Intuicija in sanje (ang.)

If you are one who tends to rely primarily upon your intellectual understanding, consider the examples of Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, and Fredrich von Kekule.

Albert Einstein claimed he never thought in words, but in images. In his famous letter to Jacques Hadamard, he describes the important role that images had in his own abstract thinking: "The words or the language, as they are written or spoken, do not seem to play any role in my mechanism of thought. The psychical entities which seem to serve as elements in thought are certain signs and more or less clear images which can be voluntarily reproduced and combined." Thus the man who has shown us reality at the edge of space and time arrived there by first seeing that reality in his mind.

Psychologist Carl Jung described a dream of being in the upper story of a strange house. The rooms were pleasant but he had an urge to look downstairs. Here the furnishings were much older, dating he thought from the middle ages. He moved from room to room intent upon exploring the entire house. He found a stone stairway leading into a still lower part of the house. Descending again he found an ancient, beautiful, high vaulted room.

Looking carefully at the stone floor he discovered a ring attached to a slab. He pulled at it. The slab gave way, revealing another stairway at the bottom of which was a dark cave cut into the rock. Heavy dust lay on the floor and scattered bones and pottery were everywhere, like the remnants of a primitive civilization. Just before waking, Jung discovered two very old human skulls, half disintegrated. In Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung credits this dream as the origin of his theory of the structure of the psyche.

Chemist Fredrich von Kekule sat before the fire, musing about the peculiar qualities of the substance benzene. Dozing, he had this dream: "The atoms were gamboling before my eyes. My mental eye could now distinguish larger structures all twining and twisting in snakelike motion. But look! One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes. As if by a flash of lightning I awoke." From this came the invaluable discovery of the structure of the benzene ring.

By having access to their intuitive, imaginative, and symbolic processes, these creative thinkers brought forth discoveries which have had enormous impact upon us all. Most of us experience only intuitive "flashes" or brief moments of clarity about the deeper nature of reality. If we are strongly anchored in our left brain, rational, and analytical side, we may have little awareness or acceptance of the process of our right. Likewise, we may be spaced-out and creative, but unable to use the left brain to discriminate between wild fantasy and what might realistically be workable solutions. If we are cut off from either we are not using our full natural ability. To profit from our own deep intuition we need to cultivate this deeper way of knowing, and learn to listen to its messages.

The intuitive realm may be likened to a deep underground river within Mother Earth. Its sustenance and nurturing is available to anyone who taps into it. Imagine that your contact with this realm is like a pump. To begin the flow of water you’ll need to prime it daily with the use of a technique. When the water is first tapped and brought up from the depths it will be very rusty and full of sludge. But as you keep pumping, the water becomes clear, the impressions true.

Intuition: It Takes Practice
There are many useful techniques for and deepening intuition. Below are a few for you to try. As astrologers we also know that there are particular times when we will be more open and have greater access to our intuitive sources. Following the techniques are a list of transits that will help you to identify those times.

If you are a practicing astrologer, there is one daily resource you have available to help you develop intuition–your clients. Try this: Before you meet a client for the first time, visualize what they look like. Find a quiet place free from distractions, and put their chart in front of you. Reflecting on it, notice anything that represents their physical appearance symbolically–the ascendant (if the time is accurate), the Sun and planets in aspect to them, any planets near the ascendant. By free association with each of these symbols, what body or face type do you imagine?

If Aries is prominent, will their face be forceful? Will their gaze be direct? If Cancer is prominent, will their face or body be fleshy, with a thick neck and gentle eyes? If Libra, will they be tall and graceful, with face of refinement and poise?

See if you can imagine what mannerisms this person will have? If they have a strong Mars, will they be abrupt in manner, and have an aggressive handshake? If Venus is in Pisces on the ascendant will they be sensuously attractive, with a gentle handshake? Or if Scorpio is on the ascendant, will they walk in, sit down, fold their arms across their chest and in so many words say, "prove this to me"? Being more consciously aware of what a person may look like or how they may initially act will, over time, deepen your image-making, intuitive capacity. Let your imagination go. Get a mental image of this person and compare it with the person you see when you open your door for the appointment. With a little practice, you’ll find that your impressions are remarkably accurate.

