Intuition is not a special talent that is gifted to only a few, but rather an innate aspect of life.  Every living creature has intuition.  As humans, we are born with our intuition beautifully intact.  Yet over time, society, culture and other influential forces begin to chip away at this part of our nature and we quickly learn how to ignore our guidance or even shut it down completely. 

Fortunately, because it is intrinsic to our nature, it can be re-awakened and even further developed.  I have been teaching intuitive development since 1999 as I feel it is a foundational aspect of being awake, aware, and living upon a pathway of wisdom.  The following is a handout that I provided to all of my certification students and I am now making it available to you.  As always, I welcome questions, comments and generating conversation.

Strengthening Your Connection Through Awareness – The 4 clairs

In order for us to recognize the guidance being offered to us from the various light beings we are working with, we must learn to be acutely Aware or our surroundings. This means paying attention to subtle messages that are all around us. It means listening to that small voice within, as well as looking at everything that is going on around us as communication from the realms of spirit.

By connecting with higher realms of guidance, you are utilizing the tools God gave you to progress along your personal and spiritual path. Be aware that these beings of light do not always communicate with you in obvious ways. Remember, they cannot interfere with free will, so they must choose creative ways to connect with you and help you awaken. However, they are constantly active in every aspect of your life, and always sending you nudges and signals.

There are four basic avenues of communication with your higher self and the higher realms of Spirit. They are:

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance means "clear seeing." This is the most commonly talked about form of psychic sense, or intuition. However, it is not necessarily the most commonly utilized. In fact, I so often find with my clients and students that they are frustrated because they do not "see" the Angels and other forms of etheric energy. Usually, they are mislead by what it means to "see." Try this exercise. Right now, with your eyes open, as you are reading these words, picture your bedroom. What does the bed and its linens look like? Is the bed made? What are the colors of the linens? What are some other items that you see in your room? Now, if you are in your bedroom while reading this, picture another room in your home, or place of employment. What you are doing is using your inner vision. This is a form of clairvoyance! Many people believe that they must see energy and energetic beings with their physical eyes only. That is not always the case. What we cannot see in the natural world, with our natural eyes, we can learn to see in the Supernatural world with our Supernatural eyes. However, for some, seeing with the physical eye is a common occurrence. Whatever the case is for you, further development is always an opportunity.

What you might more commonly see with your physical eyes are sparks of light, flashes of color (similar to when someone takes a picture with a flash) or visions out of the corner of your eye. You see, Angels have a very high frequency and give off small sparks of white light that we can sometimes see with our physical eye. Similarly, Fairies, the Earth Angels, give off small sparks of silvery light. Spirit Guides will typically give off white light also, but somewhat dimmed compared to Angels, only because their frequency is different due to their various incarnations on earth (as opposed to Angels, which have never had earthly incarnations). Archangels usually resonate to a particular ray of the spectrum of colors, and therefore give off corresponding light energy. You might see a flash or ball of light that is a specific color like blue, red, or green. Please note that different people may interpret their connection with the spirit realm differently. So, if you see things differently than I have explained here, it is not about right or wrong, just different. For instance, when I am clairvoyantly seeing the Archangel Michael, I will see a ball or flash of cobalt blue light. Similarly, when I see the Archangel Raphael, I see the color emerald green. I have spoke with people who see the Archangel Michael associated with the color red, and the Archangel Raphael associated with blue. So, there will be variances across the line. What I am offering here is simply a guideline. Take what feels right, and put the rest aside.

To strengthen your Clairvoyant connection, practice looking at objects with your physical eye, then envisioning them with your inner eye. Notice what details you see with your inner eye, and create additional details that you may not have noticed with your physical eyes. Visualization in all of its various forms will strengthen your clairvoyant connection. You will also want to work at opening your Third Eye chakra, which is located in the center of your forehead. Chakras, and various forms of Chakra healing will be discussed further in on in the course.

Clairaudience

Clairaudience means "clear hearing." This type of intuition involves hearing audible guidance from our spirit helpers, often in the form of a voice either inside of our mind our outside of our ear, as if someone were actually speaking to us. This voice may sound like our own voice, or that of another person. This type of guidance can be misunderstood as imagination, especially with our society's fears about hearing voices as a sign of insanity or schizophrenia. It is important to understand that clairaudient messages are always positive, and uplifting. They are never demeaning, or dangerous. If voices are destructive in nature, it is not a spirit helper delivering them.

Clairaudient messages usually come in the form of clear, to-the-point guidance. The messages are not lengthy and wordy, but short and sweet. Often, the words come so quickly that they might be easily missed, or dismissed as "hearing things."

One evening, when I was praying for louder clairaudient messages, I was laying in bed and just beginning to drift off to sleep when I heard a clear, audible male voice outside of my ear that yelled "Is This Loud Enough!" I realized then that I really didn't need that loud voice to discern the guidance I was receiving. However, every now and then when I really seem to be ignoring guidance that is coming through, my guides will raise their voice a bit to get my attention.

Another way you might receive clairaudient messages is through hearing lyrics to a song that really touch you, or something said on TV that seems to get your attention. Spirit is not limited in how it can communicate to you and may use these venues to speak to you.

Additionally, I hear stories of people hearing there name being called, when no is calling it. My daughter used to come to me often and says "yeah mom, what do you want." I'll tell her that I did not call her. She looks at me strangely and walks away. This is a common phenomenon and one in which I believe is Spirit or your Angels calling your name.

