Trust the Gut: How to Harness Your Intuition

Updated on: August 2, 2022

Weird as it may sound considering our New Age leanings, not one of us freaks over at goop HQ had ever had a psychic reading. But since we’re on an unquenchable quest to experience every type of modality to help us heal, expand, and deepen our understanding of all life’s mysteries, when we heard tell of an exceptionally gifted L.A.-based intuitive, Jill Willard, we had to talk to her—and talk to her some more. Willard, who does not refer to herself as a psychic thanks to “woo woo” and negative connotations, sees things. And, as a medium, she also sees dead people. But the experience isn’t at all what you would expect: Willard thinks of herself as more of a guide or aid, whose function is to help people do this for themselves, by tapping into their own intuition, a state she believes we can all achieve. “We all have a knowing,” she explains. “It’s really just a question of whether we’re willing to acknowledge and honor what we know, and act on it in a positive way. Often, we let our fears get in the way, or we shut it down because we don’t want to believe there is another way, and we don’t want to listen. I have been there, too, trust me. I have completely ignored what I knew to be true because I didn’t like the truth—it wasn’t what I wanted.” Sound familiar? We were intrigued, and so we asked her a million questions. (Jill does readings over the phone or in person, but if you have more questions, hit us up @goop, and we’ll try to get answers.)

How did you know you had this ability?

When I was young, I would often have an inkling or gut feeling about something and it would come true. At first I thought it was luck. Then it would happen in situations where a good guess just couldn’t explain the fact that I had a knowing. The phone would ring, and I would know who was on the other end (before caller ID). I would know who I would run into on the walk home from school; I would know who would be at the party or if it would rain. The key was to trust it: It began to grow, and the situations became increasingly complex and detailed.

What was your path to get where you are today?

It wasn’t until my girlfriends in school started supporting this knowing, that I really became comfortable with it—before, it was just spooky. But it was fun to know things and share them with friends, regarding dreams, boyfriends, relationships, test answers…just kidding!

I went to college and I relied on my intuition more consistently because I was out on my own—it grew tremendously during that time. It grew again in my mid to late 20s, which was fun and not fun—it was a bit haunting. I knew what certain priests were doing with young boys. I met the President at the time and knew he was cheating on his wife, before it became public knowledge. I started to see that this ability is very double-edged—it was pulling at my heart.

When we had our first child, my intuition grew again massively, as it does for all mothers. Two years later, with much support from my husband and close friends, I came out to do it professionally, and to use this gift with love. The work came rapidly, and I came to understand that the need is to help people open their third eye and to trust what they already know in their heart. The heart is a powerful muscular organ—there is nothing mushy about it.

As I would converse with people about their lives, it was really a form of mirroring: I would tell them what they already knew in their hearts to be true. I could help them feel confident in their gut, and start to open themselves up.

I believe that I am seeing and witnessing our higher guides and guidance, Spirit, the Higher Self or Soul, God, and consciousness. And it shows what it shows. I do not see everything. But what is shown to me is precise and specific, and always helpful/beneficial. It is what the people in front of me need to know, and already do know in many ways.

Some people become frustrated initially because they just want me to tell them what’s going to happen, however, with love, that is not my job. I can see it, but they still need to come to it on their own. Life is a proactive process—there is destiny, but it is primarily a sliding doors, choose-your-own adventure, and so I educate and empower them to make their own choices, which is what creates self-worth, empowerment, and healing. Also, I can’t just tell people what to do: We all have to learn these lessons—it can’t be done any other way.

What is open for you that might be blocked in someone else?

Generally, my trust in intuition and the gifts it brings; specifically, my third eye and sixth chakra or energy center. You can think about this as just having a muscle that’s more developed. I was given a jumpstart as I did inherit a more open intuition from my Italian Catholic grandparents.

I’ve followed the signs for so long that I can now hear them clearly and quickly—I know the value of the information, I honor the information. Over time it’s become louder and more persistent and easier to both hear and decipher. The more we use this muscle or eye and activate/strengthen the listening aspect, the more we have the ability to hear and understand.

