And I’m still grappling with them and figuring out how to move forward.

And that is where intuition moves from being a cool skill to a straight up necessity. During these moments you can’t just wait for intuition to blindly strike. You’ve got to use every tool at your disposal to give it a nudge so it can guide you forward.

I know enough about astrology to understand that it’s not unusual that I had experienced the start of a major new chapter of my life during eclipse season. And this chapter seemed to come out of left field and it was not self-initiated. But while I couldn’t do anything to stop it from happening, I am determined to use intuition, metaphysics and spiritual law to find my way through. And that’s the journey that I’m currently on.

The first thing I’ve sought to do is increase the number of synchronicities that I get from day to day. Synchronicities are those moments where something happens that is connected to another seemingly unrelated event and you realize that there is so much more to life than what we can see. You start to feel like there’s a reason for everything and the Universe begins to speak to you in its own language, giving you signs of where to go next — and sometimes what to run from.

You can increase the number of synchronicities in your life

I didn’t always realize that you could increase the number of synchronicities you get. I used to think we were powerless to know when one might come. But I’ve found that certain actions have helped me to get moreso into that synchronistic flow that allows messages to be more frequent and impactful. And that’s what I’ve been doing this past month.

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First I stopped writing.

You may have noticed that I have been very sporadic with writing in the last month. For one thing I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth with all that was going on. But that wasn’t the only reason. I wanted to focus on receiving information, not dispelling it. I wanted to quiet my brain as much as possible and this freed up some of the mental space that I needed to hear my intuition speak and make clear decisions.

Then, I Initiated a news fast.

Let me be clear. I am a news junkie. It’s not unusual for me to start the day with Morning Joe (the show, not the brew) and have the television on news programming all day while I work. And I believe it’s very important to know what’s going on in the world around me. And despite the fact that it stresses me the hell out, I follow political news very closely as well.

But messages and synchronicities can be subtle and easy to miss. In a normal time, news events can be distracting. Today, bad actors wage war with disinformation, and politicians and others regularly use news cycles with the intention of keeping our attention welded to the story of the week so we don’t pay attention to anything else.

So I shut the news off for about a week. I still got breaking news headlines so if there was some humongous news story that I needed to know immediately, I would find out about it.

Then I started sharing bits of my dilemma.

People often stay quiet about things that they are grappling with. If they have to make a major decision they refrain from sharing it with others perhaps because they don’t want others to influence their decision. Or maybe they’re afraid to let others know about their moments of weakness since that’s not exactly social media sexy.

But one thing I’ve learned is that we often get synchronicities and other messages from other people. Giving those we come in contact with a little information can lead us to the next step. I don’t mean you need to tell people everything. I simply mention that I’m dealing with a possible case of medical malpractice and I’m trying to figure out what steps I need to take to see this through.

When I’m emotionally attached to a situation or I feel blocked about a certain area in my life, the Universe often speaks through those around me who might be more open to receiving (spiritual) insight into that topic. Now granted, I have friends who are just as woo-woo as me; and I don’t think twice when a friend tells me they have a message for me. But other times, someone will say something or send me something out of the blue that is a direct answer to one of my questions.

Case in point.

I was trying to determine whether I should take this particular matter to court. There is a statute of limitations issue with this case; it is very close to coming to an end so any decision made would have to be made relatively quickly. Since I’m still trying to find the right attorney, one option I have is to file a claim pro se, or representing myself, immediately. Once the claim is filed and accepted, the clock would stop running out on the statute of limitations and then I could find the right attorney to guide me the rest of the way through.

I was going back and forth on whether I should do this. The fear that kept coming to mind was that I would end up in court facing this huge healthcare company all by myself with no one to help me and no one to support me. [I also had a dream during this time of a former friend that did not support me during a major part of my life. In this dream, she was walking behind me, with her hands on my back, literally offering support. I took that to be illustrative of my strong desire for support in a potential lawsuit.]

Later, a friend happened to send me one of those inspirational prayer messages that people send around. The one she sent me read:

That message was so clear to me that I did a double take. I had been so worried that I’d be in court by myself like David facing Goliath, and the message literally said ‘I will be with you in the court room.’

So I’m filing that claim. And using other strategies to receive guidance on attracting the support in that courtroom that is meant for me. Stay tuned.

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One thing I’ve started doing is using Tarot Cards on a daily basis. I give myself a mini-reading each morning and pay attention to the messages I get. I’m always amazed at how accurate my daily mini-readings have turned out to be.

You don’t need to know how to read Tarot Cards to do this; in fact, this exercise will help you to learn how to read Tarot Cards on your own if you aren’t already comfortable doing so.

To do this mini exercise all you ne…

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So often we shrug off something that we know intuitively to be true because we don’t have proof or what we know isn’t evident right away. Learning to trust our intuition in spite of “evidence” that we believe to be contradictory is challenging but this experience taught me that it is necessary.

I’m realizing that learning to use your intuition isn’t the hard part. Learning to trust it is the biggest challenge. I will be sharing more strategies on how to build that trust in the coming weeks. The experience also led me to turn to one of my favorite metaphysical tools to help me get back into the intuitive flow. If you’ve never read The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn, you’re missing out on one of the greatest gems of wisdom around. Not only does she understand how intuition works, but she teaches how intuition and manifestation go hand in hand to help you create the world that you intuitively know you deserve. I typically re-read it once a year and hadn’t read it again this year. I’m re-reading it now and I encourage you to join me.

So what does intuition have to do with email?

When your life is flowing, you’re likely getting all kinds of intuitive messages about what to do next. But when you feel blocked, messages just don’t seem to come through. While your first thought might be to step up your meditation game (and that’s great - I’m not knocking it), there are actually a few more practical steps you can take to increase the number of intuitive messages that come through.

Your inner world reflects your outer world. If you open the lines of communication in your outer world, you’ll open the door for more messages to flow energetically. The key is to look at all of the methods people have to get in touch with you and determine whether your lines of communication are clear. If they aren’t clear, you’re sending a message to the Universe and the Universe will respond.

Check your email. Do you have hundreds or even thousands of messages piled up in your inbox that you haven’t discarded or handled appropriately? If so, you’re sending out a message to the Universe that there’s not much room for clear communication. Get started on clearing out that inbox and you’ll create room for people to get in touch with you whether they do so digitally or through telepathic and other intuitive means.

Next, look at your voice mailbox. I know people with so many messages in their voice mailbox that others literally cannot leave a message. That’s explicitly sending a message that you don’t have room in your life for new relationships or even to maintain the ones that you currently have. At the same time, it’s letting the Universe know that you can’t handle your current relationship-load, so guess what? The Universe always wants to help you out and it slows the flow of communication toward you.