Try simply sitting down and meditating on a chart. Focus your attention on the central point, the "bindu" marked by the intersection of the Asc/Des and MC/IC meridians. Imagine you are penetrating deeper and deeper into this point. While keeping a gentle focus on the center, become aware of the archetype on the periphery that catches your attention. Now move naturally from one image to another, from planet to planet to sign to house.
Notice how an image changes spontaneously and is influenced by the next aspect, sign, or connection you are aware of. Allow the images to come uncensored, unforced, one after the other. Periodically bring your focus back to the central point of the chart. As you continue to deeply experience this free association of symbols, you may find that the chart actually begins to move, like a collage of dancing planetary images. More than one of my students have reported this phenomenon when trying this free form association.

Left Eye Dyad
One of the most elusive skills in astrology is that of chart synthesis and interpretation. Many students tell me that they’re afraid to do interpretations, that they don’t know enough, or have difficulty comprehending the key themes of a chart. Chart synthesis is elusive because we have not yet developed and effectively integrated both means of perceiving the horoscope.

We know more than we think however. To demonstrate this you will need a minimum of four people. This experience works best in a group of eight to twenty. Ask each person to pair up with someone in the group they don’t know. Designate one A, the other, B. Take a few minutes for the pairs to get comfortable with knees touching, either sitting cross-legged, or both in chairs. After they’ve taken a few deep breaths, designate A as the active communicator, and B as the passive, receptive listener. Then instruct them to look gently into each other’s left eye. (The yogis call this eye the window to the soul.) Have them spend several minutes allowing themselves to look, breathing deeply, slowly penetrating further and further into the eye of their partner. Ask the passive partner to open up, relax, and be as receptive as possible. Partner A, or the active communicator begins to silently ask, "Who are you?" Images and feelings will begin to come. As this happens, A shares out loud what she is becoming aware of about the other person. (I see your face surrounded in the color purple and I wonder if this is your favorite color. You have a Greek feeling to you. You are a night owl who does her best work at four in the morning. There is some issue about money bothering you now....) A should feel free to say whatever comes up, without monitoring or judging. Partner B, the passive one, listens without giving feedback. After five minutes, stop the experience. Partner B then gives feedback to A regarding accuracy.

Now change roles. As A’s become passive and receptive, and B’s communicate their impressions. After five minutes, give partner A chance to give feedback to B. When twenty minutes is over, have each pair share their experiences with the group. Most will be amazed. Many of their spontaneous images and impressions are accurate! We do receive a constant flow of information about each other when we tune in.

I’ve done this exercise with many different groups, and the results are always fascinating. In a recent group, one woman was astonished because "she saw me in a University setting on the West Coast–a place with ivy covered walls." In reality the woman had just come back from delivering her son to one of the East coast "Ivy League" schools. Another saw, "a large low table full of books and a feeling of excitement and joy." Her partner identified her astrology table, loaded with books, and her newly renewed enthusiasm about astrology, something she hadn’t touched in fourteen years. Another twosome were particularly tuned into the way each other felt, and shared descriptions of character and behavior which was true for both of them. In one dyad, an individual had a difficult time receiving any information about her partner. When questioned, the partner said she found the exercise uncomfortable and invasive. The woman who shared this then added, "But then even my best friends say I’m hard to get to know, that I don’t let people in easily." A little further discussion revealed that this woman had six planets in fixed signs, including a fixed Moon! In this group, as in others that have tried this exercise, nearly every pair felt success with their ability to tune in and perceive relevant intuitive information.

.. se nadaljuje..

