The Many Expressions
of Psychic Awareness
Imagine a classroom full of students who have just been asked a question by the teacher. One of the students, a young girl in the back of the room, knows the answer and raises her hand straight up into the air with confidence. You can almost hear her inner plea to the teacher: “Pick me, pick me!” The teacher slowly scans the room of upraised hands. The young girl in the back of the room is now frantically waving her hand in the hope of being picked. Yet the teacher passes her by, almost as if she does not notice her, and asks another student to explain the answer.
This little girl in the back of the room is very much like your psychic awareness. It knows the answer to many of your questions and concerns but seldom gets chosen to offer its guidance. Instead, it is the familiar students up front—the fives senses, logical thinking, past experience, and wishful thinking—that you most likely notice and listen to.
However, despite your reluctance to trust it, psychic awareness is determined. Not content with being invisible and in the back row, it devises clever ways of making itself known. It cozies up to the front-row students and looks for an opening. When it discovers the path of least resistance, it takes the opportunity to express its insights and guidance.
Psychic awareness has likely crept into your consciousness in this kind of way.
For instance, do you ever suddenly know something without knowing how you know it? Does it sometimes feel as if you can feel a family member’s or friend’s emotions even though they are miles away? Do you ever experience a gut knowing or feel tingles of energy move up your spine, or does the hair on your arms stand up? Even though you may not always know what these kinds of signs and signals mean, do you have a sense that they may be trying to tell you something?
Your psychic awareness is often cleverly camouflaged within your thoughts, emotions, physical body, and energy field. It is through these four avenues that your intuition most often emerges. As you become aware of those times when you naturally receive psychic energy information, you will have more confidence in your intuition and be motivated to further develop the spontaneous intuitive insights into reliable abilities.
Your Psychic Type
Your primary way of intuiting is called your psychic type. Everyone is a combination of one or more types, and some people are more balanced in all four types. Your psychic type not only describes how you receive energy information but also reveals aspects of your personality and preferences and your soul gifts and provides insight into the way you connect to a higher power or divine source.
Mental Intuition
If you are a mental intuitive or have a high degree of mental intuition, you receive energy information primarily through your thoughts and a sense of knowing. You are a creative thinker and may spontaneously intuit new ideas and insights. As a mental intuitive, you possess intuitive intelligence and may unknowingly intuit others’ thoughts, perceptions, and knowledge. However, because mental intuitives are inclined to be skeptical, you might dismiss and dispute your intuitive capacity.
The psychic skills associated with mental intuition are telepathy, claircognizance, and clairaudience. Telepathy is the ability to intuit another’s thoughts or to mentally communicate with another or a group through thought messages. Claircognizance is the ability to receive energy information through a sense of knowing and mindful awareness. With clairaudience, it is possible to receive thought energy information through psychic inner hearing.
Emotional Intuition
If you intuit primarily through your emotions or have a high degree of emotional intuition, you likely intuitively feel and soak in others’ feelings. You may even feel another’s emotions from hundreds of miles away. However, you may not always be aware that you are doing this. Instead, you may mistake intuited feelings as your own and become confused and possibly overwhelmed by their intensity and depth.
Emotional clairsentience and clairempathy are associated with emotional intuition. Emotional clairsentience is the psychic ability to intuit through the heart and receive energy information through a sense of feeling. Clairempathy is the psychic skill of feeling another’s emotions and the ability to heal the emotional wounds of others outside of the limitations of time and space.
Physical Intuition
Physical intuitives absorb psychic energy into their body. If you are a physical intuitive or have a high degree of physical intuition, you may experience psychic awareness as a gut knowing or as tingles of energy running up your spine or arms. You may also unknowingly experience another’s aches and pains in your own body. Because you are unaware that these physical sensations have been intuited, this may cause confusion when physical symptoms disappear as mysteriously as they began.
The psychic abilities associated with physical intuition are physical clairsentience and psychometry. Physical clairsentience is the ability to receive energy information through gut awareness and through other bodily awareness and sensations. Psychometry empowers you to intuit information by holding an object or looking at a photo. Hands-on energy healing is also closely connected to physical intuition.
