}|month = July|day = 15|year = 2006|time = 05:35|timestamp = 20060715053525}}

Definition of Intuition

Intuition is an uninvited idea that enters into a person's conscious thoughts, but not as the result of inductive reasoning. Intuition is not the product of consciously reviewing all the factors in a given situation, then drawing a logical conclusion for an action after weighing facts, experiences or evidence stored in the brain. Rather, intuition is an unsolicited suggestion that introduces itself to a person, seemingly out of thin air, urging them to decide or take action. This decision or action, when view in light of future events or situations, most often proves to be the most beneficial decision or preparation for those events or situations.

Those who regularly experience intuition describe it as an "overpowering urge," "an annoying demand" or a "nagging suggestion." The words annoying and nagging are used because if the person ignores the initial suggestion, intuition usually returns in a progressively stronger, more insistent form, urging the person to immediately act upon the suggestion. If the intuition is ignored, it stops after the moment passes. It is as if during that moment, a person is at a critical decision point or crossroads (usually unknowingly) and intuition presents itself with a suggestion to sway the direction that the person takes next.

Types of Intuition

Philip Goldberg, author of Intuitive Edge: Understanding & Developing Intuition, has categorized intuition according to its various characteristics. There are two of his six categories that closely pertain to the intuition described above -- Operation and Evaluation.

• Operation Intuition acts as a subtle guidance to help us avoid mistakes.
• Evaluation Intuition is the "Yes" or "No" guidance we receive at a crossroad.