The process of becoming more intuitive, which we’ll go into in more detail below, is really about listening and seeing the signs, which can be very faint.

Initially, our intuition can come in at a whisper, which eventually can grow to a loud abrasive knock if we do not listen. We have all had the experience of not listening to our gut, and then learning a very hard lesson. As you exercise the muscle of your intuition these hard knocks become much more infrequent, and grace and peace replace high and low emotional experiences.

Balance and joyful experiences increase. You will start listening more, to everything and everyone, experiencing more presence. You will not wait as often for hard proof and confirmation, because sometimes it’s then too late. For example, there will be white flags and delays about a relationship—we ignore the signs and then it turns out to be disastrous. Or, there will be impediments to getting onto the freeway—roadblocks, broken traffic lights—and we ignore them, and arrive much later to a place than intended, or worse, get into an accident. Listening to your gut can get you a parking spot in the front, help you arrive early, or save your life.

It can be particularly difficult for anyone who is an achiever, intellectual, or a Type A personality to learn that we can’t always push our way through. Sometimes the spirits/guides/fates just don’t want us to, and they will put obstacle after obstacle in our way until we’re forced to learn. Part of the learning is embracing a less analytical, less “rational” approach, and understanding that there is much that is out of our direct control, that we are “creating” with something else. Understanding this pays off: When you have psychic or intuitive abilities, you learn how to be present within yourself—and you are then protected. You are aligned with your consciousness and you are in grace. You are much safer there.

So what do we need to do to unlock this?

The path is plentiful. Quiet time, experiencing stillness, and taking time to stretch, meditate, walk outside, swim, yoga…these are all very powerful tools. By taking time to implement some of the activities above, we also clear layers of hurt emotions. We forgive. This is key to understanding and hearing our intuition fully. We get out of our emotional body into the clarity and truth that intuition brings.

I feel we must learn to trust our bodies and healing capacities, which are essential to unlocking both ourselves and high consciousness. Trust in synchronicity, trust that things happen for a reason, not out of sheer chance. Quiet the mind, open the heart, and listen. It’s a whisper.

We also need to be present, and focus on BEING HERE NOW. We live in a disconnected society, and it’s time to bring connection and worth back, to use more eye contact with those we love. In our world, we are constantly “doing,” but it should really be an even split with being.

We should spend half of our day simply existing—taking long meals with loved ones, walking, relaxing, and connecting. The BEING is where the self-love and deep gratitude lives. The BEING is where the empowerment is. The BEING is where worth is cultivated. The BEING is where we hear our intuition.

Finally, making sure our chakras are balanced is essential.

What is a chakra? What is the sixth chakra? What is the third eye?

Chakras are energy centers in and around the body. Some believe they go up the spine, some believe that they are outside the body. The word chakra in sanatan/Hindu means “wheel.” There are 7 to 8 central or most often talked about chakras in the body, and even more in the aura—or energy field.

Chakras are part of a system—they are all integrated and affect one another. When one part of our body or experience is blocked this shows up in an unbalanced chakra, and often, an unwanted life experience. We block our life force energy that moves throughout the chakras and therefore not only block our intuitive nature but our capacity for healing as well. As we mature, our chakras are able to come to their fully balanced mature state—and our third eye can open. This can happen with more awareness and strength when we learn the lessons that the universe presents to us. The universe will teach us the lesson again and again until we come to understand it and balance our chakra system, creating the life, energy, and ease we wish for.

Throughout our lives, we can move up and down our chakra system—there are times when you might be stuck in your lower chakras (potentially feeling petty, competitive, defensive), other times when you are up higher, in your heart.

We can always go back and clear, strengthen, realign, and add vitality to a chakra. Every chakra is important—they bring life force through our body, which is often described as chi or prana. When we are out of balance in our chakras, our life is out of balance.