Spiritual Intuition
If you are a spiritual intuitive or have a high degree of spiritual intuition, you may see energy information as flashes of light, color, or orbs, and you may have intuitive dreams and daydreams. With a natural connection to the spirit realm, you may sense the presence of loved ones on the other side, angels, or spirit guides. As a spiritual intuitive, you tend to be a sensitive creature who may feel overwhelmed in crowds and overstimulated by excessive noise and activity. You may need quiet and alone time to come into balance and feel an inner sense of harmony.
Clairvoyance and mediumship are connected to spiritual intuition. Clairvoyance is the psychic ability to receive energy information visually through symbols or realistic images. Mediumship is the psychic skill of communicating with those on the other side and other spirit beings.
Logic versus Intuition
Everyone is intuitive and can further develop the ability to access their most natural and innate wisdom. Intuition is the bridge between a greater source of power and love and the personality and ego self. In this chaotic and intense world that we live in, our intuition is our connection to a primal and pure source of positive energy and guidance. Discovering our innate psychic abilities leads to increased insights, wise guidance, and new understanding and awareness of our past, present, and future. It adds a new dimension to how we view ourselves, others, and the world, and deepens our connection to joy and authentic living.
Yet for all of the benefits that psychic awareness has to offer, we can be suspicious of it and ignore and discount it. Unfortunately, we are not always able to fully understand and appreciate its unique forms of expression. Because we are accustomed to a more rational and logical approach to receiving information and making conclusions and decisions, we may miss out on its positive benefits.
The personality and ego self approaches reality through finite understanding. It makes use of the thinking brain, the unconscious, emotions, experiences, and the five senses. Although we can at times be quite brilliant, the scope of the personality and ego self is still limited. It cannot scale the walls of time and space like intuition and psychic awareness can. Through the lens of psychic awareness, reality is perceived in its wholeness; the past, present, and future are all accessible. Transcending the boundaries of physical matter, your psychic senses can reveal and provide you with a glimpse of what lies outside of everyday consciousness and the known.
However, for all of its potential and unlimited scope of possibilities, psychic awareness communicates energy information in ways that the conscious personality self does not always understand. Psychic information is often denied, ignored, and skipped over because of the unique ways that it surfaces. We are more accustomed to and accepting of information that streams in through our five senses and our thinking mind, emotions, judgments, and past experiences.
Here is an example. Imagine that you have applied for a position in a company that you have always been interested in, and you get offered the job. Yet as much as you want to take it, you are not sure that it supports your long-term career goals. Although your current position has its drawbacks, you know that in time you will be offered a promotion and increased pay. Confused as to what to do, you begin to search for answers.
Most often the conscious ego self approaches this kind of situation by examining the known information. You may compare the salary and benefits of the job that you have just been offered with the long-term security potential of your current job. You may explore your feelings about leaving your present employer and contemplate your current job satisfaction. If possible, you may talk to others who work in the company where you were offered the job to find out more about what it’s like to work there. You might also talk to friends and family and get their input. These are all useful and important strategies to pursue. However, let’s imagine that after doing all of these things you are still confused and not sure if you should leave your present job. Something in you feels led to take the leap and leave your job, but you are not sure you trust it.
With this in mind, you decide to do something different and intuitively explore your options. Having had a few unexpected psychic experiences in the past that revealed helpful information, you are open to all possibilities.
Intent on receiving intuitive clarity, you get comfortable, close your eyes, breathe and relax, and ask your psychic awareness for input. At first your mind is racing and you feel a little anxious about this process. You question your intuitive ability and wonder if you are being a little silly for seeking advice this way. However, as you continue to breathe and relax, you begin to feel a heaviness in your heart and a sadness that you don’t understand. As you feel the feelings, the spontaneous awareness that you are not expressing your true potential emerges. Although you had not really considered this, you know that this is the truth. As you listen within, you hear a voice telling you that it is time to move on from your current job. You are not sure who or what is telling you this, but you feel as if you can trust this guidance. As you consider this advice, you sense an image of a door with light streaming from it. This door, you realize, is the door to the new job, and you can pass through it. There is a part of you that wants to turn the other way. You can feel the stress building up. In your present job you are safe and there is no risk. You wonder why you would give up this security. As these feelings bubble up, your connection to your psychic awareness begins to weaken. Your mind begins to race and you start to think about what might happen if the new job does not work out.
