Chapter 16. Intuition

Intuition has been somewhat discredited ever since Hitler trusted to his and failed. People have assumed that Hitler did use intuition; that he trusted to it rather than to his reason; that he knew how to do it; and that one notable failure condemns the system as a whole. All of these assumptions are without proof.

There is no need to choose up sides and elect to work either by intuition or by reason. Both should be used at the same time. They supplement each other. The conscious and the subconscious mind are as two sides of the same coin.

Many things are called intuition that are not intuition. In fact the word is loosely used to cover numerous varieties of unreasoned thinking, neither logical, instinctive, intuitional, nor of any other acceptable order.

Intuition comes from within. In many ways it is merely a trained and well stored memory, perhaps a race memory dating far back in actual experience. What many call intuition is impressionism. They make decisions, for judgments or beliefs upon which they act, by a general impression which they may have derived anywhere.

Some people dream ideas, as did the young Belgian in the late 1400's who was first to devise the process for polishing diamonds. Other jewels could be readily polished by using the next harder jewel to do it with, but since the diamond was the hardest of all, there was nothing harder one could use. In a dream he received full instructions. He was told to find another diamond, one of unimpressive quality, crush it with a hammer, and utilize the powder as a polishing agent. This he did, and the dream was happily realized.

But modern industry prefers more reliable methods than waiting for the occasional dream.

The intelligence that guides the bee in its building plans, that leads the birds in their unerring flight over uncharted miles to an exact destination, that keeps the sun steadfast in its course, is part of that cosmic mind from which sprang the miraculous fitness of all creation. A fragment of the same intelligence sparkles in each human mind. Sometimes, conscious of our powers, we can summon it. Sometimes the powers are dormant and only by prolonged effort do they rise to the surface to enlighten us. Great thinkers have faith in this inner force, and use it. Edison said: "As I analyze my reactions to thoughts and ideas which appear in my mind, I feel that the fact that I have an idea is proof that the same Source that gave me the idea will also show me how to work it out."

The lower levels of the subconscious contain that which has been placed there by heredity, by the suggestions of others, and by our own conscious experience. From what we learn from dream and trance states we know that this subconscious territory has access to knowledge by other than by conscious means. It is this kind of knowledge which, when it makes its way into consciousness, we sometimes recognize by its emotional power and unexpectedness, and call it intuition.

In some cases intuition is a kind of superconsciousness, drawing upon the subtle electrical forces of the universe and converting them into instantaneous use. From this region comes that which is not contrary to reason but which is beyond ordinary reason. This is the source of enlightenment, genius and inspiration.

Intuition cannot be invoked, like the will to think. Rather it requires a very passive and receptive state of suspended mental and physical activity which in itself is hard to attain.

The true intuitive report will never run contrary to reason properly exercised and interpreted, though it may transcend the possible reports of the ordinary reasoning processes. Do not accept this report as correct if it runs contrary to your highest reason or if it is opposed to your common sense. Intuition is higher reason-reason plus; it is never anti-reason. It is always accompanied by a flash of right-ness, not of doubt or wrong.

Ideas are ever waiting at the threshold of our minds. If you give them entrance and welcome, they will draw other ideas unto themselves. In most cases intuition is an essential factor. Intuition is the source process of all thinking. You cannot even decide to think, or decide what to think, or decide which method of thinking you will use, without intuition.

Ideas are produced, basically, in two ways-either entirely by intuition, or by intuition plus conscious reasoning. For some problems, intuition alone suffices, such as cases of emergencies in which there is no time to go into a careful logical analysis. Similarly, if the consequences of a decision are not serious, don't bother-just solve it with intuition. Again, if most of the required information on which to base a reasoned judgment is not at hand, use intuition.

On the contrary, if the available information is plentiful, if the consequences of your decision are serious, and if you have time to use logical analysis, do not rely wholly on intuition, but add the benefit of your reasoning processes.

Intuitive powers will not reach their greatest force in you if the conscious part of your mind is actively concerned with the realistic matters of daily life all the time. Super ideas are beyond the reach and range of the conscious mind. Many hours of meditation, with no fixed, specific object engaging the conscious attention, are absolutely imperative to cultivation of intuitive skill.

Many persons, in their eagerness to make decisions, solve problems and capture new ideas, overwork their conscious mind. It becomes, then, fatigued from over exertion. Confusion follows weariness, and positive thought becomes impossible. It is true, we must concentrate on any problem or decision; but when mentally tired, do not force the conscious mind. Rest it, dismiss the problem at hand and turn the work over to the inner mind. New productive ideas and directions will unfold from its vast treasure house of memory, experience, knowledge and wisdom.

Problems may be given over to the inner mind in the form of definite assignments. The best time to do this is just before going to sleep.

This will be elaborated in the following chapter.

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