THE CHAKRAS

Illustration: Valero Doval

There are many definitions and interpretations of the chakras—this is how I see the system.

It can be helpful to think of our bodies as a tree. The root chakras connect us to the earth, and pull in nutrients, earth elements, and minerals—here, our basic needs for survival are met. We cannot open our intuition in a healthy, balanced way without firm roots to keep us grounded—these roots also act as a way to flush out what no longer serves us.

1st CHAKRA

Representing Roots
Location: Sit bones, legs, hips
Color: Red
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 0-7 years old
Represents: The first chakra represents the relationship to basic needs, including food, shelter, safety/protection, mother and father influence, rest, and the feeling of belonging to a group, family, or organization.
To Create Balance: It is very important that we grow “healthy roots” connecting us to the earth, to each other, and to our past. Sometimes our childhood holds us back, as there are old memories and dynamics that shape our current experience. Clearing out our root chakra as adults is a beautiful way to feel more grounded, have a good elimination process, and also connect us in a healthy way to our bodies and our ancestry. Go out on walks and feel your feet and stride, do grounding yoga focused on strong legs and open hips, and practice “earthing,” where we release energy back to the earth, whether it be grass, sand, soil, dirt, ocean, or pond. Simply release energy through your footpads. Visualization can help here, as well as any form of positive counsel—when we shed light on this base chakra, often much emerges that needs to be reconciled and flushed out.

2nd CHAKRA

Representing Pleasure
Location: Reproductive, Sexual Organs
Color: Orange
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 7-14 years old
Represents: The second chakra represents our relationship to pleasure and to all things, including each other and to the self—this extends to our relationship to our bodies, sex, food, alcohol, drugs, sugar, addiction, peers, hormones, gossip, shopping.
To Create Balance: As a culture, we are stuck in the second chakra, and stuck in our youth: We have an unbalanced and problematic relationship to things…to sex, drugs, shopping, food. And definitely to the illusion that what we want is outside of us, that someone or something else holds the key. To create balance, we need to take a mature and honest look at our relationships—what makes us feel good and why, and where we might be stuck in a junior high mentality. We must look at how we can have healthier relationships with ourselves, our family, our friends, our society, the media, and our everyday schedule, and in the process, we need to discover what brings us pleasure in a balanced, honest way. (Pleasure does not mean greed, avarice, or sensationalism.) It’s important to determine where we can trim the excess and clean out our closets. With clarity, we can begin to decipher what and where we wish to put our healthy energy, our attention, our currency, and our focus—we must be discerning about all of this, including our sexual experiences. Balancing this chakra by reevaluating our relationship to all things is very helpful and cathartic. It’s also helpful to open our creative natures, which can be done simply by taking a class or getting out an old paint set, apron, or tool kit—it does not take much to begin to circulate the vital energy of experiencing pleasure. Some believe the second chakra is where creativity is born. Think back to your first experiences of creating a new friendship, playing a sport, or learning to write, paint, draw, or cook—experiencing this type of unleashed joy is what we want. It’s very connected to intuition.

3rd CHAKRA

Representing Power
Location: Stomach area
Color: Yellow
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 14-21 years old
Represents: The third chakra represents power, healthy boundaries, self-worth, and the way we see ourselves in the world. This chakra is also strongly tied to the ego, having a healthy drive, and using power as good for the whole, not only for one’s own gain. Willpower is also represented in this chakra, as is self-control and assertion.
To Create Balance: This chakra’s balance hinges on our ability to understand our thoughts and feelings about power. Power can be a dirty word in our culture especially in the minds of women. In reality, power is a lovely word offering great abundance and healthy boundaries. We can use swimming or yoga to strengthen the core and breathe deeper—this creates a release for our thoughts. Pilates focuses on the core and our internal strength while connecting us to our entire body. In yoga doing the breath of fire (deep rapid breath through the nose) helps to get this inner fire stroked. Meditation, using powerful mantras such as “I am Strong,” or “I am Power” is a wonderful way to activate our power chakra. Diaphragmatic breathing is important, as are gentle sit-ups. It’s important to understand that the third chakra burns off the energy in the heart to create heat and power, and we must eat food that is good for the gut; this is often shown in readings to help with hormone regeneration. For women in particular, it’s critical to remember our worth, and to create kind, strong boundaries and space in the day to meditate or walk quietly. This helps release old energy and patterns tied to old thoughts of worth. It is also very important to say no, without guilt! Wait for three seconds (at a minimum) before responding or committing to something. As a general rule, women do not use power efficiently, or understand how important boundaries are.