So what about your physical mailbox? Is it working ok? Does the door to the mailbox blow open with the wind? Is the mailbox physically well-maintained, or is it leaning to the side or in need of paint? In other words, how welcoming is it? If your mailbox isn’t welcoming, it, again, sends a message to the Universe that you’re not in a welcoming frame of mind for communication and interaction with others.

Don’t forget social media. If you have a social media account, but you don’t respond to people who contact you that way, you’re sending a message to the Universe, again, to slow your communications down. If you’re missing out on communications because you don’t check your social media accounts regularly, maybe you don’t really need them. It’s better to close the account than to abandon it and leave communications unanswered. Or if you don’t want to close the accounts entirely, schedule time periodically, such as once a week, to respond to those who took the time to reach out to you.

No relationship exists in a vacuum. Everything you do in life sends a message and has an energetic imprint on your journey. Make sure all of your lines of communication are clear and all of your relationships will benefit from it in the physical world and metaphysically.

I recently pondered that question. I met someone I would be working with on a few projects and I instantly disliked her. However, there was no logical reason for my feelings. I just knew I was repelled by her energy. I had a strong desire to cut off contact, and I just knew this person’s energy didn’t gel with mine.

However, the event that I met her at was a conference and I knew it was a stressful situation for her. So I gave her the benefit of the doubt and decided to reserve my judgment. While I intuitively didn’t like her energy, I considered the fact that I might have been responding to the stress that she was under. I decided to give her another chance. Good decision or painful mistake? Below I’ll share how I decide if I should override my intuition and later how things turned out with the colleague.

Recognizing shifts in energy

Sensing energy is often an exercise in contradictions. You might sense that someone is sad though they’re smiling. You might feel anger oozing from their pores though they have a straight face. If you’re an empath, you may even feel overwhelmed by the contradictory energy of others at times.

In these situations, your energy is interacting with their energy, and their energy is actually affecting your own vibration. You’re picking up on their vibes.

The thing is, energy shifts. When you pay attention to how you feel around others, you may notice that sometimes you feel good around them and sometimes you feel bad. So meeting someone one time and having an instant dislike for them may not always be reflective of the situation at hand. If someone gives you bad vibes:

• It could mean they’re an untrustworthy person.

• It could mean they’re uncomfortable around you.

• It could mean they’re lying to you.

• It could mean they’re having a bad day.

• It could mean they don’t feel well.

How can you tell what the Universe wants you to know?

How to interpret bad vibes

When you pick up on bad vibes about someone, one thing is for sure: You should never ignore it. Always take it seriously when you feel like you don’t trust someone.

(If you’re the parent of a small child, also take it seriously if your child doesn’t like someone. Don’t force a child to hug someone or spend time with someone if they’re not comfortable, particularly if you are not around. Children are typically very in tune with their natural psychic ability, and when you teach them to ignore their gut feelings, you set them on a path of ignoring their instincts throughout their lives.)

Another thought: If you feel intuitively that someone is dangerous or you feel super strongly that you need to stay away from them do so to the best of your ability. Take intuitions of danger very seriously.

If you’re just slightly unsure about someone then I think there’s no harm in seeking out more information. Here’s how to get the information you need.

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We all have a psychic type. Your psychic type is the way that you interact with your intuition, and it has everything to do with how you wield your intuitive power and how you can strengthen it. The intuitive healer is one of the most rewarding types but it can be one of the most challenging. Read on to discover if you are an intuitive healer, what your challenges might be, and how you can best work with this energy.

What is the intuitive healer?

The intuitive healer instinctively knows when something is wrong or when someone is in trouble. They always seem to know what to do in a given situation. Others look to them for help in solving problems. The following examples can give you an idea of what the intuitive healer might look like:

• The empath who feels everyone’s pain.

• The person who senses something is wrong before others are aware.

• The person who others tend to seek out for advice.

• The person who instinctively knows someone can’t be trusted (and is often proven right).

• The person who feels an unexplained desire to remove themselves from a certain crowd.

• The person who knows what foods and natural remedies will make the body feel better.

Their intuitive nature is the worst kept secret. Everyone around them can see that they know things, but intuitive healers are often blocked to their own power.

How do intuitive healers discover their gifts

While we’re all born with intuition, many of us are discouraged from using it as we grow up. Instead, we’re taught to rely on our logical minds and on data that can be easily proven. Intuitive healers often notice that their hunches about other people are correct. They enjoy reading about personal development and wellness. They may also have a strong interest in alternative healing modalities such as reiki and chakra balancing. Intuitive healers may also be drawn to psychology and may choose counseling professions that allow them to help others in the mental, emotional and spiritual realms. They may love to cook for others and know instinctively how to nourish the body in a healthy way. Some common characteristics of intuitive healers:

• They just know when a loved one is down or upset even if that person wears a smile.

• They know when a loved one is in trouble before the loved one realizes it.

• They always know what to say to bring comfort to those around them.

• When a loved one is ill, they come up with suggestions that make the loved one feel better.

• They always have a line of people looking to them for advice about their lives.

Notice anything in common? The intuitive healer is typically focused on other people. They are extremely intuitive but they often don’t apply their intuition to their own lives.

In fact, intuitive healers may have received encouragement to use their gifts — for the benefit of others. They learned that others appreciate them for having all of the answers. So while other psychic types may have been discouraged from using their psychic skills, the intuitive healer knows they have a knack for knowing with others need.

And therein lies their biggest challenge.

The challenges of the intuitive healer

If there is any psychic type that is prone to do too much for other people, it’s the intuitive healer. In extreme cases, they could tie their identity and their value to helping others by solving their problems and making their lives easier. While there is nothing wrong with using your intuitive gifts to help others, problems arise when you solve the problems of everyone around you at the expense of yourself.

Ironically, many intuitive healers are quick to see what’s going on beneath the surface with those around them but they don’t trust their intuition to guide their own lives.

Intuitive healers are also prone to burnout because they are likely to take on the problems of others. Empaths, who literally feel what others are feeling, may confuse the feelings of others with their own. Intuitive healers that don’t learn how to manage their psychic gifts could feel overwhelmed, burdened, and frustrated by their psychic gifts.

These challenges might manifest themselves in the following ways:

• You feel weighted down by the moods of others.

• You have a hard time setting boundaries and saying ‘no.’

• You feel like you’re always pouring into others but others don’t pour into you.

• You attract psychic vampires.

• You ignore your own health and wellness.

How to work with intuitive healer energy

If you’re an intuitive healer, your biggest challenge is to balance the work that you do for others with the work that you do for yourself. Intuition is primarily designed to help us navigate our own lives. It alerts us to dangers, guides us to what excites us, and helps us to identify opportunities and relationships that align with us. An intuitive healer that is focused only on doing this for others is missing the point.

