What is Intuition? From Dictionary
Definitions to Personal Inner Truth

When you ask yourself, “What is intuition?”, perhaps you think of times when you:

• felt the phone was going to ring and that it would be a good friend of yours, and then the phone did ring and it was that friend
• accurately foresaw the sex and personality of your (or another pregnant woman's) unborn child
• had a major "Aha" moment, suddenly coming up with a new product solution in your job
• were guided within to the best possible answer to a question you had when randomly opening a book in a bookstore
• were able to immediately choose the best of many candidates for an opening in your company, based on a gut feeling
• had a hunch about how a close friend or partner was feeling before you spoke with them
• followed an instinct to change lanes when driving, just in time to avoid a huge traffic jam ahead
• had a flash of insight with the perfect answer to an ongoing problem you were having at work
• watched your cat (or dog) come directly up to you, begging for food seconds after you thought of feeding them.

Intuition is called
so many things-
also psychic ability and
extrasensory perception.
It was used in all
of the above examples,
and still, some more clarity
would be helpful, don't you think? What IS intuition?

What is Intuition in the Dictionary?

The Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary definitions of intuition are:

in-tu-ition (noun)-

1: immediate apprehension or cognition without reasoning or inferring

2: knowledge or conviction gained by intuition

3: the power or faculty of gaining direct knowledge or cognition
without evident rational thought and inference

So, that means intuition by definition would not be reasoning, inference, or rational thought. And without rational thought, that would also eliminate intellect, judgment and common sense.

What is Intuition in Right and Left Brain Functioning?

While dictionary definitions are helpful as a starting point, they are very left-brained (logical, linear, analytical thinking) descriptions of the very right-brained (feeling-based, creative, imaginative thinking) process of intuition. The right side of your brain receives the intuitive information that the left side of your brain then verbally translates and puts into context. Intuition is what happens when you use your right and left brain together, optimally. And that goes for men, too-it's not just true for women's intuition!

For example, when I was first introduced to Tony, my spiritual partner, I had the feeling experience of “remembering” my future with him. Definitely not linear or logical! Then my left brain kicked in and translated that this person would be very significant in my future life, and he is!

Your right brain can receive and perceive intuitive information in so many different ways, such as gut feelings, flashes of knowing or insight, and mind’s eye imagery. In stepping out of your usual daily mode of thinking, you obtain information you don’t ordinarily have access to.

Making use of your intuition then necessitates calling on the analytical quality of your left brain. You need it to make personal sense of the information. Otherwise, you might have a good flow of intuitive information that means nothing to you.

Accessing Intuition

Accessing the power of intuition more in your life, then, means allowing yourself to be open to many non-logical ways of receiving helpful information and guidance. Albert Einstein acknowledged the important role of intuition in his scientific work. He said, “The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don’t know why or how.” (More Intuition Quotes)

We are all so much more than our physical bodies! The “leap in consciousness” described by Albert Einstein, your intuition, is what allows you to tap into an expanded reality that lies beyond your physical sense perceptions. You experience a reality shift as your spiritual eyes are opened. And intuition is what you receive from that pure place. The information and guidance is positive, loving, rings true, feels right. It's your personal inner Truth and you know that you can trust it.

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"I shut my eyes in order to see."
~Paul Gauguin

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Following Your Intuition - Be Brave Not Beige! 

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"I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud."
~Carl Jung

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Living Life With Intuition

Most people get to a place in their lives where they wonder, “Is this all there is?” They long for a life with greater meaning and purpose. And a way to connect with more of who they are, their inner divinity, their knowing that, "I am love."

(Click here to go to my connecting with God meditation page.)

If this sounds like you, living your life consciously using your intuition may be what you are be seeking.

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"And what is that intuitive nature? That's the wholeness of you. In other words, when you say, "My intuitive nature comes forth," what you're saying is, “I'm jiving with my Inner Being; I have the knowledge that my Inner Being does; I have the timing of my Inner Being; I have the clarity of my Inner Being; I have the wisdom of my Inner Being.” That's what intuition - what intuitiveness - is. Intuitiveness…let’s call it inTUNEitiveness: in tune; you've tuned into that.
Abraham/Esther Hicks, San Diego, 8/20/11

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When you choose to live your life following your clear intuition, you are living in alignment with your personal Truth and your life’s purpose. “What is intuition?” is replaced with living your personal experiential answer, one glorious day at a time!

Be BIG LOVE,

Karen Whitaker

Last updated July 8, 2012

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