(nadaljevanje, 2. del)

Send an Object
This is a very simple exercise to employ with a small group. Ask your members to pair up with someone they don’t know. Have them designate one as the sender, and the other as receiver. Ask senders to decide on a very simple object to "send", mentally, to their partner, such as the image of a lighted candle, an arrow, or a rose. Then have the couple close their eyes as the sender concentrates on projecting the chosen image from a point between her eyebrows to a point between the eyebrows of her partner. They should do this for five minutes. Then have both open their eyes and ask the receiver to share what she saw.

Here are some results from a recent group: One sender sent a tea cup. The receiver didn’t receive a teacup but showed her partner an elaborate doodle she had drawn a half hour earlier–It was a tea cup! Another sender had immediately decided to send a red rose, until I used it as an example. She then changed her mind and sent a pencil. The receiver clearly saw a red rose. Another sender sent a diamond. The receiver saw a crystal.

Remote Sending
If you have a friend who’d like to collaborate with you, you might make an agreement to practice a remote exercise together. As above one of you will act as the "sender", the other the "receiver." For one week arrange a time that both of you are available to spend fifteen minutes with this exercise. A few minutes before your daily prearranged time, get comfortable, sitting or lying down. Take a few deep breaths, let the noisy inner chatter subside, and focus your attention on your practice. If you are the one who is sending, select a simple yet clearly defined object–an apple, a blue champagne glass, or a yellow chair–and send the same object all week. If you have had experience with sending and receiving you may want to send a different object every day. See this object in your mind’s eye as clearly as you can. Concentrate solely on your object, imagining it moving through the ether straight into the mind of your friend. Remember this formula: Intensity X Duration = Force. The Intensity of your effort times the Duration = the Force your effort will have.

As the "receiver," simply minimize distractions and relax, allowing your mind to be a receiving station. Let your imagination move naturally and see if a definite image comes to your attention. If an image is fuzzy, pay close attention and see if it becomes clear to you. After ten minutes, write down every impression you felt was strong. Practice this together for one week, and then compare notes. After one week, switch roles–the sender becomes the receiver and vice versa. Here are some results of a group of students that did this twice during the week. One sent a white candle shining against a blue carpet. The other received a white light that turned to blue. Another sent a chalice of water. While sending he realized he was being distracted by the tick of his clock. So he pretended the chalice was dripping water one drop at a time. The receiver heard the rhythmic beating of a drum. She also got confused and sent instead of received the second night. She brought into class what she had sent. It was a water goblet!

You may discover you are far more adept at sending or that you are better at receiving. When I first did this, it was clearly easier for me to receive impressions than send them. I practiced more on concentrating and sending images and now feel equally able to do both. In effect, this is an exercise of one person’s left brain sending to the other person’s right brain. As you improve your ability to both send and receive you are developing greater brain hemisphere integration.

Dream Control
Another important dimension in opening the intuitive channel is dream state awareness. If you can use techniques which more strongly connect your dream and waking states, you will naturally begin to experience a more flowing access to intuitive information. Of course, these techniques are most observably effective when practiced over time. Two techniques may help get you started.

The purpose of this technique is to begin to soften the division between the sleep and waking states of consciousness–the feminine, night side of existence and the masculine day side. As you gain experience with the methods, you will notice that those boundaries begin to dissolve, and the content of the two states will be more available to each other.

Begin by making the transitions between sleep and waking as gradual as possible. Arrange to go to bed early. (For some this may mean changing some habitual patterns like falling into bed exhausted, or waking up with a startling alarm clock or early rising children.) If you are able to alter these patterns even temporarily, you will get great rewards. Take a warm bath before going to sleep. Once in bed, shake your mind free of daily distractions, begin to breathe deeply, focusing on your breath. Be aware of any images you see before losing your consciousness. Each night try to extend your awareness as you slowly fall asleep. As you practice you push your awareness and control further and further into the dream realm.

Upon waking try to consciously remember more of your dreams. Keep a dream journal beside your bed and record your dreams as soon as you become conscious. Go as directly as possible from the dream to your journal and write uncensored. By working to be more aware at both ends of your dream cycle, you will begin to extend your consciousness into the dream state.