To enhance your skills and strengthen your psychic abilities, you can use shadow work, divination tools and energy protection techniques to help you become more inner focused. If you want to go deeper, read below for some suggestions on where to start.

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When those who hold the power don’t have the best interests of the people in mind, there can be a desire to help make a change. Of course if you live in a democratic society you can technically vote those people out. But if you’re living in a place that doesn’t allow voting or that doesn’t allow fair voting, you may want to look for other means to make your voice heard.

I wondered if crystals could help with that endeavor. And if so, what crystal — if collectively worn — might do so. Here’s what I came up with.

Unpacking the power of Moldavite

First its appearance. Moldavite is a green and glassy stone that can at a quick glance resemble emerald. (But if you look at the two closely I think the difference is evident.) Moldavite is rare, only found naturally in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. Because it is rare, it can also be expensive to get your hands on large pieces. But it’s probably a good idea to stick with smaller pieces at first (you’ll see why later in this post.)

The history of moldavite is an important part of its legend. There are a number of theories that describe moldavite’s appearence on earth. They are all pretty incredible.

Theory 1: An asteroid hit

One theory holds that moldavite first appeared after an asteroid crashed into the earth in the southern part of Germany — where the Czech Republic is today — more than 14 million years ago. If this theory is true, that would mean that moldavite is the result of a natural catastrophe.

Theory 2: A piece of the Holy Grail

Another theory is that moldavite is the green glass found in the Holy Grail. One of the most valuable relics of Christianity, the Holy Grail is believed to be the cup that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper. It also has another remarkable distinction: Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy Jewish man who was a secret disciple of Jesus, is said to have used the Holy Grail to capture Jesus’s blood when he was on the cross. When Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pontius Pilate for permission to bury Jesus’s body. His wish was granted and the tomb that Jesus was buried in is believed to have belonged to Joseph of Arimathea.

Theory 3: The Lucifer connection

Yet another theory is that moldavite was a part of Lucifer’s crown when he was still an angel. As legend has it, when Lucifer’s angel energy was cast out of heaven, the moldavite fell to the earth.

Theory 4: A relic of Atlantis

Atlantis was an island in the Atlantic ocean that was populated by a spiritually and technologically advanced people. When the leaders began to abuse their power and use their wisdom as a means to exert control and domination (sound familiar?), the civilization fell and the island is believed to have sunk into the ocean. Some believe that moldavite was a substance that the Atlanteans used at the height of their power.

Theory 5: The extraterrestrial connection

Yet another theory holds that moldavite is gift to humanity from the Pleiadians, extraterrestrials from the Pleiades star group that are known for their spirituality and technology.

How these theories relate to today’s politics

All of these theories are powerful. They all suggest that there is something cosmic or divine about moldavite. It’s definitely otherworldly, and it is believed to have otherworldly powers.

They also all have to do with some type of political upheaval and the moldavite is always in the hands of the just.

• An asteroid crash causes mass destruction, and is one of the biggest challenges any ruling political party can face. It’s also a symbol like that of floods and earthquakes of destruction and rebirth. Moldavite is the blessing left by the tragedy and is there to help with the rebirth. It literally enables the phoenix to rise from the ashes.

• The crucifixion of Jesus is the ultimate story of political leaders persecuting those who are spiritually just. The moldavite in the Holy Grail symbolizes how the spiritually-minded overcame persecution by defying death.

• Lucifer is the ultimate villain. When he allowed evil to overtake him, he could no longer hold onto the powerful moldavite.

• Atlanteans used moldavite at the height of their spiritual power. When they became corrupt and the civilization fell, the moldavite remained behind.

• The Plaeidians are often said to be friendly and spiritually adept. They left moldavite behind for us to help us along our spiritual evolution.

Below I’ll share a few words of warning about moldavite — these are really important — and how you can use it to help force a political shift.

A few words of warning

Before you think about the political effect that moldavite can have, it’s important to weigh the personal consequences.

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“Some years ago, I suddenly felt this nakedness or this vulnerability in my shoulders, and the words ‘car accident’ came to me. I felt naked and vulnerable, and then all I could think was ‘car accident.’”

She had never had such a strong feeling, nor had she felt that sensation in her shoulders before. Over the next few days, she continued to have a strong feeling that she was going to be in a car accident.

So what did she do? She did what many of us would likely do. She took that as a warning that she should not drive. For the next couple of weeks, she took mass transportation to work. She lives in New York City so luckily that was not too difficult to do.

She also had a trip to Washington, DC planned, and rather than drive as she had intended to do, she took the train. Once she was in. DC, she either took mass transportation or she got a ride with someone else. When it was time for her to return to New York, again, she got a ride with someone else.

Disaster averted?

At this point three weeks had gone by and she had avoided driving and avoided being in a car accident. She was happy that she had heeded the message. She believed strongly in the power of intuition, and she felt that she had dodged a bullet.

The next day was a Monday and it was time for her to return to work. She thought about taking mass transportation again, but she was no longer hearing the words car accident in her mind. The threat had evidently passed.

She went to work and arrived at her job safely. She completed her workday and thought about going to the gym, but instead, she decided she wanted to visit her parents. She got in the car and started driving to her parents’ home when a car ran a red light and plowed into the driver’s side of her car.

The accident injured her badly. She ended up with a traumatic brain injury that took months to heal. The other driver was also injured but he too recovered.

Had she failed to understand the vision?

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My friend thought about this experience for years, wondering if she had failed to heed the warning she had received from the Universe. She wondered how long she was supposed to avoid driving and how she was supposed to know when driving would once again be safe.

We recently had a discussion about it and I asked her if in the vision she had ever been instructed to avoid driving. She thought about it and said, ‘no.’ Rather, she had just heard the words ‘car accident’ and had the strong feeling that she would be in a car accident. She reacted to the psychic message by deciding that she would avoid that outcome by refraining from driving.

But the message was not given to her so that she could avoid it. The message was giving her a heads up that something traumatic was about to happen. I believe also that the message was given to her so she would know during her long recovery that things had happened in her life just as they were supposed to happen. In a way, I believe the message was reassurance from Spirit that though this would be a difficult part of her life’s journey, it was all a part of her plan.

When looking back on the experience, she sees that there were positives that came from the accident. It forced her to slow down and re-evaluate her life. Her career changed dramatically. Also, she received a settlement from the accident that allowed her to pursue some other dreams that she had both personally and professionally.

Had she been given the option of being in an accident, she would likely have said ’no.’. However, the accident was part of her life’s plan. Yet Spirit gave her a heads up that this traumatic event was about to happen not for her to avoid it, but so she wouldn’t be blindsided when her life changed upside down.

