Is Human Intuition Emotionally Aware?

By Dr. Patty Gently on October 18, 2024

Bright Insight Support Network founder and president Dr. Patty Gently (formerly Williams) is a trauma therapist and coach who specializes in EMDR, ND-Affirmative DBT, and IFS modalities. Through Bright Insight, she works to counsel, coach, and advocate for gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodivergent persons, along with other marginalized populations.

Is Human Intuition Emotionally Aware?

A member of the Bloomers Gifted and 2e Adults group asked a series of questions, prompting me to blog about human intuition. They wondered if intuition is always emotionally aware or if it can be emotionally unaware. They also asked whether low EQ responses indicate that intuitive knowing is “switched off" or simply not being accessed, and whether intuitive knowing is a natural ability, especially in contemporary society. Additionally, they were curious about what characteristics enable a person to access intuition clearly and what factors might inhibit it. These questions led to a deep exploration of how intuition works, its emotional connections, and the traits that either enhance or block intuitive clarity.

I enjoyed digging into and writing about this topic! Here is what I have to say...

Is Human Intuition Always Emotionally Aware?

Intuition, while deeply informed by emotions, doesn't always directly register emotional awareness. Rather, intuition can act as an almost instinctive or subconscious process, rapidly synthesizing emotions, experiences, and subtle cues to reach conclusions or insights without the person having to be fully aware of the emotional drivers behind those insights. It may rely on emotional data without the person consciously identifying or processing the emotions themselves, which can sometimes lead to decisions or perceptions that feel emotionally guided though not explicitly tied to a clear emotional experience. In this way, intuition can be emotionally informed while remaining detached from the direct awareness of the emotions involved, resulting in intuitive leaps that seem logical or insightful, yet lack full emotional recognition in the moment.

Intuitive Knowing, Pattern-Finding, and Meaning-Making

To explore this topic fully, it is helpful to consider the nature of intuitive knowing, an intrinsic part of human cognition. Intuitive knowing is a subconscious process in which people recognize patterns, make connections, and arrive at conclusions without conscious, step-by-step reasoning. This rapid, unconscious pattern recognition occurs when the brain operates below conscious awareness, picking up on subtle environmental cues and internal states it has encountered before. This leads to an intuitive response—such as a gut feeling, a hunch, or a sudden insight. Additionally, intuitive knowing involves subconscious meaning-making, where the brain processes information without full awareness, creating seemingly unexplainable leaps that are grounded in past experiences and unconscious learning.

For gifted neurodivergent individuals, this process can be amplified due to their heightened abilities in pattern-finding and meaning-making. Their intuition is often tied to an abundance of thoughts, experiences, and overexcitabilities, offering more material to draw from during intuitive leaps. Furthermore, intuition can be linked to past experiences, accumulated knowledge, and even evolutionary instincts passed down through generations. For those with heightened sensitivity and cognitive complexity, this makes the intuitive process richer and more expansive, contributing to a unique and profound way of understanding the world.

So Is Intuition Emotionally Unaware?

Intuition can certainly be emotionally unaware, particularly in situations where a person is detached from their own emotional state or where they have learned to suppress emotional information or blunt emotional responses and awareness. For instance, someone may rely on intuition based on patterns or logic without consciously factoring in emotional sensitivity, leading to a more sterile response that lacks emotional intelligence (EQ).

Emotional awareness can enrich intuition, yes, and intuition can still operate independently of emotional awareness. For example, someone may rely on intuitive reasoning based on patterns or prior knowledge without fully engaging their emotional awareness. This type of intuition feels more like cognitive insight or instinct than an emotionally driven response.

People often act intuitively without consciously engaging their emotions across various contexts. Logical and cognitive intuition involves rapid pattern recognition or subconscious processing, such as a chess player making strategic moves or having a “eureka" moment. Instinctual intuition, like reacting quickly to danger, stems from survival instincts without emotional awareness. Experts develop skill-based intuition, allowing them to make quick decisions based on experience. Athletes rely on sensorimotor intuition, reacting automatically in high-pressure situations. Situational and social intuition involves assessing situations or people through subtle cues, while strategic intuition helps leaders make timely decisions based on experience and environmental patterns, all without emotional engagement. 

In the cases above, intuition can feel more analytical, sterile, or even mechanical because the decision-making process is driven by subconscious pattern recognition or instinct rather than emotional engagement. The person may seem less emotionally in tune, as they are acting based on logic, experience, or sensory input without consciously processing their feelings. However, there is often more to it than just mechanical processing. Intuition in these contexts is informed by a deep well of unconscious knowledge, experiences, and insights that the brain has accumulated over time, making the process highly sophisticated. While it may lack emotional awareness on the surface, it is still an intricate form of cognition, blending learned expertise, instinct, and unconscious reasoning. So, while it can appear emotionally detached, it's a powerful, holistic way the brain integrates past experiences and environmental cues to guide action.

