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By Joyce A. Kovelman, Ph.D., Ph.D.
I’ve often been asked whether I believed in intuition, if it really exists, is it just a New Age phenomenon, or does it belong to all of humanity? While I cannot truly answer these questions for another, I can share my experiences and understanding of a truly remarkable gift I believe belongs to all of humankind.
I will begin at the beginning. I was born an identical twin, and always seemed to know what my sister thought, felt and experienced in addition to my own thoughts, awareness, and a growing engagement with the manifest world. I didn’t know what this inner awareness was called, nor what other people thought about it – or even how to use or manifest this gift. It was simply there from the very beginning of my life, and I never thought to question it.
At five, I first realized that many people didn’t believe in “intuition” or if they did, they didn’t want to acknowledge or rely on this way of knowing. I also recognized that I already depended on this way of knowing about something before or as it happened (both good or bad) and relied upon this knowledge to plan my day as well as to avoid some challenging and dangerous situations that I sensed were well beyond my years, and my control. What I did do, was to choose whether to follow this information out into the world, or like so many others – to simply ignore this felt sense of urgency and recognition of events yet to come. As I grew up, I would play and test my “intuition” over and over again, always concluding it was a gift and very, very real. I also had no training and was strictly on my own. Surprisingly, I learned in my teens that my twin sister didn’t believe in “intuition” and that she was shocked when she realized that I did.
As the years have passed, I’ve depended more and more upon my intuitive skills. It seems to be an integral part of me, helping me to successfully navigate within the world of physicality. It also has led to my questioning the almost irrational dependence and relationship our world has with objective, rational data. We are told that unless we can weigh, see and measure an object – it cannot exist. Yet, I know that many sub-atomic and virtual particles exist and continually move in and out of our non-linear world. I also believe that there is a field of consciousness beyond the manifest world that gives rise, supports, and sustains our physical world.
As a Neuroscientist, I continued to depend upon my “ah-ha’s” and gut feelings. Indeed, many scientists have discovered solutions to their questions in the dream state. For example, Kekulé – a chemist – first recognized the cyclic structure of the Benzene molecule after dreaming about a snake biting its own tail. I also believe that Science is a highly intuitive discipline with both rational, objective ways of knowing as well as a subjective and felt sense of what is important to study, and which questions are best to follow. I believe that the “intuition” which emerges from the depths of my being is likely a sub-set of what most of us recognize as “psychic” phenomena. “Intuition” is an inner knowing, a hunch, an “ah-ha” and “intuition” always offers us a choice of following or ignoring its message.
From my perspective, “intuition” is usually more personal – pertaining to information about myself, about members of my family, and about those I hold most dear, while “psychic” awareness usually deals with what I “intuitively” sense about others in the larger world, but who are not within my inner circle. I wonder if this is so for other “intuitives.” We all know people who have had a “gut” feeling not to fly on a particular day, and who fortunately decided to heed this warning and thus avoided a plane crash and possible injury or death. The difference between “intuition” and “psychic” phenomena is an avenue of research that interests me greatly. It seems likely that most of the inner, subjective information we receive, whether in meditation, contemplation, the dream state, through “intuition” or other forms of “psychic” phenomena are part of a larger continuum of knowing that is always available to humanity. It serves to warn, prepare and guide us about how to best respond to the coming events of daily existence, if we pay attention.
I recall a number of personal experiences that have convinced me that “intuition” is real and that it provides me/us with important information we would not receive any other way. About 6 years ago, I was visiting with friends in New Zealand when I suddenly felt a great sadness encircling me. Try as I might, I could not rid myself of a growing inner sense of despair. After an hour or so, I began to scan my mind to see what it was about. Gradually, I became aware that my twin was in distress and attempting to let me know. When I called home, my husband told me that Alice had experienced a mild stroke, but was doing a bit better in the last hour or two. My felt-sense that she was in trouble was affirmed, I learned that Alice‘s condition was stable, and now able to enjoy the rest of my vacation.
I believe that I also “intuit” many answers to questions on academic exams by concentrating and entering deeply into the silence of the moment – then returning within seconds with the answer firmly in mind. Perhaps some of you have also experienced this. I often know who and even when a friend will call, and remember that as my grandchildren first started to telephone me, I quickly learned to recognize their energy before the phone rang. I’ve improved with practice – and have grown aware that I must also learn to do this with each new member of my family or with new friends I meet. Time and practice, as well as a willingness to listen and to follow this inner wisdom have helped my intuitive abilities and trust grow and expand.
My growing recognition of the role “intuition” continues to play in my life and my experience that “intuition” always provides me with important information and guidance has taught me to respect this gift. “Intuition” belongs to all of us, if we just believe and trust. I encourage all of you to enter into silence, to concentrate, to listen and to follow your hunches, your “ah-ha’s” and “intuitive” knowings out into the world. It will make life richer, fuller and easier, as well as add to your sense of the sacredness and preciousness of all existence.