Have you ever known an unwanted event was going to happen before it did? The next time you get a message, pray or meditate, asking for guidance about how you should proceed. Sometimes there will be nothing for you to do except wait for the event to come to pass and trust that your Spirit Guides will be there to walk you through it.

Want to go deeper? Upgrading to a Paid Subscription Gets You How-Tos Like This:

• Psychic Development Exercise: A Way to Get More Messages From Your Spirit Guides

• How to Size Someone Up Using Intuition

• A Clairvoyance Exercise to Quickly Pick a Path

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Today, that has all changed. I ask questions; Spirit Guides send answers. I meditate and they give me instructions and suggestions. They tell me when I’m on the right track, they teach me lessons about life, and they sometimes give me a heads up on how a situation is going to turn out. Do I always listen to them? Well, that’s another story.

But below is one of the processes I used to get comfortable communicating with my Spirit Guides, and in effect, receive more meaningful answers.

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Most people admit to having had a gut feeling about something at some point in their lives that turned out to be true. So wouldn’t it make sense to try to bottle that skill so you can benefit from it time and time again?

You would think that would be the case. Yet, many of those same people make light of psychic experiences they’ve had. Or they deny them completely.

Even if you’re reading this Substack article and admit to being interested in psychic phenomena, you may be downplaying the experiences you’ve had in your life. And since psychic ability is like a muscle, denying the reality of your experiences can cause your intuition to become weaker over time.

I’ve found that most people tend to deny or downplay their psychic abilities for one of four reasons. Here’s what they are, how they might show up in your life, and how you can start getting out of your own way.

Reason 1: You’ve known something that you didn’t want to know, and you turned out to be right.

When it comes to psychic ability, there are certain things we want to know. When will we get that promotion? When will we have more money? How is our loved one really coping? We all have a list of questions that we’d like answers to because if we had answers, we’d know what we should do next and we wouldn’t make so many blasted mistakes.

Or at least that’s our rationale.

But there are some things we don’t want to know. We don’t want to know if someone is about to hurt us, or if a loved one is about to get hurt. We don’t want to know if someone is about to die. We don’t want to know about an unwanted outcome.

I remember once a family friend survived cancer and came to visit when he was in remission. When I saw him, I knew that the cancer had come back, though he didn’t know at the time. He died a few months later. That experience was so jarring to me that I shut down my psychic abilities for a couple of years. I stopped reading about intuition and all of the spiritual topics that I used to read ravenously. I didn’t want to know bad things were going to happen, particularly if there was nothing that I could do to stop them.

If you’ve had an experience like this, here are some ways that you might have started shutting your psychic abilities down.

• You started calling synchronicities coincidences. It didn’t mean anything that you had thought of someone three days in a row and then unexpectedly bumped into them in the grocery store.

• You stopped reading about metaphysical topics. Or you would start books and stop halfway through. You would be drawn into a topic but then you would put the book down because you didn’t want to go that deep.

• You distracted yourself so you wouldn’t have to hear your own thoughts or feel or sense things. You over-committed yourself by saying yes to every invitation or request.

• You filled your life with background noise. The minute you got home, you would tun on the television or music so you wouldn’t hear the silence. Or the minute you were still, you would pull out your phone and scroll down your social media feed.

• You consumed things to numb your senses. Maybe you’d overindulge on carbs and sweets, or you would drink too much alcohol so you wouldn’t feel as much.

• You kept your surroundings cluttered and chaotic. Since your inner world reflects your outer world, it was your attempt to keep calmness and clarity at bay.

How to work with this energy

Identify the triggering event.

Something happened in your life that made you afraid to embrace your psychic ability. There was something you knew that you didn’t want to know. And you wanted to stop that from ever happening again.

One of the first steps you need to take is to acknowledge it. Only then you can reframe it and change your experience.

Think back to a time when you knew something that you didn’t want to know.

1. What did you know?

2. How long did it take for what you knew to come to pass?

3. What did you do with the information?

4. Did the situation turn poorly because you didn’t listen to your intuition?

5. What would you have done differently if you hadn’t known that piece of information?

6. Was there anything good that could have come from you knowing this piece of information?

Here’s food for thought: If you can’t think of one simple reason why you needed to know this information, consider this. Knowing this information and seeing it come to pass gives you irrefutable proof that your intuition is real. That can help you to be more trusting of other information that you receive in the future.

Reason 2: Something supernatural scared the hell out of you.

I have a friend who sees faces. She sees them in furniture, in walls, and in trees. While she isn’t the only person I’ve heard of having such an experience, she feels pretty isolated when it comes to this ability. But rather than seek out others who share the same gift, she keeps it to herself and tries to shut her eyes to it, hoping that it will go away.

And I totally get it.

Few things are scarier than the unknown. And communicating with beings from another realm whether it’s a loved one, an ancestor or an angel can feel, well unsettling. Not to mention the fact that there is a whole genre of movies and books and stories about ghosts that exist just to terrify people.

You might also have had an uncomfortable metaphysical or supernatural experience.

Maybe you experienced night terrors or sleep paralysis, where you woke up and couldn’t move.

Some people feel a presence or hear breathing around them yet know that no one is physically there.

You could be sensitive to negative energy. Energy can feel oppressive, particularly if you are an empath or pick up on the feelings of others.

If you fall into this category:

• You may have strong negative feelings about certain metaphysical tools. For example, you would never use a ouija board or a set of tarot cards.

• You may like watching movies about psychic phenomena or even hearing stories about it, but you don’t delve into it too closely because you want to keep it at arm’s length.

• You become extremely judgmental of others who are on the spiritual path. Rather than acknowledge your fear, you lash out at others who don’t block their own spiritual exploration.

How to work with this energy

Practice psychic defense.

One psychic defense technique that I often incorporate is the Gatekeeper concept. A Gatekeeper is a type of spirit guide that helps to protect you. When it comes to psychic work, a gatekeeper can limit who or what can connect with you on a psychic level. If you’re just learning how to use your psychic abilities, it’s easy to find yourself too open to the energies at hand. To connect with your own Gatekeeper spirit guide, simply go into meditation and ask your Gatekeeper to reach out to you and protect you.

Reason 3: You’ve been guilted into thinking your beliefs are evil or un-Godly.

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But I’m equally as fascinated by the past energy of July 4 and in particular how the anniversary of the nation’s birth has been the deadliest date for U.S. presidents in history. And I can’t help but notice that there is a numerological pattern that binds all three.

More U.S. presidents have died on July 4 than any other date in history. Three presidents to be exact.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson — the second and third presidents of the United States — each died on July 4, 1826. If you’re keeping track, that was 50 years after the birth of the country, a significant milestone Fourth of July just like this year’s 250th celebration also pays homage to 250 years.

