Intuition

by Linda Darling

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What is intuition? It is often only experienced in flashes. These can be a realisation, perhaps while looking at a painting, a cloud form or into the heart of a fire. It can also come through a dream, a fantasy, boring everyday activity when the minds attention begins to wander. It may come in the form of a sudden insight into a person or situation, in a solution to a problem, an inspiration from a poem or a mystical experience.

... a feeling experienced by many tranys I've met is one of helplessness, powerlessness, a state of waiting to be told what to do.

In a situation which seemed complex, a simple "truth" emerges. Something that was not explained verbally is understood. Clear, immediate information, uncoloured by emotion, often with no obvious means to arrive at this knowing. When considered rationally this information may initially appear illogical or absurd. It is a connection with the unconscious. A kind of knowing.

When a hostile world around us downplays creativity, imagination, fantasy and the possibility of being different to the "faith" it embodies, how then can we create ourselves?

The connection of apparently unconnected phenomena and the knowing they give rise to, have no place or value in the linear rational world. Daydreaming, flashes of "understanding", creativity are seen as distractions, not real. They are seen just as obstacles in the way of earning a living and family life.

I believe a feeling experienced by many tranys I've met is one of helplessness, powerlessness, a state of waiting to be told what to do. Not to be, not be, hear, read, show, hide, pretend, enjoy, think and feel. We respond to what is expected. Deep down however there is a sense of anger and frustration. This is one way of being cancelled, the potential other stillborn.

There is a feeling of unreality that comes from floating free of the familiar. Who are we anyway? No one encourages us to find out. The underlying message from society is "remain locked in our definitions of reality, you don't have the power to change". To know what we need for ourselves, to become who we truly are, to find a place in the world, the power to live our own lives, seems denied to us.

Intuition is a key to who we are; what we need, how to integrate the rational. For intuition to flourish, there needs to be an atmosphere where meditation, contemplation or spending quiet moments alone can take place. There is a need to encourage non-verbal, (poetry excepted) forms of expression. Expression such as music, dance, arts and crafts - opportunities for imagination and visualisation. We need to develop awareness of our mental control and our physical and emotional tensions, find the best ways for us of relaxing there. We need to learn to listen, to tune in to our own inner voice, to allow ourselves to experience deeper levels of being, to follow our own course, to recognise and then to trust intuition.

Without intuition I believe we live a "half-life", unable to relate harmoniously to ourselves, others or the earth. I can't conceive a true and successful therapist who has not developed and uses intuition. I can't think of a better space to begin this process than in a trany community/cultural/healing centre, where individuals could move from "health" to healing, from dependency to autonomy.

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