙂
And, because the very term itself brings with it different definitions based on an individual’s belief system, I also wanted to make sure “I was answering what he was asking.”
Knowing me well enough by now to know my belief that we must have a correct premise in order to reach a logical conclusion…you may have guessed (without intuition) that I looked the word up. Indeed, I did and found the following definitions:
in·tu·i·tion
1: quick and ready insight 2a: immediate apprehension or cognition b: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition c: the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference
It seems as though – as the term, “intuition” is used today, and in the context of his question, that definition 2c is what was being asked.
So, with that in mind – and again, the fact that I have never given this topic serious enough study to come from a position of authority – I would say that we’ve been built (in my opinion, by our Creator, but that of course is another topic) and programmed so that our subconscious bases its decisions/warnings/feelings on two things:
#1 The sum total of every experience we as individuals have ever had; thus, given certain signals from present data, it is able to calculate future conclusions on the sum total of all past events in our lives. I feel pretty strongly that is the case.
#2 The sum total of every experience anyone on earth who has ever lived has had, thus the same as above (this one I’m not too sure about but suspect it might be true. I will say that I’ve seen this reference to “Collective Consciousness” (thanks Randy, for identifying the correct word for me!) in many of what are regarded as the top personal development books of all time).
So, with the above two points in mind, I would say that if some people have a stronger “intuition” or intuitive sense of what is going to happen, despite there not being “evident” rational inference, these people have either worked at developing their intuition or they have (dare I say) “intuitively” tapped into it.
You now know my rather undeveloped thoughts on this topic. Here a brief post on one aspect of this by Randy on his blog that I didn’t read until after I wrote this post.
Question: what do you think? Is there such a thing as intuition? Is it logical to believe it exists? Is it logical to believe it doesn’t exist? Does everyone have it or just some people? Can it be developed if one doesn’t have it and/or developed further if one does have it? Let us know your thoughts.
Hmmm, intuition. I think I’ll just “go with my gut.” 🙂
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Hi Bob!
Ooh, I LOVE this topic, and have been studying, researching and removing the inconsistencies of my own philosophy in this regard.
First, let me lay my foundation:
1. I am an Objectivist.
2. I believe that it is Rational to believe that only a self-aware entity could create self-aware entities.
3. I believe that the term “Faith” is used most often to refer to a disconnect from Reason (when this is not necessary). I believe that Perfect Faith IS Reason.
(All topics for further discussion later).
With regards to this post, I need to define one word: Objective (As I will use two definitions of Objective)
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Objective
7. being the object of perception or thought; belonging to the object of thought rather than to the thinking subject (opposed to subjective.)
8. of or pertaining to something that can be known, or to something that is an object or a part of an object; existing independent of thought or an observer as part of reality.
1. I believe that we have an Objective (Def. 7) Conscious
2. I believe that we have a Subjective (Antonym of Def. 7) Subconscious. (Where #1 & #2 of your post come in).
3. I ALSO believe that we have an Objective (Def. 8) Conscience.
I believe that our “Intuition” comes from BOTH our Subjective Subconscious AND our Objective (Def. 8) Conscience.
Our ENTIRE Criminal Code is based upon the premise of the existence of an Objective (Def. 8) Conscience, and presumes that no matter the state of the “collective subconscious”, one ALWAYS has a hard-wired Objective (Def. 8) Conscience.
The first legal test of this philosophy was the famed Twinkie Defense, which stated the philosophical premese that one is ultimately NOT responsible for the fundamental knowledge of right and wrong.
It is incongruent to accept the philosophy of Objectivism and not believe in an Objective (Def. 8) Conscience which exists at a deeper level than the Subjective Subconscious.
This is consistent with individual and collective survival.
Thoughts?
-David
OK, the Shades Should read (Def. 8 ).
Thanks!!
I feel a real sadness for people who are not in touch with their intuition. When I am connected to my core and really listen to the knowledge that lives within, I make better choices. I’m also more calm about the outcome.