Thomas Jefferson was 83 at the time and he had been experiencing health challenges for a while. Reportedly, he developed a fever on July 3 and succumbed the following day.

John Adams was 90 at the time, and allegedly his last words were “Thomas Jefferson still survives,” though Jefferson had, in fact, died by this time unbeknownst to him.

Then five years later, James Monroe, the fifth president, died at 73 of tuberculosis on the Fourth of July in 1831.

A couple of things stand out to me:

All of them died of natural causes. No one did anything to take their lives prematurely; rather, nature just ran its course. A common metaphysical belief is that we choose our date of birth and our date of death between lives. In the case, of death, we may even have a say in the time of our deaths while we are living. How often have you heard stories of people who hang on to life in order to see a loved one visit or to see an event pass and then ‘let go,’ and pass away.

Deaths often happen on anniversaries or significant events. I’ve often noticed that people often die on or around their birthdays. An energy healer once told me that this is because our energy is at its lowest on our solar return (and at its highest six months after our birthdays.) In theses cases, death coincided with the birthday of this country that all of these men played a significant role in building. Perhaps death was coming and on some level these men wanted to see this anniversary come to fruition. John Quincy Adams, the sixth president and the son of John Adams, once reportedly said that the deaths of his father and Thomas Jefferson on such an auspicious day was a sign of “divine favor.”

The significance of the number 5. Another thing I noticed about these three deaths is that the number five often came up in connection to the solar return of the United States. The number five isn’t connected to the actual date. To figure out the numerology of a date, you add the numerals in the date together until you get a single digit. For example, in the case of Jefferson’s and Adams’ deaths, the numerology would be:

07/04/1826

7+4+1+8+2+6 = 28

2+8 = 10

1-0 = 1

But look at the anniversary that was being celebrated.

Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the country’s 50th birthday.

James Monroe died on the nation’s 55th birthday.

The meaning of the number 5 in numerology

Numbers can provide insights into a person’s prevailing life themes, and they can also describe the energy of a particular event or situation. The number 5 often describes freedom, which is what the United States was intended to be founded on. But it also indicates major changes of direction. If the energy of the number 5 enters your life it could indicate major endings and new beginnings — we’re talking changes of direction that you can’t walk away from.

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A nation’s leaders are the ultimate symbols of that country’s energy and the death of one can energetically be seen as a turning point whether that person is currently in office or not.

It’s not lost on me that with this July 4th being the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding the number five may once again play a significant role. While every year with a five hasn’t yielded a significant event (the 150th anniversary, for example, seemed pretty harmless), the astrological implications do make this seem to be a period of time worth watching.

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If you don’t think that’s true, ask five people what a soulmate is and you’ll probably get five different answers.

One of the most popular beliefs: Once you meet a soulmate you’ll be romantically involved with that person forever. Here’s why I think that definition is missing the mark.

My definition of soulmate is not romantic. It could be, but it doesn’t have to be. Specifically, I believe soulmates are those who come from the same soul group as we do. (The soul group is a concept you learn more about in books about past life regression. Generally, they are souls that travel together through multiple lifetimes. Some books that reference them include Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Lives Between Lives by Michael Newton and The Celestine Prophecy series of books by James Redfield.)

Since soulmates share the same soul group as we do, our connection to them tends to be stronger than the connection we share with the average person. Sometimes a soulmate crosses our path to help us learn a certain lesson. Other times we may be here to help them learn a certain lesson. In many cases, both of those statements are true. We have multiple soulmates over the course of a lifetime.

How can you tell it’s a soulmate

These are the relationships that you know intuitively are important. You may experience a synchronicity where you meet the person multiple times. It’s almost like the Universe is ensuring that the connection is made. Some people will tell you this is merely a coincidence, but what are the odds that you run into a ‘stranger’ multiple times? If you miss the connection with your soulmate the first time, the Universe will often conspire to help you get another opportunity to connect.

Some people mistakenly believe that soulmates are romantic partners. While a soulmate can be a romantic partner, it does not have to be. A soulmate can be a friend, family member, or even a perceived enemy. Think about it — some of our biggest lessons come courtesy of our ‘enemies.’

Soulmates come and go in our lives, which is one reason soulmate relationships can be difficult. Since we typically have a strong emotional connection to our soulmates, it can be very traumatic for us if we meet our soulmates and then later have to part ways with them. We may feel as if we’re destined to be with this person forever yet the person doesn’t seem to realize it. It may seem unfair that we’ve been brought together only to have to move on with life separately.

One common belief that I subscribe to is that soulmates often share multiple lifetimes together. So if two soulmates separate in one lifetime I think there is a good chance that the relationship might pick up in some form in another lifetime. (You might have a different type of relationship in another lifetime. For example, a soulmate might be a friend in one lifetime, a lover in another and a family member in yet another.)

But soulmate relationships often don’t last forever. Here are some reasons why two soulmates can part ways.

A life lesson has been learned and completed.

Since soulmates come from the same soul group, sometimes they make sacred contracts with one another between lives to help each other to evolve. The main way they do that is by teaching each other valuable life lessons.

For example, we might have a romantic relationship with a soulmate who is here to teach us how to set boundaries. This relationship might be painful, as the soulmate may be pushy, insensitive and more concerned with their needs than our own. The relationship may get so bad that we end up having to break up with the person for our own peace of mind. The painful experience would have taught us to set boundaries in our romantic life. If that was the purpose of the relationship, that soulmate might then move out of your life.

The relationship could be a distraction.

Another reason soulmate relationships may be difficult or not work out is because two souls who are so connected with one another may distract one another from achieving things they’re supposed to achieve in this lifetime.

Have you ever had a love experience that was so intense that it distracted you from all other things in your life? Depending upon what your purpose is in this lifetime, it may be better that you don’t spend this one with a particular soulmate who can keep you from fulfilling what you came here to do.

The two souls have different intentions.

Sometimes we simply have different intentions in a lifetime than a soulmate, and those intentions conflict. This could be the case when friendships that were once so fulfilling suddenly end when you no longer seem to have anything in common anymore.

Just because you may have decided to go on different paths in this lifetime doesn’t mean you won’t have the strong connection to one another, so while your higher self may realize that this lifetime isn’t conducive to the relationship, your ego may still be fighting an ending to the relationship. This also explains why you can feel so in sync with someone that you know should not be in your life.

It’s important to note, however, that any soulmate relationship is eternal. Those like Newton who have studied past life experiences have found that soulmate relationships are likely to withstand multiple lifetimes even when the relationship ended poorly in a particular lifetime.

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Should I run to the store now or wait until later?

Should I reach out to this potential client today or wait until next week?

Should I raise an issue with a loved one or wait the situation out?

