How to Increase Your Intuition Part III — Ask for Validation as You Share What you Receive

Sometimes it is the simple things that get overlooked that are the key to success. In developing their new intuitive “muscles” many of my students forget this easy yet crucial step. Often the key is to share what you receive as you receive it, even if you have no idea what it means or where it leads you, and ask for feedback rather than feeling like you have to know everything before chiming in.

For example, you think you got the color yellow but have no clue if it has any meaning. Follow the yellow (brick road) and it may unfold the next piece. It is like being a detective, putting the clues together. If you are with a person or animal say “ I just got the color yellow—is that what you are sending or does that mean anything to you?

Get Permission
Of course, if you are practicing with another, you want to be sure to have permission to share this type of information. Often people get shut down because they did not set it up properly. I prefer a very laid-back approach. For example if you are a bodyworker and you are beginning to get subtler impressions, you can tell your client “Sometimes I receive subtle information that seems related to what is going on in the body and other clients find it helpful; would you be interested in hearing that sort of information if I receive it?” Then the door is open and you have an agreement to share your intuitive hits.

Ask for Validation
Whenever possible, ask for validation from any source you feel will be helpful to sort out what you are sensing. I often consult with veterinarians and health practitioners to understand more of what I am perceiving and put it in context. I even ask animals “How am I doing? Am I explaining this well to your people?” It gives you a chance to allow more information to come in. Sometimes the response is priceless.

Years ago I was doing animal readings for two mastiffs. After a few minutes of translating for the brother who was in Spirit, I took a moment to reflect and mused out loud “How am I doing?” And the 200lb canine snoring across the room with his back to us, jumped up, came over to me and sat staring inches away from my eyes. And he WINKED! I nearly fell off my chair. His person was at the wrong angle and didn’t see it, so I exclaimed “wouldn’t it be cool if she saw it too!” And he cocked his giant head in her direction, and he WINKED AGAIN!

What Do You Notice?
Many times we don’t notice the subtler sensations of our intuition until someone asks. When doing energy healing, In addition to sharing what impressions you receive, a great question to ask is “What do you notice?” In this way, you are both tapping into your client or recipient of your energy work about what they are perceiving, and asking for clarification and validation of what you are sharing.

Unless you are a professional intuitive, they are not expecting you to know everything either. They just want help to feel better and clearer. So if you bring them into the process, often they can validate what you are sensing at this point. It is a journey and co-creation.

Be Curious and Open Yet Remain Firm
However, asking for other’s input can sometimes throw you off track. If the person is not agreeing with your perception, or not experiencing the same things that you are, you may get pulled into their version if you lack confidence in your own experience. Try to not make either point right or wrong but stay curious and adopt the attitude of adventurers in a new land. You are both taking information in but may have very different reference points for discussion.

For example, in a Reiki workshop many years ago we were all treating a physician whose right leg was broken 3 times in 5 years. His well-meaning wife kept insisting that I treat the painful right leg, but I was feeling that I had to continue to give energy to the other leg first. Each time I replied “I need to be working on the left leg, but I am not sure why.” The physician kept silent.

After several minutes she became exasperated with me, and challenged my decision. I remained firm, and explained that “I need to feel some flow opening up in his left leg as that was the root cause of the imbalance that was causing the frequent injuries on the opposite side.” I did not know what that meant, or even have that piece until that moment. I just trusted the sensation in my hands.

Finally the doctor spoke up and confirmed that “twenty years ago the neuropathy began on the left side”! He was losing sensation in his left leg, and was over-compensating with the stronger right leg, which was now getting injured frequently. The blockage then opened in the left leg and he began to have pain relief in his broken right leg!