Looking at Your Hands
The last method is one given to Carlos Casteneda by the Yaqui Indian shaman, Don Juan. In Journey to Ixtlan, Carlos relates a story in which Don Juan begins to teach him how to see. After explaining that seeing involved a concise and pragmatic control over the general situation of the dream, Don Juan simply tells Carlos, "Tonight in your dreams you must look at your hands." Carlos asks Don Juan for pointers. "There are not any pointers. Every one of us is different. What you call pointers would only be what I myself did when I was learning. It would be simpler for you just to start looking at your hands." I’ve followed Don Juan’s instructions, and with patience have gotten good results. Your success with any of these techniques will depend upon a disciplined effort. The more you can master any one of these, the more deeply you can gain conscious control, and increase the flow of intuitive information.

Intuition and Transits
As astrologers we know there are specific times which are more conducive to accomplishing particular results. There are times we are personally more open and available to the intuitive within, and these are the times to take advantage of. Any good Moon aspects–especially the progressed Moon in the fourth, eighth, and twelfth and in good aspect to a natal planet–are classic in their enhancement of intuition. A good progressed Moon aspect will function from four weeks preceding to two weeks past the exact aspect, with the week before the exact transit having the greatest intensity for good results.

There are other transits which also allow you to be more receptive and open. On a long-term basis, transits of Neptune trine your natal Moon (increased sensitivity/imagination), Neptune trine natal Mercury (feelings and intellect work as a team and innate psychic abilities come forward), or Neptune trine natal Mars (concerted effort brings results) are good. Pluto trine Moon (deep activation of the workings of the unconscious) and Pluto trine Mercury (single minded pursuit of the depths) are particularly potent.

To a lesser extent, Jupiter trine Uranus can be effective (sudden insights/ability to break restrictive patterns and experience the new). On a twice yearly basis, for approximately a five day period, transiting Mercury trines your natal Neptune, Mercury trines Pluto, and Mercury trines your natal Moon and twice every two years, Mars trines your Neptune for a ten day period. You might want to work with psychic techniques during the two week period that the new moon trines your natal Neptune, Moon, or Mercury. If a full moon, particularly in water signs trines your natal Neptune, Moon, or Mercury, take advantage of the one week prior to the exact full moon.

On a monthly basis, the transiting Moon trines your natal Neptune twice and transits your fourth, eighth, and twelfth houses for several days each month. If you are planning to schedule a class devoted to learning and practicing intuitive techniques, do them under any of the above transits.

If there are times conducive to developing your intuition, there are also times to exercise caution in opening up the psychic flood gates. I would be particularly cautious with transiting Pluto square your natal Moon (dredging up of internal refuse, difficult psychic energies to control, possibility irrational intuitions of impending disaster) and watch as well Neptune square Moon (hunches may mislead you badly), or Neptune square Mercury (imaginary fears, fantasies, phobias). Watch the rare transits of Neptune square your Pluto (repressed compulsive fantasies, obsessions), Neptune square Uranus (new levels revealed abruptly, upsetting revelations), and more commonly Saturn square Neptune (uncertainty, fear states, negative state of mind).

With difficult Neptune transits, stay away from intentionally opening the intuitive realms. Speaking from a yogic point of view, the aura is already fuzzy, weakened and prone to being breached by external forces. In other words, your energy is very prone to suck up everything around it like a dry sponge. The ego is possibly in a weakened state to combat negative influences. As permeable as the aura is at this time, there is greater vulnerability to strange, obsessive experiences. By all means watch drug and alcohol use during these times, especially use of psychedelics to force open new states of consciousness. There may be unintentional consequences.

Opening to the intuitive realm can be immensely enriching, and bring greater wholeness to life. As our culture begins to honor the feminine intuitive, it will put an end to the doubt that robs our intuition of its power and will allow it its proper place in guiding our lives.