Recognizing that your thoughts and feelings are taking over, you go back to focusing on your breath and begin once again to slip into a more receptive state. You feel a warmth and comfort surround you, which helps you to relax even more. Using your imagination, you create an image of the door and imagine yourself passing through it. As you do this, positive waves of energy flow through you. You have the sure feeling that the new job is in your highest good. It feels right. You know that it is time to grow and that this job offer is a step in the right direction.
You open your eyes and contemplate all that you have just received. It feels right; you are sure that taking this new job is the right thing to do.
Later that day you get ready to make the call and accept the new job. As you look for the phone number, doubt begins to surface. You begin to question the psychic information that you received and you wonder if you are making it all up. Maybe this is what I wanted to hear and feel, you say to yourself.
Within a few minutes, you question the validity of the psychic impressions you received. You no longer feel that the information is significant and that you can trust it. You decide not to make the phone call.
This scenario of receiving psychic energy information only to discount it soon after is all too common. Energy information emerges through thoughts, feelings, sensations, insights, a sense of knowing, and images without the benefit of a thought process and reasoning. Because of this, the ego mind works hard to discredit and deny it. The only way the thinking mind can rationalize psychic awareness is by telling itself that it is all made up. In the finite realm of understanding, no other explanation makes sense.
The straight-talking, convincing voice of the ego and logic cannot grasp the communication style of psychic awareness. Unable to understand the intuitive impressions, feelings, and flashes of insight, the ego self pushes them to the back row, brushes off the inconvenience, and goes on its merry way. Unfortunately, essential psychic insights are ignored.
Although we all too often dismiss psychic energy information because it appears nonsensical and made-up, it is possible to begin to better recognize psychic insights and interpret and understand their meaning and to trust the process.
The Energy Body:
The Source of Psychic Awareness
At its most minuscule level, everything that we experience through our five senses is vibrating energy. Our physical self is made up of thousands and thousands of tiny cells of energy, and an invisible network of energy surrounds our body. Psychic information and insights emanate from this web of energy within and surrounding us.
Unlike the mind, which collects both internal and external data and then uses reasoning and logical thought processes to come to a conclusion or an understanding, psychic awareness is an open state of energetic receptivity. Even though psychic energy information may come by way of our thoughts or emotions or our physical self, its origin is pure energy. Noticing, receiving, and interpreting this energy is the work of being psychic.
The Energy Field: Intuition’s House
Human thinking is limited to the functioning of the mind, whereas psychic information utilizes the mind, body, and spirit. The human energy field, or aura, and its system of power and energy information centers known as chakras contains an energy imprint of our thoughts, feelings, and the totality of our experiences, along with our beliefs and our past wounds and judgments. This energy field is also imprinted with our life purpose, soul plan, and divine gifts.
The energy field, or aura, is an egg-like web of energy that surrounds the physical body. Our natural sense of intuition and psychic ability emanates from the aura. This is intuition’s house. The aura is both a protective shield and an energy transmitter and receiver. It broadcasts our energy vibe and interacts with and tunes in to the energy of others and our environment. The aura also repels negativity and toxic energy. When the aura is weak or if there is a tear in it, we may absorb and be adversely affected by harmful and negative worldly and spiritual influences. A healthy aura absorbs energy influences that are in our highest good and repels what is harmful.
A pulsating and vibrating web of energy, the aura varies in size and color. People with large, colorful auras have the ability to influence others and are highly intuitive and easier to psychically tune in to. People with a tight or small aura may be more difficult to psychically tune in to. Fear and stress can cause an aura to tighten up. Many of the exercises in this book help you expand, strengthen, and repair your aura and activate the psychic energy of your chakras.
