Intuition As A Universal Gift

Intuition as a Latent Universal Gift

Intuition cannot be produced. It has to be allowed to happen. But that is just what the rational mind cannot endure. It wants to control everything. It is not prepared to be silent, to be still, to allow things to happen. Of course, there is the passivity of inertia, but this is not an “active passivity.” it is what the Chinese call “wu wei” action in inaction, it is a state of receptivity.

Bede Griffiths Cited in Christian Mystics

Matthew Fox briefly adds this observation:

“Bede Griffiths speaks out about the power of stillness, and of allowing things to happen.  This way is an offense to the rational mind. It is a “state of receptivity.” The Via Negativa teaches us these matters. There we learn letting go and letting be.”

As one matures and grows, there are inklings of this elusive skill or gift. However, we certainly are not taught to trust it, unless we have the good fortune to have an artist, mystic ,or a poet etc., as a role model nearby or in the family!

As both Griffiths and Fox state, the rational mind is hostile to the development of intuition, and can act preventatively to screen out or block any ideas, feelings, or inspirations from being given its initial breath and its active expression. 

Eventually, intuitive thoughts, feelings, and experiences did shake my awareness open, and pried my need for reasons aside.  Enlivening my intuition guided me toward being more able to respectfully listen to my heart. How did this awakening or this discovery happen? 

Unfortunately, as a child, I was not exposed to literature, the fine arts, music, or any of the other ways intuition is culturally nurtured or accepted. So you could say, instead of being a “late bloomer,”  the truth is a little harsher than that! I could say that my intuitive abilities were held captive by family fears, cultural worries, and restrictive religious education.

The gradual awakening process only came as college beckoned, and I found myself spending time at the MFA and adjacent museums in Boston. There I began to comprehend the timeless beauty and creative genius that surrounded me.

Still intellectually based to be sure, there was a growing acknowledgment of the role of inspiration. That was the missing dimension! That I could discover the other ways of knowing and their possibilities that went far beyond the fearful logic and “common sense” mindset that I had experienced throughout my early years.

From those meager beginnings, and then through my early adoption of meditation practices, and my surging interest in world religions, my intuitive qualities began to emerge. As they did, they deepened and ripened and became more trustworthy.

Today, I rely on them as an integral dimension within my coaching and spiritual direction work, as they effectively supplement my knowledge, and allow me to be more heart-centered.

One more enticing nugget: In my Anthroposophical studies, there was a teaching about the human “supersensible” skills and abilities. These are the unique abilities of human consciousness: They are our capacity for intuition, imagination, and inspiration!

 I am grateful for that identification, as I often use these abilities to become more aware of the presence of the Holy through them!