When I tap into my intuition and match it with curiousity and imagination, everything is possible and life has a magical and wonderful way of unfolding. This is not all my knowledge for there have been things that I have just known to be true without actually experiencing it previously. And, I truly believe that once you “know” something … you can’t “unknow” it. Tapping into universal knowledge is a fast track to yourself. I know, totally woo woo and yet, it is my reality and happily so.
Thanks for the discussion, Bob!
Hi Bob
Last year I read a book on New Death Experiences for my Masters. In it the doctor found that after having NDE people are a lot more intuitive and in tune with what is going to happen.
In studying brains of these people vs normal” people – they found that those who had NDE had a stronger/more developed area at the front of the brain. So like any muscle it can be flexed and grown with practice and exercises.
Further more it appeared that those who rated higher in their ability to empathise had stronger intuition vs those that could tune in to others, note how they felt, or step into anothes shoes.
Studies also showed that those who had a strong meditation practice had higher ability and stronger intuition.
Now – I’m not saying go out and have some Near Death Experiences to develop intuition! But empathy and meditation seem to be great avenues to flex that intuitive muscle.
I have definately found that the more I question, ask for signs, request clues on my journey- the clearer and stronger my intuition gets.
I adore you!
xox
I just thought of an example. I asked myself: “What is my favorite some?”
The “thought” came back “I Believe in Miracles” Ia dore vibratn fun songs, that make me smile in joy.
Not a song I’d heard for a long time. As I wasnt at home I thought I’d search it on youtube the next day. I turned on a story for my kids. The Cd ended… And while I was changing Cd’s the song came on the radio! I was blown away!!!
Here’s the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C61olIkvoks
Thanks for asking the question and sharing your thoughts. (: I believe strongly in intuition. I think it’s something we all have. But it takes attention, awareness and a measure of faith to hear it…even more so to act on it I think it’s like a muscle – we get better at it the more we use it, the more we believe in it.
tam (:
I have a sneaking suspicion that there is something to this whole intuition thing…
Great post, Bob, and kudos to Randy Gage for bringing the subject up.
I find it fascinating that the more and longer I’ve meditated, the stronger my intuition has become, over the years. I don’t know why it is, logically [but, would that be like a fish trying to understand and explain air?], however I’ve noticed that it just IS. I accept it, and have come to rely on it when forming decisions about things or people, most especially if I get an intuitive “ping” that a person is not safe or honest.
I think it’s a combination of numbers 1 & 2 above in your discussion, Bob, and perhaps another “sense” [as an additional aspect to our 5 senses, e.g., touch, smell, etc] and/or part of our neuro-anatomy and brain functioning which science doesn’t understand yet.
For instance, and I had asked this question of Randy on Twitter for his opinion on it– How do we know when another person is looking at us, even if our back, i.e. not our eyes, are toward that person? What is that sensation that we feel which makes us turn around and look in the direction from which the stare originates?
These above questions and examples are more referring to definitions 1 & 2a. and 2b. above, it seems.
In terms of pre-cognition, as I call it or seeming to know something before it happens, and which you referred to as 2c., Bob, I don’t know how this happens, but I’ve noticed that it does, at least for me. Perhaps my Grandmother introduced the idea to me at a young, impressionable age when she would say to me after picking up the phone when I called, “I knew it was you. You were on my mind.” Maybe because I looked up to her, and adored her, that I took it as something that everyone had and thus I had too. It certainly seemed not unusual at the time for someone to say.
For instance, there have been times that I haven’t seen a person, nor spoken with them in quite a long time, and all of a sudden, out of seemingly nowhere, I’ll have a thought about that person. Within a day of that thought, that same person will call me, or I’ll run into them. I’ve wondered, “Wow, how did THAT happen?”, and truthfully, I still wonder.
So, I’m no closer to an answer for any of these good comments or thoughts on the subject, however, I do enjoy reading other people’s thoughts and experiences. Time to read Randy Gage’s blog, which was great of you to include in your article, Bob.
Hi Bob,
I love this posting as it is, right up my alley. I have been reading and studying the topic for many years. As a teenager and into my adulthood life, I got this feeling of knowing what was going to happen and I just became fascinated with learning about intuition. For the most part, I have been able to manifest many wonderful things just by trusting my intuition in many areas of my life. And, let me tell you that the times that I have disregarded my intuition, I have truly regretted it – badly.