Claircognisence

Claircognisence means "clear knowing." This type of intuition involves suddenly knowing information without knowing why or how you know. Claircognisence comes in the form of inspiration, ideas, concepts, and thoughts without seeing, hearing or feeling anything that corresponds to the thought because it comes directly into your consciousness, you just instantly know. It is a clear and certain knowing. This type of intuition can feel frustrating to some people because they can not figure out why they know something.

Intellectual and linear thinking types of people tend to discount this type of guidance. Interestingly enough, they are usually the types that have this intuitive sense wide open. Their mind is so sharp, it just goes right to the point. No need for visions, sounds, or feelings - just the facts.

This type of guidance is also quite often coupled with one of the other "clairs." I hear of many people who not only received a vision, but a clear and certain knowing too. Or, perhaps they got a gut feeling, and just knew it was correct. Whether this type of knowing happens on it's own, or combined with another intuitive sense it is just as valid and powerful as the other types of guidance.

Clairsentience

Clairsentience means "clear feeling." This type of guidance is one of the most commonly experienced, especially among women. It comes in the form of gut feelings, hunches, and physical feelings coming from connecting to others. It can come as an emotion or physical sensation such as smell, taste, or touch. Those who receive their guidance through clairsentience are also known as empaths. They "feel" what everyone else feels. Clairsentients are very sensitive individuals, in many ways. They have probably been labeled as such throughout their life. Although this can be uncomfortable at times, it really is a gift and once it is understood, it can be used as such.

Clairsentient people pick up on other's emotions. They get their guidance through feelings, and physical sensations. For example, a clairsentient person may be feeling great, but sitting next to a person who has a headache, or is emotionally unwell. The clairsentient person might begin to actually feel that headache, or an unexplained sadness. Clairsentients can walk into a room and feel the vibe. They don't typically like crowds or places where the energy does not feel good. They might also feel changes in air pressure or temperatures when spirit beings are near, like increased warmth or cold. Clairsentients therefore are excellent at sensing energy and work well with the healing arts.

Clairsentience is one of the most commonly open intuitive channels among people. It is also very important for people who are sensitive to take precautions with their own energy and protecting it from holding onto another's issues. In the previous example of picking up on someone's headache or emotional issues, the sensitive person might continue the rest of their day, experiencing discomfort that did not even belong to them if they do not learn to disconnect from that energy and cleanse themselves energetically. Below are a variety of tools one can use to help themselves.

Each time a person connects with another person, or situation, they create what are called etheric cords. Clairvoyantly they look like surgical tubing that protrudes from an area on the physical body, and are connected to another person, place, situation, or thing. For example, if you had a disagreement with someone at work, you might have a cord to the person you disagreed with, or to the situation itself. This cord will keep you from letting go of this issue and perhaps forgiving that person. These cords are usually relatively easy to dissolve. Some teachings advise cutting these cords. It has been my experience that this will work in some instances, but for other situations, dissolving them is best. Personally, I call upon the Goddess Ishtar to dissolve my cords. I also will use my hand to cut them away using a chopping motion over my heart area or entire body. Many people invoke the Archangel Michael to cut their cords with his might sword. It really is all about intent as your intention sets your experience. When I intend to have the Goddess Ishtar dissolve my cords, that then becomes my experience.

There area also many other types of situations that one might connect a cord to. Daily cutting or dissolving is a good idea if you are a sensitive person. Trauma and longstanding issues with people might create a cord that needs more work than one cutting or dissolving, and it may be advisable to seek help from a healer to help you achieve the full release of this cord.

Using the smoke of sage to clear an area in the home/office, or one's energy field is a powerful way to clear away negative energy. This is a Native American practice that anyone can use. You don't want to use the type of sage you cook with, but rather a wild type that can be found in many regions throughout the US and abroad. I use California White Sage. You can order smudge sticks online, or purchase them in metaphysical shops. However, if you have the opportunity to pick it from a plant directly, I highly recommend it.

To clear your energy with sage, you will light the leaves in a fire-safe vessel, such as an abalone shell and let the smoke waft over your energy field. The leaves can either be bundled into a sage stick, or burned loosely. To clear an area, carry the vessel with the sage all around the space and let the smoke clear away negativity.

Traditionally, sage should not be bought or sold.  If you go to a Pow Wow, you will see that it is illegal to buy or sell sage. It is a sacred herb that should be used in a sacred manner, never for profit. However, for many, buying the herb is their only opportunity to use it, and in those cases, it is absolutely appropriate.

If it does grow wild in your region, always pick it ceremonially. Never just take from nature! Telepathically ask the plant if you have permission to pick some of its leaves. You will know intuitively if you can proceed. Only pick what you need, never deplete a plant completely. Bring water and pour some on the plant as an offering. You will also want to bring some tobacco or cornmeal to also offer to the plant in gratitude for what it has given you. If you forget to bring an offering, take a strand of hair from your head and give it to the plant as your temporary offering. Then, at another time, either at the plant, or other location in nature, do a formal offering of tobacco or cornmeal in honor for what the Earth Mother has given you.

Sea salt baths are another powerful tool to clear away energy we may have picked up.  It is important to understand that shielding yourself can only go so far.  If you want to dance in the rain, you are bound to step in a mud puddle; instead of holding yourself back from dancing in the rain, you simply clean up.  The same goes with energy.  You are more effectual upon your path when you are open.  Regular energy cleansing through cord cutting, sage, sea salt baths, earthing (walking barefoot upon the earth) and sound healing are just a few energy remedies that are simple yet powerful.  

Melinda