Years ago as I first learned to journey, almost all of the information came through as a knowing. When a piece of information or insight drops in to our awareness, the technical term is claircognizance. It’s different than thinking, because we don’t analyze or follow a cognitive thought process – it’s just there. Claircognizance helps me in ancestral healing when I “just know” the original wound that is causing suffering in the family
As I continued to walk my path of personal healing, I came back home into my body. Being more grounded helped me recognize the information and messages that came through my body (intuitive sensing, known as clairsentience). Once I opened and accepted my empathic nature, the balance shifted and my strongest intuitive sense is now clairsentience.
Frequently when doing healing work for clients, my body mirrors what is happening in their body so the energy can be cleared. My body frequently shows me where trauma is being held, and I have also learned to recognize the energetic signature of different emotions and energies by how they feel on my skin.
We can also have the experience in journeys of seeing images, colors, or even a scene playing out like a video clip (clairvoyance). Once in a journey, the helping spirits showed me the cover of a classic children’s book, the pivotal piece of information that helped us track and unravel the heavy energy affecting her and her family.
In basic journey classes, sometimes students want so badly to receive information in one specific way one that they ignore or downplay their natural gifts. Everyone has different channels of intuition in unique combinations. Especially in the beginning, it’s helpful to work with our innate gifts. Over time, the other channels tend to develop.
Over the 16 years I’ve been in shamanic practice, my intuition has evolved to a blending of all the different channels. There were many unexpected gifts along the way, like being able to smell an ancestor’s pipe tobacco or a scent of roses signaling the presence of Mother Mary – the first two experiences that happened when my clairolfaction began to open.
Interestingly, my spirit guides save clairaudience (intuitive hearing) for important messages on my own personal healing journey. Waking up from a sound sleep one night and hearing the words “soul retrieval” echoing in my head led me to my shamanic path.
Another time, I journeyed and asked for information about my purpose in life. One of my spirit guides spoke to me clearly that day. They said, “Debra, your purpose in this lifetime is four-fold: writing, teaching, healing, and speaking.” This gave me the courage to leave behind my stressful, unfulfilling job in the corporate world.
Most recently when I was struggling during the pandemic with health issues, they brought me assurance by speaking in my ear and saying, “Trust the divine plan we have for you.” This message has sustained me ever since. I wrote it on a bright orange Post-it note and put it a prominent place in my kitchen as a reminder.
I’m grateful for my intuitive gifts. They have enhanced my life, helped me to grow, and brought healing on behalf of many clients.
This work is real, and it matters.
July 28, 2021