Understanding Spiritual Terminology
There are many words used to describe this work. What follows is simply my understanding, based on my experience. I encourage you to use your own discernment to figure out what resonates with you, and what makes sense for you.
What is the difference between a psychic, intuitive, medium, and channel?
In general, these words mean very similar things, but they tend to have different uses. A psychic or intuitive is someone who can connect to your energy using their intuition or psychic senses. A specific form of psychic work that specializes in connecting to the energy of animals is known as an animal communicator.
A medium is someone who can connect to the energy of transitioned loved ones, which may be people or non-humans (animals, plants, elemental nature). A channel is another term that people use to describe connecting to the energy of other souls or higher dimensional beings.
I believe that anyone who is open to their intuition has the potential ability to connect to living humans and non-humans, transitioned humans and non-humans, and higher dimensional beings. What is generally true is that people have a specific interest or calling, and dedicate themselves to improving their skill within that specific area.
What is intuition or psychic sense?
Intuition is often described as a gut feeling or instinctive understanding of something without a logical explanation. It’s a form of knowing or insight that arises and feels true, although we may not have evidence to prove its truth.
We all have intuition, and you are likely using it all the time.
Intuition is what our Soul, our loved ones in Spirit, and the Divine Source Itself uses to communicate with us. The ways in which we perceive this intuitive information are known as the psychic senses. These are sensory perceptions that extend beyond the five physical senses.
Using the sensory capabilities of the body, our psychic senses allow us to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell beyond the physical and material reality.
The most commonly used terms to describe these senses are:
Clairvoyance: This is known as clear seeing, and is the ability to visually perceive information about objects, people, events, or locations through extrasensory means. Individuals may receive internal visions and flashes, like little mental movies, that provide information. In some cases, individuals may see extrasensorily in the physical reality (i.e. with their eyes open) but this is more rare. Remote viewing uses this psychic sense.
Clairaudience: This is the ability to perceive sounds or voices from beyond the physical realm. It's often described as "clear hearing," where individuals may hear messages, music, or other sounds either in their head our out loud. It’s important to note that if you are hearing voices that have troubling messages or are directing you to do harm, that you see a medical professional right away. That is not clairaudience.
Clairsentience: This is the ability to perceive energy, emotions, or physical sensations from others or from Spirit. It's often referred to as "clear feeling," where individuals sense the emotions or physical states of others without direct physical contact.
Claircognizance: This is the ability to know information or have sudden insights without any apparent logical reason or evidence. It's often described as "clear knowing," where individuals may have a strong sense of certainty or intuition about certain facts or situations. In some cases, it is as if the thoughts just appear in your head, without you knowing where they came from or putting effort into thinking them. Automatic writing uses this psychic sense.
Clairalience: Also known as "clear smelling," this is the ability to perceive scents or odors from spiritual or non-physical sources.
Clairgustance: Also known as "clear tasting," this is the ability to perceive tastes or flavors associated with spiritual or non-physical sources.
I believe that we all have the ability to develop and strengthen our psychic senses. Personally, I currently experience a mix of clairaudience, clairvoyance, claircognizance, and clairsentience. This means that when I connect to Spirit, I receive visual information, music and sounds, thoughts and knowings, and emotional and physical feelings.
People can use their psychic senses to receive messages when using tarot cards or oracle cards. If you receive signs and messages from the universe, you are using your intuition and psychic senses to become aware of them.
What is the Soul?
“The soul is your innermost being. The presence that you are beyond form. The consciousness that you are beyond form, that is the soul. That is who you are in essence.” - Eckhart Tolle
As we venture deeper within the spiritual path, we come to know that we are much more than this physical reality. We are Spirit in form — interdimensional energetic beings living within a physical form and reality. Beyond the mind, beyond the ego, we come to know the essence of who we are. This essence is the Soul.
In my understanding of the Universe, it is the Soul that connects us directly to the Divine Source of All. I believe that there is only the Here & Now, and that all expressions of life are many expressions of the One.
In my understanding, the Divine Source has split itself into many aspects - Souls - that incarnate across many dimensions and timelines. The Soul is the thread that connects us directly to the Divine Source and to all Souls that have ever existed.
Each Soul is a unique expression of the Divine, and each life we incarnate in is a unique expression of our Soul that has never been and will never be again. In each life we incarnate, we are here to learn specific lessons that help our Soul continue its journey of growth and evolution.