None of these decisions are particularly earth-shattering, and for years I would wish that my intuition would chime in on moments like this. After years of wishing this, I finally realized that it will — as long as I ask it to.

The lie about intuition that we tell ourselves

So many of us know intuition is real, but we believe it is uncontrollable. We think it’s something we must wait for that comes randomly, like a lightning strike announcing an approaching thunderstorm. Or we think it’s something that only special people are born with, like the Halliwell sisters in Charmed. But the more we ask the questions and look expectantly for the answers, the more we’ll realize that we all have intuition and it never really turns itself off. It’s a constant source of valuable information that is updated in real time.

You don’t have to spend money on divination tools like tarot cards or Oracle cards to get insights into your day-to-day questions. Instead, you can make your own set of decision cards to turn to when you need your intuition to chime into a situation in your life.

I personally use both tarot and Oracle cards and my own decision cards.

I find that tarot and Oracle cards are better for big issues and major questions that I’m contemplating. When I use them, I tend to come away with insights and deep understandings of what’s going on in my life. Decision cards, on the other hand, help me decide quickly what to do next.

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What you need

All you need is a few index cards or you can even use a few pieces of paper instead. You’re not going to create too many of these at a time — you just want enough to cover potential answers to a question. I typically use three decisions cards.

Card one reads: Yes or move forward.

Card two reads: Do nothing.

Card three reads: No or take a step back.

How to consult decision cards (Read to the end)

(Don’t assume you know where this is going. It’s not as simple as pick a card and do what it says.)

So when you have a question and you’re unsure of how to move forward, you’re going to pull out your decision cards. Have them turned over so you can’t see what they say. Then shuffle them. Pull out one and look at the answer.

But don’t stop there

Here’s where your intuition comes in. The cards aren’t some magical potion. They’re simply a tool to help you get in touch with your intuition.

Once you pick the card look at it and notice what you feel. If the card says move forward, does that feel good in your body or do you feel a twinge of stress?

If the answer on the card feels good, do what the card says. Your intuition agrees.

If the answer on the card feels bad, ask yourself which card feels the best. Follow the advice of whichever card makes you feel good and ignore the initial one you picked.

If more than one card feels good, then either option (or all options) are good ones.

Remember, the power isn’t in the tool. The power is in your intuition and your job is to learn to recognize it and trust it.

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More Psychic Lessons:

• What Your Childhood Can Tell You About Your Psychic Gifts

• An Intuitive Glimpse at the Rest of Your Year

Think back to last winter. What outcomes were you secretly hoping for? A new relationship? A new idea, project or stream of income?

Now that we’re in the Summer Solstice season, you can get intuitive insight into which of these outcomes are most likely for you during the remaining part of this year. Here’s how to do it.

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It got me to thinking: I know my psychic ability became much stronger after my father’s death and again after I experienced a major illness. I also noticed that among people I’ve met who are on a similar path, it’s not uncommon to hear about challenging life circumstances preceding a spiritual awakening.

Is this a coincidence? I have no doubt that it is no coincidence. In fact here are some reasons why I think it makes perfectly sense that psychic ability often gets stronger after the deaths of loved ones or near-death experiences of our own.

We’re naturally more interested in the other side.

When all of your loved ones are alive and on the Earth plane with you, there’s no personal reason to learn about the other side. But when a loved one leaves for that place that we only slightly understand, we want to know more about it and about what happens when we’re no longer living in these physical bodies.

These are times when you may seek out a reading from a medium who may be able to communicate with that loved one. Wojciechowski believes that one of the reasons mediums exist is to give people relief and comfort when they are grieving loved ones.

We’re less afraid of psychic messages.

Many people view communications from those on the other side as something to be afraid of. After all, anything we don’t understand, we tend to vilify. But we are less likely to be afraid of communications with those on the other side when we have someone we love and trust who has made the transition.

What if I told you that you had been getting messages your entire life from beings in other dimensions — in your dreams, through coincidences you experience, when animals show up around you and when you have a deep knowing in your gut about how something is going to turn out. Would finding out that there literally was a spiritual being sending you a message make you uncomfortable? What about if you found out that a parent or best friend or other relative that transitioned was the one trying to get your attention? The idea hits differently.

Tragedy and challenges break us open.

Your ego does not respect psychic ability. It likes to feel like it’s always in control, and if you’ve been living a metaphysical lifestyle for any period of time, you know that control is an illusion as your thoughts and changing circumstances are always changing your current path.

Think about the last time you were experiencing challenging times. It could be right now. During such times, you are probably more emotional than usual. You also may be more willing to accept outside signs and even look for them when you feel like you don’t have control over your life. I don’t know about you, but waking up and seeing 1:11 on my clock in the middle of the time seems more significant to me during times of struggle than it does when all is well.

During challenges spiritual helpers will help you.

During tough times your spirit guides, angels, and ancestors will have more to tell you. Why? Because they will try guide you through your struggles. When I was going through my illness, I literally would close my eyes and see myself in my mind’s eye lying in a forest with beings I did not recognize tending to me. When I close myself today, I can no longer see that scene but I know that it was there when I needed it.

During my toughest moments, messages would always come out of the blue to guide me. And when I’d zero in on these messages, I’d sense that they had come from a pure and safe and loving space. You may even begin to work with a particular spirit guide or ancestor on a regular basis when you’re going through tough times. Sometimes certain spirit guides work with us on a temporary basis just to focus on a particular lesson or part of your journey. Once that period ends, that spirit guide may stop coming around.

More from Psychic Lessons:

• How to Open Up Communication With a Loved One on the Other Side

• A Clairvoyance Exercise to Quickly Pick the Right Path

• What Your Childhood Can Tell You About Your Psychic Gifts

How to recognize that increased psychic ability

During times when psychic energy is growing or becomes stronger, you will know by noticing some of the following:

• More vivid dreams

• More coincidences

• Appliances breaking down (All that psychic energy often has physical manifestations like the air conditioner going out.)

• More angel numbers

• Feelings of anxiety

• Waking up in the middle of the night

• More interest in metaphysical topics such as intuitive messages, astrology, tarot, and mediumship

How to tap into increased psychic ability during tough times

Once you experience this extra psychic energy swirling around you, it’s a good time to leverage it. If you want to go deeper into the subject, upgrade to paid to learn how to put that increased psychic ability into action. From using moon cycles to certain crystals, here’s how to tap into that extra psychic energy to power through a tough period in your life.

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When I looked back on the situation, I asked myself if I had missed anything. Had my gut warned me that there was an unknown threat to the work I was trying to accomplish?

The most I could come up with was the fact that one of the people on the team had always made me a little uncomfortable. I didn’t have to work too closely with her so I didn’t pay too much attention to the discomfort. But it turns out that she was deeply involved in the project’s unfortunate outcome.

