How Do You Know If You Are Being Intuitive?
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Many people who are just beginning to develop their intuition are not sure whether or not they are just protecting their own fears or hopes, have made something up, or are making a lucky guess. This is a valid question. The answer is that you don't really know until you have practiced for a little while and received feedback on how accurate you have been.
However, there are a few ways to know when you are in the intuitive state. These will become your signposts that let you know you are ready for the reading you are about to begin. Next time you are in an intuitive state, take notice of how you feel when you are there. There might be a sense of lightness, heaviness, changes in your perceptions like heightened hearing or heightened smell or touch, warmth, coolness, a still mind, heightened intelligence, peace, different breathing… the list is endless. Something will be different than your normal waking consciousness. This will let you know that you have entered an altered state. Write down these impressions when you experience them, for these are your signposts that will let you know when you are in an intuitive state.
Another way to know if you have been using your intuition, “is the extent to which the impressions you received during the reading are confirmed by experience,” according to Laura Day in her book Practical Intuition: How To Harness The Power Of Your Instincts And Make It Work For You (1996). She also advises, “Practice applying your intuition often. Each time you consciously access your intuition, get feedback by comparing the impressions you received with ‘reality.’ In a very short time you will learn to distinguish a genuine intuitive impression from your feelings or projections, particularly your hopes and fears.”