Can Intuitive Knowing Be 'Switched Off' in Individuals with Low EQ?

When experiencing a low EQ response from someone, it might not necessarily mean that their intuitive knowing is “switched off." It could mean that they are not attuned to emotional cues or that they are focusing more on analytical or factual elements. Intuitive knowing can still be present, though it may not be accessing emotional awareness if the person is disconnected from their emotions, emotionally repressed, or lacking emotional intelligence (EQ) or insight.

Is Intuitive Knowing Natural Then?

It should be understood that intuitive knowing is natural, though it can be sharpened as a skill. Still, it is naturally stronger in some than others. It is an inherent part of human cognition though, often described as a quick and unconscious process of pattern recognition and meaning-making. People naturally develop intuition through life experiences, personal insight, and subconscious learning. Whether a person is strongly intuitive is another topic. 

Is Intuitive Knowing Natural in Contemporary Society?

Even in contemporary society, intuitive knowing remains natural, though its value and use may be culturally suppressed and overshadowed by cultural norms. With the heavy emphasis on logic, empirical reason, and data-driven decision-making in modern society, people might not rely on or trust their intuition as much as they would in less analytical or more traditionally holistic societies. This doesn't mean that intuition has disappeared– it simply might not be as openly valued or recognized in certain environments. 

Additionally, it can be difficult to believe that a person intuitively knows something if we cannot see the process they used to retrieve it. Gifted neurodivergent folx share about this experience ALL THE TIME. Intuitive knowing is still present in society when this happens, and it may not always be recognized or valued in certain environments, such as in much of corporate America. However, in fields like creative arts, psychotherapy, leadership, and entrepreneurship, intuition is still highly regarded and even necessary for success. These fields often require quick, adaptive thinking and the ability to make decisions based on limited data or new situations where there is no precedent, which is where intuition thrives. Proving you know what you know though– well that may be a different story (like the one told in a previous blog about magical thinking). 

Characteristics Required to Access Intuitive Knowing Clearly:

While intuition is often seen as an innate ability, aspects of intuitive knowing can be cultivated or enhanced through practice and awareness. Here are some qualities that can be enhanced to encourage intuitive knowing:

1. Self-Awareness: A deep understanding of one’s own thoughts, emotions, and physical responses allows intuitive signals to come through more clearly. 

Deep self-awareness allows individuals to distinguish between a gut feeling and mere emotional noise. This involves recognizing one's emotional states, thought processes, and physical cues that accompany intuitive insights.

2. Open-Mindedness: Being receptive to insights without immediate judgment or dismissal is key to accessing intuition.

An open mind allows intuition to flow without being immediately judged or dismissed. People who are open to new ideas and are willing to consider their intuitive insights, even when they don't align with logic, are better able to access and trust their intuition.

3. Mindfulness: Being present and aware of subtle cues within oneself and the environment enhances the ability to tune into intuitive knowing.

Being fully present in the moment enhances intuitive knowing. Mindfulness practices help individuals tune into their inner signals and the external environment, reducing distractions that could cloud intuitive clarity.

4. Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Higher emotional awareness allows intuition to integrate both cognitive and emotional insights.

High emotional intelligence allows for better integration of intuition and emotional insight. Those who can read and understand their own emotions are more likely to distinguish between emotional impulses and true intuitive knowing.

5. Reflective Ability: The capacity to reflect on experiences and see patterns is crucial for developing intuitive insight.

Reflection sharpens intuition by allowing individuals to look back on their experiences, recognize patterns, and learn from them. This reflection builds a foundation of wisdom that informs future intuitive decisions.

6. Empathy: The ability to understand and connect with others’ emotions often sharpens intuitive knowing in social situations.

Empathy sharpens intuition, particularly in social situations. Being attuned to others’ emotional states and body language often provides subtle cues that inform a person’s intuitive responses in relationships and social dynamics.

Well Then, What Inhibits Intuitive Knowing?

When exploring intuitive knowing, it’s equally important to consider the factors that can block or inhibit it. While intuition is a natural cognitive process, it doesn't always flow easily. Various internal and external barriers can cloud access to intuitive insights, leaving people disconnected from their gut feelings or subconscious knowledge. These inhibiting factors can stem from over-reliance on logic, emotional detachment, societal conditioning, or even personal fears. By understanding what disrupts intuition, we can take steps to minimize these obstacles and foster a clearer, more intuitive connection to our inner knowing. Here are some of those inhibiting factors:

1. Hyperrationalizing: Overanalyzing or relying too much on logic can smother intuitive insights. When a person second-guesses their intuition, they may lose touch with their gut feelings, allowing rational processes to dominate and cloud intuitive clarity.