The Chakras: Windows of Intuition
If the aura, or energy field, is intuition’s house, then the chakras are its windows. Chakras are spirals of energy that contain the energetic imprint of our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and experiences as well as our future possibilities. We have seven primary chakras, located from our feet to a bit above our head (see illustration). Through these windows, or portals, we send and receive intuitive energy information. Our intuition often prefers and is most comfortable intuiting through one or more particular chakras. Becoming familiar with the energy information and intuitive strengths of the different chakras provides a glimpse into the innate wisdom, information, and psychic abilities that we all have access to.
Seven Primary Chakras
First Chakra: Rooted to the Earth
The first chakra is located at the base of the spine and extends down through the lower part of the body. People who intuit primarily through the first chakra tend to be connected to nature and animal and plant spirits. They are often intuitively aware of and enjoy working with earth and elemental energies and may be aligned with and able to communicate with fairies and earth spirits.
Physical intuition tends to feel comfortable and at home in the first chakra. However, spiritual intuition can also set up camp in this chakra. When it does, it brings with it the ability to live and manifest our soul and life purpose.
Psychically tuning in to the first chakra provides energy information that has to do with early childhood influences, a sense of tribe and connection with others, and issues of safety and security. This chakra also provides insight into the obstacles and other issues related to manifesting our soul and life purpose.
Second Chakra: Practical and Prosperous
Located a little below the belly button, the second chakra is a busy chakra. Physical and mental intuition join forces through this chakra, which is energetically connected to many of the practical issues of day-to-day life. People who naturally intuit through the second chakra tend to have an intuitive instinct for how to make money and create positive relationships and fulfilling work and career opportunities.
Energy information from this chakra tends to surface as a hunch or what many consider to be common sense. The intuitive energy of this chakra offers direction and guidance through phenomena such as coincidences, synchronicity, and good or bad luck. It is through the second chakra that we access intuitive energy information that has to do with our own and others’ finances, career and work issues, relationships, creativity, and sexuality.
Third Chakra: Personal Power
The intuition of the third chakra is more noticeable and direct than that of the first and second chakras. Those who naturally intuit through the third chakra often receive energy information through a gut feeling or other physical sensations. This chakra is the preferred window for physical and emotional intuition.
Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach after first meeting someone? When you listen to your gut feelings, do things tend to work out? Do you ever have indigestion or stomach issues when you go along with something that you intuitively know is not right for you? This is your third chakra intuitively speaking to you.
Our sense of personal power, our self-trust, and our psychic awareness are all connected. Trusting ourselves, listening within, and having positive self-esteem are integral to developing psychic ability. This chakra connects our sense of personal power with our intuition and can assist us in following through on intuitive direction and guidance.
Those who naturally intuit through the third chakra may unknowingly absorb the aches, pains, and negativity of others into their body. For instance, I did a reading for a physician who was interested in further developing his medical intuitive abilities. Already comfortable with using his intuition to diagnose illness, he wanted to further refine his innate ability. However, he told me that when he intuitively tuned in to his patients, he became tired and drained, and he wanted to know what he could do to feel less exhausted.
When I intuitively looked at his chakras, I realized that he not only was intuiting energy information about others through his third chakra but was also absorbing their energy. I suggested that he strengthen his mental intuition, and we practiced a few exercises to help shift his primary intuitive receptivity from his third chakra to his higher chakras. (These exercises are outlined in Chapter 3.) I assured him that he could expand his psychic awareness and intuit without absorbing others’ energy. I heard from him a few months later, and he was happy to report that he was experiencing more intuitive success and less exhaustion.
The third chakra emits energy information that has to do with our self-esteem and personal power, and is an emotional center where past and present memories and experiences are housed.
Fourth Chakra: Love
The fourth chakra is located in the heart and is the window through which emotional intuition sends out its love energy current and receives energy information. The vibration of this chakra is connected to our ability to love ourselves and others, practice empathy and compassion, and heal emotional wounds.