Here are the answers to your questions based on what I have learned:
Is there such a thing as intuition? Yes
Is it logical to believe it exists? Yes
Is it logical to believe it doesn’t exist? No
Does everyone have it or just some people? Some people have a stronger intuitive sense because they mediate.
Can it be developed if one doesn’t have it and/or developed further if one does have it or not?Absolutely!!!
Two of my all-time favorite books on the topic are Developing Intuition by Shakti Gawain and Trust Your Vibes by Sonia Choquette. Shakti Gawain posses the question in her book, Developing Intuition:
Why Commit your time and energy to the process of developing your intuition?
Her answer: Quite simply because it’s probably one of the most valuable things you will ever do for yourself. It actually takes relatively little time and the potential rewards are enormous.
The book, Awakening Your Psychic Powers by Egar Cayce has a chapter titled: Your Psychic Intuition – which is great framework for anyone who wants to dig deeper on the topic – truly profound. I took the following excerpt from Power of The Soul (Chapter 3 The Unfoldment of Your Soul Senses by John Holland…
Using the soul sense of intuition is quite natural; and you can learn to recognize it, practice and trust it. By doing so, it becomes a wonderful resource for guidance, transformation and self-empowerment that you can call upon and share the rest of your life.
All the books I suggested are from top experts on the topic. Many of whom hold events and teach on intuition except for Edgar Cayce he passed away many years ago but left a wonderful legacy.
I’m planning on attending some classes at Agape this year. 🙂
You rock!
Hugs,
Vanessa
1: quick and ready insight 2a: immediate apprehension or cognition b: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition c: the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference
Intuition based on the above definition.
When it says quick and ready insight, it’s saying that the answer already exists, you just have to tune into it. It will find you, when you have first posed the question. In relation to what Bob said this…
#1 The sum total of every experience we as individuals have ever had; thus, given certain signals from present data, it is able to calculate future conclusions on the sum total of all past events in our lives. I feel pretty strongly that is the case
In relation to quick and ready insight and what Bob said, what intuition is then, an alignment of what you’ve experienced to what you want to experience to reach a desired state.
What’s that desired state? Achieving and unfolding goals, goals may be more insight, information you need to know to move forward. Intuition then becomes an alignment radar system, for you.
So for example, you post a question, that question is the intention? you let it go to work for you in the subconscious mind but it also works with the collective consciousness of potential.
So, the question may be, What do I need to know about Social Media and how it can help me in my business? That’s the intention. Intuition now begins to align with what you know, to what you need to know, that is your purpose. Then when the match is found, intuition says, “here it is” you are inspired to read it and you leave with gaining insight.
Most people are influenced and trying to think it through too much, intuition will guide you to y our purpose, and only need a few things to know, influence will make you read and read and continue searching for the answer.
It’s a gps system, and intuition is meant to get you there quicker and effectively.
the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference
You’ve heard the saying, get out of your own way. Well this is what the definition is saying with the above mentioned that get out of your way and let the direct knowledge get you there without trying to figure it out and trying to think it through so much.
Your brain is smarter then you if you lete it do its work, all you have to do is tune into your intuitivness and you do that by being observant, detached, grounded and alert to the sign posts, intuition also comes from habit, and trust in your aligning yourself to your purpose.
Great question by Randy – and thoughtful blog, Bob!
As a social scientist, one area of my research is decision making. This involves an exploration of subconcious and unconcious processes.
While science continues to explore the role of intuition in decision making, I’ll defer to the experience of a great man of science who said:
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift…” ~Albert Einstein
Mollie
Great topic Bob!
I participated in a mastermind group last year and have often said that my greatest “aha moment” from that was when the coach said “prayer is when you speak to God. Intuition is when he answers.”
After feeling like I had been hit by lightning, I gave that a lot of thought. I realized that in most cases in my life, when I had “ended up somewhere that I didn’t want to be”, it was because I had failed to “listen to my gut”. We have all had the experience of “ugh! I knew I should have (or shouldn’t have)_______. Yet we do it again and again.