My mistake had been twofold: I hadn’t delved deeper into the discomfort.

I could have easily pulled a few tarot cards asking what I needed to know about her.

Or I could have spent some one-on-one time with her to see if I picked up anything important in her energy. (One way to do that is to pick up an object that the person has handled, such as a pen or a coffee cup).

But my second mistake was perhaps even bigger. I didn’t ask my intuition the one question that I now know I should be asking every week:

What blind spots am I not seeing that I need to know?

How to discover your blind spots using intuition

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• It could be a new manager at work.

• It could be a casual acquaintance who you’re thinking about dating.

• It could be a parent you know casually who has invited your child to their family camping trip.

Turning to your psychic superpowers can help you determine how to interact with this person or, in some cases, whether you should interact with them at all.

One of the most low-key, but effective, ways to do that is to absorb some of this person’s energy. How do you do that? With a hug, a handshake or even a casual touch, say, to the arm.

The other person will just think you’re being friendly (and sure, you may be), but you’ll come away with a little more insight into whether their energy aligns with yours.

Why Energy Alignment Matters

The biggest factor in whether a relationship adds to your life or takes away from it is if your energy is in alignment. When energy is in alignment, it means that both parties have something to learn or gain from the interaction. Now sometimes learning can be unpleasant. There are some lessons that we have to learn that are painful. A relationship can be painful yet good for us. So your energy could align with the energy of someone who will hurt you in some way as long as that experience is one that your soul has chosen to have.

This exercise is designed to help you determine via a handshake, a hug, or a casual touch whether someone’s energy is in alignment with yours. Read on, to learn how to do it.

Clarity Comes First

First you want to be clear about what you want to know and why you need this information.

You’re not going into this exercise with the goal of learning this person’s deep, dark secrets. Those are none of your business. You’re also not looking to know specifics such as whether they are still in love with their ex, or whether they lied in order to get their job. You simply want to know whether their energy aligns with yours. That simple bit of knowledge will help you to make a better decision about how to proceed with this person.

Be honest with yourself. If you’re looking for specific information about this person that they are unwilling to give you, there are ethical considerations that could come into play.

Make Sure You Are Neutral

Before doing this exercise, make sure you don’t have a certain outcome in mind. For example, you shouldn’t be assessing your boss’s energy because you want them to give you a raise. Instead, you are simply assessing to see if their energy is in alignment with your own energy at this time. (Maybe your boss is going to leave you with a lesson that is more valuable than money.)

If you are attached to an outcome, there are other psychic exercises that might be more effective, such as using a pendulum.

Being neutral is also going to make it easier for you to notice your reactions to this person’s energy, which is really what the exercise is about.

Plan Your Opportunity

The best time to gauge someone’s energy is when they’re calm and in a familiar environment. Think about how your energy can get out of sorts when you’re stressed out or if you are in an environment in which you are uncomfortable. Their energy will likely be distorted as well in these types of situations.

Also, it’s better to gauge someone’s energy if they are alone or with only a few people. Some people (particularly those who are empaths) absorb the energy of crowds and that can affect what you pick up on when doing this exercise.

So try to find a time when you can interact with this person in calm and familiar territory.

Ask Yourself One Important Question

So here’s the part where we start to get into this exercise, itself. Before you interact with this person, ask yourself honestly, how do you feel about shaking this person’s hand? Or if you choose to use a hug, how do you feel about hugging them?

If a part of you feels hesitant or anxious, pay attention to that. That’s information. Your body is letting you know that it’s worth looking closer at this person before interacting.

If you feel repelled by the idea, you don’t really need to go any further. Your body is already telling you that your energy does not align.

If you feel excited or curious about doing this exercise, that’s information that there’s a level of openness between your energy and the energy of this person.

If you feel neutral, that’s ok. It could mean that you need more information, or it could mean that interacting with this person is ok if you want to interact with them, and it’s ok if you choose not to. Basically, there are some decisions in life that really don’t make a difference.

Now For the Interaction

So here’s where you actually take in the person’s energy.

How do you decide whether you’re going to shake their hand, hug them, or, say, touch their arm?

There really isn’t a right answer to this. It’s more about what you’re more comfortable doing, your relationship to this person, and the setting you’re in.

For example, you’re probably not going to want to hug a colleague at your workplace. In that situation, a handshake might be most appropriate. But maybe if you’re meeting someone for a first date you might give them a brief hug of introduction. If neither a hug or a handshake seems appropriate, casually tapping someone on the arm or shoulder could provide you with all the information you need.

I do think a hug could transmit more energy if it’s a tight one. And a longer handshake is going to transmit more energy than a weak, short handshake. (This puts the idea of shaking hands as a form of greeting in a different light, doesn’t it?)

Notice How You Feel Right After the Interaction

So here we go. We’ve taken in this person’s energy and now we want to assess any changes to our mood or how we feel. Do you notice any physical changes? Do you feel hotter? Colder? Heaviness? Lightness? Aches? Pains? Itches? If you feel worse in any way physically after the interaction, your energy is not aligned.

Now notice how you feel. Do you feel comfortable? Excited? Neutral? Sad? Angry? Uncomfortable? Tense? Again, If you feel worse in any way emotionally after the interaction, your energy is not aligned.

The opposite is also true. If you feel better in any way physically or emotionally after the interaction, your energy is aligned.

Do you notice anything about the interaction that reminds you of someone already in your life? If so, think of that person. If you trust that person and you feel energetically aligned with that person, then your intuition is telling you that you are energetically aligned with this person. Now if this interaction reminds you of someone in your life that you are not energetically aligned to, then this is someone you want to keep at arm’s distance.

There’s One Caveat if you Feel Neutral

Sometimes you’ll interact with someone and feel nothing. This could mean that there’s nothing to know — it doesn’t matter if you interact with this person or not. You may not be energetically aligned, but it doesn’t mean you’re misaligned either. In other words, the interaction won’t help you, but it won’t hurt you.

But it could also mean that the person has their energetic shields up. They could be blocked either because they’re hiding something or they are afraid or reluctant to open up to people for some reason. You may decide that it doesn’t matter if a person is energetically blocked, but in some cases, that can be a deciding factor. For example, if you’re interested in having a relationship with this person and they’re energetically blocked, that doesn’t bode well for a healthy romantic relationship, does it?

If you’re going to be doing this exercise, it also may be a good idea to read this past post on grounding yourself.

More from the Psychic Lessons Substack:

• The Time I Telepathically Told Someone to Pay Me — and They Did

• One Tarot Card Reveals Your Biggest Challenge Right Now. Here’s How to Find It

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Take this afternoon. I was on my way home and hungry. I didn’t have anything prepared for lunch and I knew I didn’t feel like making something so I stopped at a local taco joint.