Represented by the tree’s lush, green leaves and outstretched branches, the heart is the connector and conduit to the upper chakras. The heart is the source of creation, and when it is light and free, we feel true love emanating and reflecting back from the heart center, which creates much joy and freedom. Most of us aspire to a heart that forgives and is loving, that is clear of the past and unworried about the future.

4th CHAKRA

Representing Love
Location: Heart
Color: Green (some choose pink)
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 21-28 years old
Represents: The fourth chakra represents the relationship to love, love, love—and specifically empathy. This chakra governs the fact that we’re all connected, that we are all one. It is the conduit connecting the lower to the upper chakras and intuition. With a balanced, kind heart, we can help all living things experience great joy and gratitude, and co-exist in harmony.
To Create Balance: Many don’t go higher than their heart chakra (or even to their heart chakra)—though many mistakenly think that they are there. I believe this is why we have so much dis-ease in that region and in the gut below—we are not using our power chakra to burn off energy in a healthy way. When we don’t burn off energy, the heart simply gets too heavy, the emotions get too dense, and mental and emotional disharmony occurs. Forgiveness is key for a kind and healthy heart—releasing and letting go is very important. To balance this chakra, it is important to create or make a forgiveness trail where you can release anger, blame, worry, and guilt—when you get to the destination, walk back in solitude and gratitude. A labyrinth or hike will fulfill this tool. Even when driving, set an intention and dedicate that time to releasing an emotion or negative thought. Meditation and gentle movement such as Thai Chi or yin yoga are extremely effective at releasing and balancing. Really, though, the most powerful thing you can do is learn how to forgive yourself and others—to understand and forgive yourself for how you were in that moment or experience, and why you were drawn to a certain situation or relationship. Start a gratitude journal or list, and really let that love resonate in your heart. I also find the Hawaiian Forgiveness mantra/prayer Ho’o pono pono incredibly powerful: Even if you don’t think you were remotely in the wrong, you are asking for forgiveness for whatever role you play in the dynamic—for drawing in a relationship. These words are very useful for the art of letting go. The book The Artist’s Way is another great tool.
Ho’o pono pono

I am sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

Most believe the upper chakras are connected to the Divine, God, higher consciousness, Krishna, Light, the Soul…the third eye helps open the door to great wisdom that is representing a collective unity. No middleman is needed when our intuition is open and accessible. We learn to trust ourselves, and create more knowing in the process.

5th CHAKRA

Representing Truth
Location: Throat
Color: Blue
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 28-35 years old
Represents: The fifth chakra represents speaking truth with love, and when balanced, speaking from the heart. This is very important for purification, breath, hormone balance, and feeling liberated!
To Create Balance: We do not say exactly how we feel enough, and it causes many issues with the thyroid and hormones. It is time to be brave and speak truth with love, and to be impeccable with our words—brevity is important. Singing, and mouthing vowel sounds can be helpful for balancing the throat, such as an “O” and “E.” A mantra can help here. Even the simple sound of ‘om.’ Using our voice in a rhythmic hum or vibration is another way to begin purifying and releasing our thoughts and emotions. In addition, focusing on the color blue, and visualizing a clear exchange of words and thought can be helpful. Letter writing, getting our voice out on paper, or singing in the car or shower (anywhere!) is helpful. Having a tough conversation with a family member, friend, co-worker or loved one is an extremely powerful way to balance our throat chakra. Remember throughout that compassion, love, and empathy are our greatest tools.

