Do you ever just know something is true without knowing why?

Perhaps you’re generally minding your own business and then suddenly know someone is having an affair, or they’re hiding something, or a job is about to end. The information comes through in a flash, like it just drops into your mind.

That’s claircognizance or intuitive knowing. It’s direct information from Spirit.

Claircognizant information comes in clearly and without emotion. All of a sudden, it’s just there.

This kind of intuitive information often comes when you’re doing something unrelated to the idea or thought you receive. You might be showering, vacuuming, folding laundry, pulling weeds in the garden or driving and suddenly thoughts, images, music or words are in your brain.

This is real information from Spirit.

Your job is to learn to accept that.

How do you know if the information is from Spirit or your own mind?

One of the markers of claircognizant information is that it comes seemingly from nowhere.

You have no idea where you got the information or idea that suddenly popped into your head.

This lack of connection to your train of thought is one of the ways you know it’s from Spirit and not something you’re making up.

Here are some other ways you can know this information is the real deal:

Information from Spirit is clear. It comes through objectively, without emotion. Without “shoulds.”

Sometimes the energy can urge you to do something quite strongly. But it doesn’t guilt.

Sometimes it feels like you’ve downloaded a whole lot of information that you intuitively know makes sense, but may not even be able to explain with the words and concepts your human mind understand (a bit like how dreams make sense within the context of the dream, but can be hard to explain once you’ve woken up).

Overall, it’s information that your conscious mind observes, rather than information that it creates.

Signs you might be claircognizant

  • You think a lot and are mentally-oriented.
  • You like to figure out how things work.
  • Your mind analyzes things and people.
  • You can hold abstract concepts in your mind.
  • You get a-ha moments – flashes of ideas like a lightbulb lighting up in your mind.
  • You can tell if someone is lying or not.
  • You consider yourself a good judge of character.
  • You get flashes of insight about the future — about a relationship as it begins, about a job offer, about a move, etc. — with no discernable source.

How to develop your claircognizance

Develop your intuition

Learning to trust your inner guidance and inner voice is vital to developing your claircognizant abilities.

In order to hear your inner, deeper thoughts, you need to learn how to get quiet enough inside so they can be heard.

Meditation is an excellent way to do go within. Practice meditating every day — even for just 5 minutes a day. (You can start with 2 minutes a day of deep, slow breathing where you focus your attention on your breath. It’ll leave you feeling so good you’ll want to do more.)

Practice automatic or inspired writing

Automatic writing (also known as direct writing or inspired writing) comes through claircognizance. It’s not hard to do, but practice does make it easier.

The most important part is to set aside your critical self and take a step back. Allow whatever wants to come through to come through. It doesn’t matter if it all seems like garbage at first. That’s just part of the process.

To do this kind of writing, get either a pen and a notebook or use your computer. (I prefer to type as it’s something I can do almost without thinking.)

Go into a meditative state, however that works best for you (essentially, calm your body, slow you racing thoughts along with your breath and focus your mind).

Ask your Spirit guides and inner/higher self to come through to bring you the information you need to know, right now, for your highest good. You can also ask specific questions about yourself, your life, your path, etc.

While in a meditative state, write down or type whatever first comes to your mind. Don’t judge it. Let it flow out of your fingers and onto the page.

You can have your eyes open or closed during this process. I prefer to look at my keyboard and if I look at the screen at all, have a soft gaze, just so I know my fingers are hitting the right keys (and aren’t one key off to one side). If I’m looking at a piece of paper, I like to have a soft gaze so that I have a sense of where my pen is on the page.

Don’t think about what you’re writing. Your conscious mind is only a spectator, not a controller. It doesn’t matter if what you write or type seems like nonsense and doesn’t make sense. That can be your subconscious mind purging its junk so it can get to the good stuff.

Ignore spelling, punctuation and grammar. You can fix that later if you need or want to.

If too much information comes at you too quickly for you to understand and write or type, ask for it to slow down.

As you continue to practice automatic writing, you’ll learn to set aside your conscious mind. You may notice it standing to one side, as a spectator, allowing the flow of information to come through your hands onto the page (or screen).

The voice that comes through in your direct writing may sound like you, but a wiser, calmer, more knowing you. This is your inner voice, full of your inner wisdom and knowledge.

The more you connect with this voice, the stronger it gets. Over time, you’ll be able to discern the difference between the information you receive through your own mind and its subconscious beliefs and information from Spirit and your higher self.

To learn more about developing your intuitive senses, including your sense of intuitive knowing or claircognizance, embark on a journey through your psychic senses in Open Your Intuitive Senses, my latest online class.