2. Stress and Anxiety: High levels of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm (overstimulation) can interfere with intuition by creating mental noise and causing a person to become fixated on fears and worries. This mental clutter can block access to the calm, centered state often needed for intuitive knowing to emerge.

3. Emotional Detachment: People who suppress their emotions or lack emotional awareness may struggle to access their intuition fully. Emotional detachment creates a disconnect between the mind and the body's natural signals, leading to sterile, disconnected decision-making that may feel devoid of intuitive insight.

4. Cultural and Social Conditioning: Societies that prioritize logic and rationality over intuition can cause people to doubt or suppress their natural instincts. Since modern society often elevates rationality, data, and measurable outcomes over intuition, people can be conditioned to prioritize logic and dismiss gut feelings as irrational or unreliable. This cultural bias against intuition leads many to suppress or ignore their intuitive signals.

5. Fear of Mistakes: Fear of failure or being wrong can inhibit a person from trusting their intuition. If someone is too afraid of making a mistake, they may doubt their intuitive insights, especially if those insights seem unconventional or go against societal norms. Building frustration tolerance with error can help with this.

6. Lack of Practice: Like any skill, intuition can be sharpened with practice. Those who don’t engage their intuitive side regularly may find it difficult to trust or access their gut feelings. In contrast, individuals who cultivate their intuition through mindfulness, reflection, or creative exploration tend to strengthen their intuitive abilities over time.

How Might We Teach About Intuitive Knowing?

While intuition is often seen as an innate ability and may not be entirely teachable in the traditional sense, aspects of intuitive knowing can be cultivated or enhanced through practice and awareness. Here are some ways intuitive knowing can be taught or developed:

1. Encouraging Pattern Recognition: Pattern recognition can be encouraged by engaging in activities that promote noticing patterns like puzzles, games, or even problem-solving scenarios in specific fields. By practicing this skill, individuals can train their brains to recognize recurring themes and subtle cues more quickly. Over time, this enhances intuitive responses.

2. Building Expertise: Intuition is often rooted in deep, experiential knowledge. By developing expertise in a specific area—whether in sports, arts, science, or social interactions—people can increase their ability to intuitively respond without needing to consciously analyze every step. Practice and immersion in a subject help develop automatic pattern recognition.

3. Mindfulness and Awareness Training: Mindfulness practices teach individuals to observe their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment, helping them become more attuned to subtle internal and external cues. This heightened awareness helps people recognize and trust their intuitive insights when they arise.

4. Reflective Practices: Journaling, meditation, and self-reflection exercises can help individuals tap into subconscious thought processes, allowing them to analyze past decisions and identify moments where intuition played a role. This reflective awareness strengthens intuitive decision-making in the future.

5. Encouraging Emotional Intelligence: While some forms of intuition operate without conscious emotion, developing emotional intelligence (EQ) can improve the capacity to notice subtle emotional cues, both internally and in others. This enhances social and situational intuition, making individuals more attuned to intuitive insights that arise in complex social dynamics.

6. Teaching “Trusting Your Gut" in Safe Environments: Providing opportunities to make decisions based on “gut feelings" in low-stakes scenarios can help people build trust in their intuitive knowing. With positive reinforcement, they become more confident in using intuition for bigger decisions.

7. Exposure to Diverse Experiences: Intuition improves when individuals are exposed to a variety of situations and contexts. By encountering new challenges, environments, and cultures, they can expand their subconscious database of patterns and cues, making their intuitive responses more nuanced.

So, What is the Conclusion (For Now)?

While intuition is often informed by emotions and past experiences, it does not always involve conscious emotional engagement. People can rely on intuition in various contexts, such as logical, cognitive, and instinctual situations, where emotions are not overtly processed. This can make intuition feel more analytical or mechanical, though it remains a complex and powerful process shaped by subconscious knowledge.

Intuitive knowing, particularly in gifted or neurodivergent individuals, can be amplified due to heightened sensitivity and cognitive complexity. And though intuition can operate independently of emotional awareness, EQ enhances intuitive insight. Factors like self-awareness, mindfulness, and open-mindedness support intuitive development, while over-reliance on logic, stress, and cultural conditioning can inhibit it. Despite being undervalued in some modern contexts, intuition remains a critical skill that can be cultivated through reflective practice, emotional intelligence, and diverse experiences.