6th CHAKRA

Representing Intuition and Insight
Location: Between the brow on the forehead, the Third Eye
Color: Plum Purple (some say indigo)
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 35-42 years old
Represents: The sixth chakra represents intuition, which has many aspects. Being intuitive as we discussed above means having a knowing about something; this can also include being psychic, clairvoyant, clairaudient, or a medium. It also means being highly creative.
To Create Balance: Being of service is important here: We must use what we know for peace and harmony. As this chakra opens, life becomes more vibrant and we feel increasingly lighter and alive. Once we really understand that intuition unlocks creativity and more choice, we are more open and inclined to focus on ways to activate it. It is so powerful! Visualize opening the third eye, which is located between, or slightly above the center of our brow. Once we feel that a space resides in all of us for intuition, we have already created a spot for its opening. To open our intuition it is helpful to activate our power source or inner fire to burn off unwanted fear and nervous energy. It is helpful to become charitable with our giving, which involves many things, including time, hugs, eye contact, and touch. As discussed above, we must be brief and straightforward with our words, particularly in difficult conversations—and we also must take responsibility for our part in the relationships and conversations we are in. It is helpful to understand the purification and balancing aspect of the thyroid and hormones when it comes to speaking.From my personal experience, meditation has been, and continues to be key to opening and strengthening intuition. Meditation can happen in many forms—as the ultimate form of taking quiet time for being, rather than doing, it will clear your mind and help release old roadblocks.Any form of true silent time will help the intuitive voice rise. Try walking instead of running. Every morning, continue to give gratitude/thanks and set a clear intention to be open to signs and signals that might present themselves that day.As with eye contact, it’s critical to notice people, color, and flow. What came with ease? Where did you find resistance and blocking? Honor the signs and give thanks for what holds grace and joy.

This is a good practice:
Find a comfortable spot in your home, office, or a serene spot outside. It can be great to sit in front of water, whether it’s a fountain, stream, or ocean.

Take a minimum of eight inhalations and exhalations, all while holding the thought of becoming more in touch with your intuition.

Sit in quiet and stillness for a minimum of five minutes. Work up to 20 minutes if you can. Practice patience and sitting quietly, using a mantra such as “I am Love,” or “I am Intuitive,” if your mind or body wants to wander.

Stand slowly, rolling your spine up like a rag doll. Bring your head up last and look straight ahead. Clasp hands together to give thanks to all you have connected to, and for the choice you have made to give your intuition time and attention.

7th CHAKRA

Representing Wisdom
Location: Crown, top of head
Color: White, clear, or purple/indigo moving toward clear
Cultivated and representing life in ages: 42-49 years old
Represents: This glorious crown or top chakra is the connection to the higher divine, the light, natural nirvana, and a oneness with the universe. It is where consciousness resides. It is thought that life force energy enters through our crown chakra and travels down through the rest of our chakras. At this point, you are no longer an energy match for dark thoughts and insecurity. We begin to deeply understand our spiritual nature. Great knowing resides here. The glow, or fountain of youth often feels obtained when we balance this chakra. True and loving connection to ourselves, our spirituality, our highest self, and all living things occurs.
To Create Balance: Taking time for gratitude and prayer are important for whole balance and the sense of loving connectiveness that this chakra represents. Quiet time is one of the greatest tools, using meditation and positive visualization to create great balance and awareness. Activating love and understanding is very helpful, as is leaving judgment behind. At every opportunity, surround yourself with positivity, which can assist all of us to reach our highest potential and goals. Balancing this chakra fills us with magnetic feelings of unity.

Are the sixth and seventh chakras essentially the same thing?

Our culture speaks at length, and puts a lot of focus on the five main senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, sound) and the pleasure we seek satisfying and relying on these senses. Simply being open to the concept of higher senses, specifically the sixth and seventh senses, is a great step toward noting the things around you that can’t quite be described by the main sensory system.

It can be difficult to distinguish between the sixth and seventh chakras.

