Have you ever been confused about the roles of emotion and intuition?
Intuition and emotions are different things, yet all too often people mistakenly interpret emotions to be an intuitive hit.
Intuition is defined as
– “the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.
– a thing that one knows or considers likely from instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning.”
Whereas emotion is defined as
– “a mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes: a feeling such as the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love.”
Though they both refer to feelings, the definitions are very different.
Intuition
We may receive intuition in a variety of ways, but ways that are clear if we learn to recognize them.
Intuition can come through feelings, but not all feelings are intuitive.
Feelings are one source of intuitive information. We may just feel that something is off, a sense or knowing that can’t quite be explained or described. Or we may actually feel a physical feeling in the chest or stomach, a tightness or constriction.
Intuition often communicates to us with what can be called a still, quiet voice. It speaks with clarity, gently, and matter-of-factly.
Being guided by intuition leads you to do or not do something.
There are times when intuition can come in a demanding, urgent way, but most likely in a situation of impending danger, meant for you to act on right away. Then it is clear, direct and concise.
Emotions
Being led by emotions, on the other hand, may lead us to feel unsettled, anxious, uncertain, confused. There may be a push or pull or urgency to the decision. Feelings that are intense or demanding are not likely to be intuition.
Emotions that create a feeling that “this is the way it has to be” are coming from an emotional place of fear or desire, not intuition. If we follow this path we run the risk of being controlled by our emotions.
Emotional reasoning is a cognitive distortion (terms used in cognitive behavioral therapy to explain inaccurate thoughts that reinforce negative thinking or emotions) that keep us from recognizing and living in truth
Emotional reasoning is the belief that what we feel must automatically be true.
Hence the confusion and inaccurate belief that the emotion I’m feeling must be intuition. This leads to making decisions that may not be in our best interest.
Knowing how to recognize intuition can increase our ability to make good decisions and live a calm and peaceful life.
Don’t be afraid of emotions, but be careful to interpret them accurately and not confuse them for intuition.
Much love,