I believe that is because we think our “intuition” is our “own”. We think of it as our own thoughts or feelings, and don’t trust them.
In any case, in that moment all I could think of was “jeesh, if I had know it was HIM, I would’ve listened!” So, now I do 🙂
The Conscious Mind
We were all blessed with intellectual factors (OR MENTAL MUSCLES) and they are:
1. REASON – THINKING- the way we explain things to ourselves
2. WILL – Our power to focus on something
3. PERCEPTION – The way you see something, point of view
4. MEMORY – We can use our Memory to remember all Our Failures or all Our SUCCESSES
5. IMAGINATION – Napoleon Hill said: this is the most marvelous miraculous inconceivably powerful force that the World has ever known.
6. INTUITION-Our intuitive factor – It is what we feel about a person or a situation.
This is the part that picks up other peoples vibration,their feelings – the more we develop this faculty we can pick up on other ppl. feelings or what other people are thinking – most ppl. say one thing and think another, the more we develop it we can pick up their thoughts – we can eventually get to the point where you are not going to pay a lot of attention to the words people are using you are going to be more tuned in to what they mean by what they say or what they are thinking.
Did it ever happened to you that you walked into a room full of people and you thought ..”I don’t have a good feeling about this person…..?” that is Our INTUITION or let’s say Have you ever entered a room and you felt the people in the room were talking about you…. ?that is INTUITION again.
Also very important to know that Intuition is like a mental muscle…so you cant train it,the more you use it the more you develop it.
Thanks Bob
Big hug.
Lorena
Just a quick note to thank everyone for all of your insightful and informative responses. I appreciate all of you…but, you already knew that. 🙂
Hi Bob and Everyone,
I just read your blog and all the comments. I particular love the quote that Dr. Mollie shared, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift…” ~Albert Einstein
And I like the rest of that quote:”…and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
I try to balance between enjoying my intuition and being spooked by it. I wonder, too, after reading the comment from Natalie if my previous NDEs has contributed to my having a strong intuition.
I love what Farrah Fawcett said, “God made man stronger but not necessarily more intelligent. He gave women intuition and femininity. And, used properly, that combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I’ve ever met.”
I was telling a dear friend the other day, “I’ve had so many things happen in my life to cause me to feel uncomfortable about certain situations, certain feelings… that when I feel a “red flag”, I wonder if I should trust it or not? Is it my pre-conceived ideas, beliefts, causing this “red flag” to be raised or what?”
She said, “Definitely trust your intuition; it’s your angels guiding you.” So, she called my “red flags” my intuition and my angels.
I loved the thought.
Pamela
Another great post Bob –
Intuition? YES! A resounding YES!
The older I get the more stock I put in intuition. The more I quiet my mind and go to my heart, the more intuitive information I get.
The older I get the more experience I get and the more I trust the info that appears spontaneously and instantly the more it comes.
Often, during the first conversation with a potential client, or a new friend I will jump in and share a picture I am seeing or a sense I am getting about them – it’s a risk to do it because I know it’s “only” coming from my intuition. (My old friends almost expect it.)
Because sometimes the info I am getting doesn’t seem relevant I preface it by saying, “I’m having this crazy thought… ” Almost always it’s right on the money.
That builds my confidence.
So now I bravely use my intuition as one of my selling points. After decades of using it – I’m getting good at it.
All the best,
JoAnna
oh yeah… my intuition often tells me when not to trust someone. I have a built in “sleeze-ometer” and get a tingly feeling in the back of my neck when I shouldn’t be dealing with someone. I rely on it! Since less than 20% of our knowledge and beliefs are conscious I trust that there is something at work to keep me out of danger.
Bob, The most definitive explanation I’ve ever read comes from our good friend John Maxwell. He cuts through all the collective unconscious. Essentially he feels everyone is intuitive in their area of natural talent or strength. In his best selling book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he devotes a full chapter to the Law of Intuition. Check it out. Dr. Bill