Having a sixth sense is knowing something is off or going on. It’s the hmmmmm….the nagging feeling in the gut or consciousness. The seventh sense is knowing what the hmmmm or gut feeling specifically is.”

Once we are aware of our sixth sense, the opening of the seventh sense does not need to be far behind.

It can be very helpful to begin a journal (on paper, on your phone, on a computer) about things that happen throughout the day or week that remind us of our intuition and our other sixth and seventh senses (i.e., when you’re thinking about someone and then you happen to bump into them, or when you’re constantly feeling tired and burnt out and you wonder how to meditate and an email about a meditation class pops into your email.) These reminders and experiences might also take the form of dreams or déjà vu—writing the incidences and “coincidences” down and taking a moment to etch them in our memory is a healthy tool for growing our intuitive muscle.

When you do a reading, what do you see? What do you hear?

This is such a good question. I believe I see and hear the aura, the person’s higher self, their guides, their loved ones who have passed away, and god/spirit. I also believe I hear their heart and mental capacities. It seems to be universal energy, which means that it can be from the past, present, or future. If someone has migraines, it can show their childhood, and how they responded to emotion. It could show their DNA, and that migraines are hereditary and that their grandmother experienced the same thing. It could show that if they do not start doing breathing techniques and eating less wheat, as an example only, the migraine medication and the migraines themselves might create an issue in the liver, which would affect their relationship with their kids. Almost everything in life is sliding doors: You can affect the future. For a large part, it isn’t destiny—it is choice.

Is there destiny?

Yes, but what I’ve found in the aura is that destiny can affect about 20 percent of our whole being and life experience if we are ignoring natural body rhythms, talents, and signs pointing north. Meaning, some things in your life are destined, but many areas of your life are choice. And stepping into your destiny aspect is a choice as well.

Our self and our soul are constantly co-creating our lives, and our intuition is a great guide and compass along the way.

Many believe there is a pre-determined, immutable fate that we can’t control —I do believe there is an element of faith and fate involved, but we have a lot of choice, meaning our path can take many twists and turns. Intuition makes the sliding doors, choose-your-own-adventure a little bit of a smoother sail, as we’re more inclined to go through the right sliding door.

My hope is to help people begin to trust their gut, until they’re making the most positive decisions for themselves and their lives. (Note that I said positive! Not necessarily easy!) Remember that everyone benefits when we use our intuition—no one loses.

What is an aura?

I believe the aura is the energy within and around our body similar to air, light, and fog. I believe the aura contains the physical body, the emotional body, the mental or intellectual body, and the spiritual body. When you are aware of someone else’s energy without touching their physical body, you are sensing their aura—an example of this is when you’re sitting next to someone on a plane, or in a movie theater—you are feeling a person and their aura or presence without any physical interaction. Some ask how wide I feel an aura goes or reaches. Most auras look like they go about three to five feet around a person—some are more or less expansive. The aura can also shift depending on how we’re feeling, how strong our health is, how clear our chakras are.

Are they the same for everyone, or do we all have our own unique people?

We all have our own. That said, in my experience we all seem to have a universal tie—we are all connected as one, and high in the aura we all merge as having one creator.

Everyone has some form of spirit in their aura, whether you’re religious or not, whether you believe it or not.

What are they called?

They are called everything and nothing! They say who they are by the names and icons that make sense to us—by our attachments/labels/names for certain images, things, people, or religions. It is fascinating to see this in readings, as everyone is different, just like a thumbprint. What we call our icons or spirits seem to mean nothing to the higher consciousness. The key is to call on and recognize we are all part of a large picture that is highly interconnected.

What is their intention for us? Is it always positive?

To evolve.
To understand.
To learn.
To feel more filled.
To feel more healthful.

To feel peaceful.
To feel loved.
To feel empowered and worthy.
To feel supported in our path to wholeness and oneness.

And yes, I have witnessed there is always a positive aspect in our aura, whether we listen or not.

