Types of Intuition [Find Out Which Type of Intuition You Have]

Have you ever had an overwhelming feeling that something is not right? You’re tempted to dismiss the thought that crossed your mind as illogical, but you return home to check if everything is ok only to find that you’ve forgotten to switch off the oven. That was your intuition speaking up.

In this article, we’ll focus in-depth on the four types of intuition, what they mean, and how you can develop them.

What Is Intuition?

Before we start talking about intuition we need to differentiate between intuition and instinct.

Intuition vs Instinct

Instinct is not a feeling, but rather an innate tendency toward a particular behavior. Instincts are an automatic response, and they are difficult to repress.

On the other hand, we can define intuition as a feeling that appears in our consciousness without us being aware of why it appeared. It doesn’t seem to be a response to something that happened; it’s more like an ability to know something right away without backing it up by analytical reasoning. Call it whatever you want (inner voice, sixth sense), you are really referring to intuition.

How Does Intuition Work?

In order to explain how intuition works, we need to first understand how the brain works. The brain has two systems for processing information:

• System 1 is quick and effortless, with little voluntary control. It has to do with the first thing that comes to mind and here is where our intuition comes in.
• System 2 is slower to respond to because it is more analytical and conscious.

The interesting thing about intuition is that it draws on our past experiences when making a quick subconscious decision about whether something is real or fake, good or bad, right or wrong. The purpose of intuition is to guide us in the right direction. Many people believe that intuition works through psychic gifts often called the four clairs.

Types of Intuition

Everyone has the gift of intuition to some degree but in some people, one intuitive sense may be stronger than the others. Read through the explanations of each of the senses to see which one is dominant for you and learn how to develop them.

Clairaudience – I Hear

We often dismiss things that seem illogical. Hearing voices inside your head is not something you’d consider reliable, normally. But, have you ever heard a voice in your head saying “don’t go” and it turned out to be a great decision? Sometimes, we need to listen to that inner voice telling us what to do.

Before we start talking about clairaudience, it’s helpful to know the etymology of the word. It derives from French Clair “clear” and audience “hearing”, thus clear hearing. Clairaudience is the ability to hear psychic messages. The messages are usually very straightforward enabling you to hear beyond your hearing range. Clairaudient abilities are said to allow you to communicate with spirits and your higher self. What is important is that these messages serve as a guide in moments of crisis.

If you want to know how to develop clairaudience, you can try tuning into the sounds around you. Just find a quiet place outdoors and relax your body and mind. Concentrate only on the sounds of the birds singing, the kids’ laughter, the car noises, etc. This exercise will help you become a better listener which is a crucial step in becoming clairaudient.

If you want to develop your clairaudience abilities, one of the many clairaudience exercises is to turn on the radio and focus on one instrument (drum, guitar, etc.), and try to isolate that sound. Try hearing one sound for 10-15 seconds and then switch to another instrument. This exercise is very helpful because it teaches you to detect subtle sounds and differentiate between them.

Claircognizance – I Know

Have you ever felt as if you know the answer to a question, but you have no idea how? It may be because you are claircognizant. Claircognizance is literally translated as clear knowing. Claircognizant information often comes like an illuminating idea, and the information is processed through the mind and not through your gut instincts. So, the people with this dominant Clair tend to be sharp-witted and logical.

Claircognizant people often have ideas that come out of the blue and last only several seconds before they vanish into thin air. The ideas usually appear in a quiet place where you feel safe and can let your guard down, usually in bed or when taking a shower. Because the ideas come when least expected, claircognizant people need to have a notepad near them at all times, so they can immediately write the thought that crosses their mind.

A great exercise for developing claircognizance is automatic writing. This may be the most helpful exercise overall. For this, you should find a quiet place with pen and paper in hand and calm down. Then start writing whatever comes to mind. It may take some time to fully relax and at the beginning, the texts may be cringy but with enough practice, you will become better at it.

Key Takeaways

Clairvoyance – I See

Clairvoyance is the psychic ability to see things in a different way that defies logic, and it is literally translated as clear seeing. Seeing images, numbers, or symbols that are not visible to the naked eye is common if you are a clairvoyant person. Usually, the image comes as a metaphor. This psychic ability is thought to be connected to your third eye.

People who have this trait tend to have more vivid dreams, they daydream more than usual or see flashing lights. Also, the people who are guided by this gift are more creative, thus many painters are clairvoyants. When you have this gift you easily accept things that one doesn’t necessarily understand.

Having this gift often means having intuitive abilities to see future events. If you want to learn how to develop it, there are many ways, from tarot readings for beginners to other types of oracle decks. But perhaps the most effective way is practicing meditation. It allows you to slow down the rational mind and get in touch with your inner self. Breathe rhythmically and deeply while your focus remains on your third eye chakra.

For additional help, you might want to try placing crystals directly on your forehead to strengthen your third eye.

Clairsentience – I Feel

Do you often sense other people’s feelings? The last gift means a clear feeling and it is the most rational of all the gifts having to do with intuition. Most empaths are clairsentient which differs from mere empathy because it also includes the ability to deeply feel other people’s energy and the gift of recognizing feelings that are not their own. Such people can also feel the energy of different places.

The most common clairsentience traits are:

• Being selective of people because you feel other people’s energy and cannot talk for long with someone who transmits negative energy.
• Wanting to help people because you are very sensitive to the feelings of others.

When it comes to clairsentience development – try keeping a journal where you’ll write down the messages you get from your intuition. When you look through your journal later on, you’ll be amazed to see how many messages you’ve picked up.

Conclusion

Intuition is a gift, but a gift that everyone possesses. In order to tap into the four types of intuition, you should carefully listen to the messages they are trying to convey. The process can take a long time, but learning to understand and trust your intuition is worth the effort.