I love tacos, but I hate sour cream. This particular restaurant offers tacos with sour cream and tacos without. So when I get tacos, I don’t want the ones that come with sour cream. Instead, I want the regular tacos that are simply beef, lettuce, and cheese. I went through the drive-thru menu board to give my order.

Now let me first say this.

Intuitive thoughts don’t feel like regular thoughts. For me they feel ‘heavier,’ and they jump out at me, almost like there’s an exclamation point on the end of them.

When I finished ordering, one of those heavy thoughts jumped out at me.

I wondered if they had understood the request to lay off the sour cream. After all, I didn’t want that sour cream.

But then my logical mind brushed it off. I had clearly stated in my order that I wanted the regular tacos and not the ones with the sour cream.

When I got to the window, my order was not ready and I had to wait a few minutes. While I was waiting, I had another heavy thought. I once again wondered whether the tacos had sour cream. And once again, I brushed it off because I had made it clear that I didn’t want sour cream.

You know where this is headed.

In retrospect, I realize those heavy thoughts were not random. On some level I knew those tacos weren’t right and my intuition was trying to keep me from being disappointed when I got home. Because I didn’t listen, I ended up with sour cream and two tacos that are now in the garbage.

What Intuitive Thoughts Feel Like (Or Look Like)

We all have intuitive thoughts. The problem is we often don’t recognize them.

First of all they feel different.

For you, intuitive thoughts may not be heavy. Some people describe them as feeling lighter, or more fluttery. I’ve heard people describe them as quieter than other thoughts, or more calming. Some people describe them as louder.

They may look different.

If you are clairvoyant, you might see colors in your mind’s eye when you have an intuitive thought. I once heard someone say that fireworks come to mind whenever they get an intutive insight.

Rarely do people describe them as excitable or panicky. I’ve found that when those emotions come into play I’m dealing moreso with my fears than with intuition.

Intuitive thoughts also will not occur with the same frequency as other thoughts. Your intuition isn’t blaring information to you every minute of every day. Rather, it chimes in when it’s important for you to notice something or when it has information that will make your life easier. In other words, it will stand out in some way.

An intuitive thought also might repeat itself. I had more than one thought about the sour cream. My intuition was using repetition to get my attention. My thoughts kept dismissing logic (I knew I had ordered the tacos without sour cream). Yet, the thoughts about the sour cream being on the tacos kept coming up.

The messages don’t have to be life-shattering. I wasn’t going to die because there was sour cream on my tacos. I would just be inconvenienced and waste a little money because I wasn’t going to get back in my car and drive back to the restaurant. In my experience, intuition just wants you to be happier.

How to Recognize Your Intuitive Thoughts

If you’re not sure what your intuitive thoughts feel like, here are a few strategies that can help you figure it out, followed by what you should do next if you have an intuitive thought. (Don’t be like me and ignore it.)

Think about someone in your life that you are in tune with. Someone who you know you can sense their moods without them having to tell you how they are feeling. We all have someone like that in our lives. Maybe it’s a child or a partner or a best friend. Maybe it’s a parent or a sibling. Call that person up and start talking to them. As you soak in their energy, ask yourself how they’re doing — that is, how they’re really doing. That thought that comes to mind? That’s what your intuitive thoughts feel like.

Here’s another way to recognize what your intuitive thoughts feel like.

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I’m convinced that Snowflake recognized me and knew my energy. In fact, I believe that pets pick their owners for a reason and a pet can have a spiritual bond with its owner (just as I believe that we pick our parents before we reincarnate into a particular lifetime.)

Recently I wrote about how animal interactions like a spider bite can transmit messages. But animals can also interact with your intuition in other ways. Animals often serve as something of a portal, helping people to communicate with loved ones who have passed away. Some even believe that ancestors and deceased loved ones can come back into our lives as pets. Let’s delve into these concepts.

Can ancestors come back to us as pets?

Have you seen those online videos of events where dogs who need a forever home are allowed to roam freely in a room of pet lovers and they pick their new pet parent? Aside from being the cutest tear-provoking videos, I believe the creators have captured proof that animals recognize us on a spiritual level.

Many cultures believe that you can come back as an animal or as a person depending upon what you are trying to learn in that lifetime.

• You might come back as a pet to experience a life of pampering.

• Or maybe you come back as an animal in a jungle to refine your ability to trust your gut. (Animals in the jungle can literally die if they don’t pay attention to gut instincts.)

Some say coming back as an animal would be some type of punishment, but I think that’s only a valid belief if you subscribe to the theory that we’re somehow better than animals, and I don’t find that to be the case. In fact, take a look at the world and all of the violence and political turmoil (Epstein anyone?) and you could probably make the argument that we’re not as good as some other animal species.

Some people believe their pets come back to them as new pets. I remember hearing a story about a person who was grieving the death of a cat. For weeks this person grieved, and she couldn’t bring herself to throw away the cat’s favorite toy. After a period of time, someone she knew was trying to find a home for kittens. She didn’t think she was ready to adopt a new cat but she decided to foster the kitten until a forever home could be found. When the kitten got to the household, she found the former cat’s favorite toy and she wouldn’t give the toy up for everything. Seeing the connection the kitten had to the toy (when there were plenty of other new cat toys around) convinced this woman that the new cat was the reappearance of her former cat in a new body. She decided to adopt the kitten.

How to know an animal has an ancestral connection

Even if a pet isn’t the reincarnation of an ancestor, it — or any other animal — could be a messenger that brings you news or insights from an ancestor.

One way to tell: Pay attention to your pet’s actions when you’re not interacting with them. Notice if they ever seem to follow something invisible with their eyes or stare intently into space. Perhaps they whine for no reason and feel unexplainably irritated. They are likely communicating with someone.

The belief that animals can carry messages from our ancestors isn’t new or unique. Some indigenous cultures believed that owls, in particular, are spiritual messengers who communicate the wishes of our ancestors and loved ones on the other side.

The day my father was buried, a large number of dragonflies flew around the grave. I’d never paid much attention to dragonflies at that point in my life. I know they had to have been around but they weren’t on my radar. Until that day.

Today, I feel like my father is reaching out to me whenever I see a dragonfly. Like clockwork, dragonflies show up on special days. For example, on my most recent birthday, a dragonfly sat on my stoop for several minutes. I believe my father was sending me his birthday wishes and wanted to share a few moments with me on that day.

If an animal has an ancestral connection to you, here are some signs that you may notice, if you’d like to delve deeper into the topic. Below that, you’ll find an exercise to help you connect with a pet and explore a potential ancestral connection, as well as the experience that I had when I realized that my current cat had a previous connection to me.

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