Word of the Month: Intuition

Jeanette Bazeley, April 1, 2023

Intuition

Noun

An ability to understand or know something immediately based on your feelings rather than facts, and often based on subconscious memories of past experience.  Example: Her intuition told her that something was not right with the situation.

Synonyms: instinct, sixth sense, gut reaction, hunch

Other forms: intuitive, intuitively

What is that feeling deep in our gut, apart from logic and rational thought, that makes us choose a career, a job, a life partner, or even something as simple as what to buy or what to wear?  What is the instinctive feeling of a mother that her child is unwell even before there is any evidence? People can experience a sudden certainty that a loved one is in trouble, or a premonition of danger to come. Why is it that sometimes we can sense instantly the good or bad intentions of others when we meet them? Often there is no obvious reason why we know. We just know.

Sometimes referred to as “the sixth sense,” intuition is that gut feeling that prompts us to make a judgment or decision one way or the other because it feels right, often without clear evidence. Intuitive decisions can be made about the future, without knowing the future, and even though it doesn’t guarantee perfection or an accurate prediction, when we practice listening to our intuition, the results can be more rewarding.

Quotes that contain the word “intuition”

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant.” -- Albert Einstein

“To know how to choose a path with heart is to learn how to follow intuitive feeling.”
– Jean Shinoda Bolen

 “Intuition is the whisper of the soul.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

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