If you have a high degree of emotional intuition and intuit primarily through the fourth chakra, you may feel as if you are on an emotional rollercoaster at times. Seemingly out of nowhere, you may feel waves of love, sadness, happiness, fear, and all of the emotions in between. You may find yourself feeling another’s pain as if it were your own and attracting people who are in need of love and healing. Those who intuit through the fourth chakra can have a difficult time saying no and tend to give to others without restraint. They may need to learn how to receive and focus on their own needs.
The fourth chakra psychically reveals past emotional wounds and relationship issues and can provide information and guidance on to how to heal and love yourself and others.
Fifth Chakra: Expression
The fifth chakra is located in the throat area and vibrates with the energy of mental and emotional intuition. Those who naturally intuit through this chakra often unknowingly receive and share psychic insights while conversing with others.
For instance, my friend Sharon has a lot of friends. She loves to talk on the phone, text, and email. Along with being funny and caring, she is naturally psychic. Her abilities surface best when she is talking to others. When engaged in conversation, she may unknowingly or more consciously receive quick insights or psychic information about the person she is talking with. She freely shares what she receives without giving it too much thought. At times, psychic energy flows through her so effortlessly that she does not even recognize the intuitive significance of what she is saying.
People who intuit through the fifth chakra may not always be aware that they are sharing psychic information with others. Because they communicate with such ease and express without restraint, they often do not realize that they may be a natural channel of psychic information.
Psychically tuning in to the fifth chakra reveals energy information that has to do with the ability to be true to ourselves and others and express this truth. Self-will, addictions, and emotional repression and stress are also energetically connected to this chakra.
Sixth Chakra: Higher Mind
The sixth chakra is located in the head, directly behind the eyebrows. It is the primary center for mental and spiritual intuition. Our thoughts, beliefs, judgments, and prejudices are located in this chakra. Connected to consciousness and to the thinking mind and the divine mind, this chakra is a spiritual transition portal where we experience the shift from human knowing and thinking to intuitive and psychic receptivity. Sometimes referred to as the third eye, the sixth chakra can be an active psychic center.
Associated with mental intuition, the sixth chakra reveals our predominant thoughts, patterns of thinking, beliefs, and willingness to receive and accept higher divine thoughts. The transformative gateway through which judgmental and limiting beliefs and finite thinking are revealed, this chakra can transform and enlighten.
Seventh Chakra: The Spirit Realm
The seventh chakra, or the crown chakra, is located a few inches above the head and is connected primarily to spiritual intuition and, to a lesser degree, physical intuition. Although it may seem to lie at the other end of the chakra spectrum, physical intuition can be highly beneficial in the seventh chakra. As a manifesting and earth-centered form of intuition, physical intuition can help to ground the higher gifts of the seventh chakra. Through the combined forces of physical and spiritual intuition, our higher soul energy is made available in the here and now and can be used in everyday life.
Associated with higher or divine awareness and the soul and spirit, the seventh chakra is the portal to divine presence and offers direct access to the spirit realm. Those who naturally intuit through this chakra tend to be aware of angels, spirit guides, and loved ones on the other side. Although this chakra can be a clear psychic channel, it is important to stay connected to the energy of the other chakras to ground your psychic impressions and intuit useful and practical energy information.
The seventh chakra psychically reveals whether or not we are in the flow of our life purpose and living in integrity and wholeness. Through this chakra it is possible to communicate with loved ones on the other side, spirit guides, and angels.
Because our energy self (our aura and chakras) is not easily known through the limited functioning of our five senses and the thinking mind, we tend not be aware of our psychic potential. You are fully equipped to start developing and using your natural psychic ability. It is not essential or necessary to fully understand how the energy field, the chakras, and intuition all work together. As you move through this book and learn about and practice accessing your natural intuitive and psychic abilities, you will experience for yourself the brilliant psychic energetic network that is yours to use and benefit from.