When We Know Something’s Wrong

“Intuition is a combination of historical (empirical) data, deep and heightened observation, and an ability to cut through the thickness of surface reality. Intuition is like a slow motion machine that captures data instantaneously and hits you like a ton of bricks. Intuition is a knowing, a sensing that is beyond the conscious understanding — a gut feeling. Intuition is not pseudo-science.” ~ Abella Arthur

A young mother came to see me recently. She is a well-balanced, normal suburban mum, with a satisfying and secure life. She’d enjoyed a safe and happy childhood. We had a great session together – positive and full of direction and uplift – and it ended with hugs and laughter.

As she was almost out the door she hesitated, and her face changed.  I knew she was about to ask her last and most important question. With glistening eyes and a quiver in her lip, she thrust a photo into my hand.

“Are my babies safe with this man?” she whispered. It took almost everything she had to get the words out.

As I took the picture, I knew. They were safe so far. No harm had come to them. But every visit increased the risk of molestation. I looked up at her and she saw her answer in my eyes.

I reassured her that her children were fine, and then I told her to honour her instinct.  She was uncomfortable for a reason.  She felt sick to her stomach for a reason. And her job was to honour that intuition, no matter if that was difficult, or offended people. I knew she would find a tactful way to prevent her children being alone with this person.

We talked then, about that sick feeling she had. About how hard it was to even acknowledge the thought. About what a strange thought it was to have unbidden like that.

Except it wasn’t strange.

Our senses are constantly taking in information. Occasionally we get a bit that doesn’t fit. A word, a gesture, an inappropriate comment or behaviour.  Small things. So small they barely make a ripple in our conscious mind.  We blink and it’s gone. But a flag goes up somewhere in our subconscious.

Over time, if there are more pieces of similar information, things that don’t sit well or are out of place with the normal flow of life, our subconscious keeps storing it all away.

Then one day, when it’s most needed, the puzzle pieces fit together, and our intuition presents us with a big fat uncomfortable feeling or thought that we can’t ignore.

It’s not always about safety.  Sometimes it’s about realizing your partner has a secret, or a drinking problem.

Sometimes it’s about acknowledging that there’s something serious going on with your health, or your child’s.

Or the new employee’s stories don’t add up.

We possess powerful skills of observation. We are wired to take in information from multiple sources, without being consciously aware of that stream of data. We have an internal emotional and energetic guidance system; a sixth sense. That guidance system is there for a reason – it alerts us to problems and danger.

I’m not talking about ongoing neuroses, paranoia, or drama. I’m talking about that sudden clarity we get, that information which comes to us and we can’t ignore .

Sometimes we just know when something’s wrong.

I urge you to pay attention and take action.