There are always those who have passed on, watching over us, still loving us, and wanting to help guide us, even if these souls did so poorly in their waking life.

Some energies are not always positive, specifically souls that are stuck. Like when you walk into a cathedral or hotel room and you feel that it’s haunted—those energies aren’t our own, but might be someone or something that passed away in that hotel and their spirit is stuck there. The more intuitive we become, the more we might feel these energies. It’s important to know that they’re not our own, and to ask them to leave/get out of our aura. It can feel spooky, but we can help them go where they need to go—we can help energy go to the light by sending it love. By blessing it and telling it to leave, by acknowledging that it’s there and helping to release it.

Sending love is so key, particularly here on earth—even to those who might seem to deserve it the least. It’s so important that we see each other, that we make soulful, truthful relationships. We must send each other love.

It’s also important to make the distinction that sometimes, positive information may not feel positive. Even a situation we feel/think is negative, i.e., cheating, a health issue, abuse…can actually be an opportunity for evolvement. We all know this deep within.

You are a medium: What does that mean? How do people present themselves to you? What do they generally need to say?

A medium is a conduit to hearing, seeing, feeling those that have passed away and are no longer in body; they are in spirit. Some believe this is tapping into other realms or dimensions of life force energy. Some look at this connection as speaking to those that have crossed over to heaven or another place.

They appear visually, auditorially, through feeling—they also come metaphysically. They’re all things.

In the aura there are visual pictures and visual stories, voices talking to me that are connected to the person, of the higher self, of others that love them. There are energies from other realms, which will probably really freak people out. I see images of the person’s psyche as well. The good news is that it deciphers what’s “true,” and what is the person’s opinion, perceptions, or emotional version of the truth.

For example, I might see a person’s grandfather who is telling stories from their life together (always something incredibly specific, special, precise, not something anyone else would know—not something that can be Googled). The grandfather might be there to shed light on something that’s going on in their lives, to let them know they’re not alone, and that he is, in fact, watching over the person and their loved ones. The grandfather might talk about the past, but will likely talk about current situations as well.

They are aware of what they’ve done in their waking life, and I believe one reason that they’re in the aura is that they’re wishing to complete the relationship cycle. They want you to know that you are loved. And, they want to make things right.

They see things. Some of us think everything has already been done, but there are millions of opportunities.

A good friend might come into a person’s reading—or an old lover, or parent, or sibling. It’s always someone who has good intentions, who you cared about and/or who cared about you. It might even be a grandparent you never knew—they can still know you. And they’ll always bring proof.

Can someone tell you that they want to speak to their mother who passed, and can you make it happen?

It’s not up to me. I always hope that loved ones who have passed come in for a person during a session, but it isn’t my choice. They come if they come. I will not dig or reach for anyone in the afterlife because that’s when I believe it can get dicey. I believe to go hunting in those dimensions can pull in some unwanted energy—it’s not safe and protected. We don’t want to bring darker energy home with us.

What if someone who has passed isn’t present during a reading?

Most likely, you don’t need their help or influence at that time. Some believe that they are “busy” doing other work, which I understand. One thing I have learned is that a spirit can be in many places at once; there is no longer a limitation of being in body. Our minds have a hard time understanding this concept that something is not “one for one.”

What if someone had a terrible relationship with a parent who passed? Would they bring darker energy?

NO. When a person passes, the self is left behind with the body on earth, and the person is of pure spirit. They are like a breeze. Therefore, anything of the ego, i.e., anger, unhealthy relationships, disagreements, are let go when the person passes and there is nothing but love, compassion, and the desire for forgiveness.

Our expectations can get in the way of what’s supposed to happen—we must remember we don’t always see the lesson or the gift right away. In hindsight, we recognize what happened is the best thing for us, but it’s often very difficult to accept in the moment when we don’t get our way.

Souls that have passed often come in apologizing for their part in an unhealthy relationship and also wanting to help set the person free of any guilt or unhealthy emotion that the person is experiencing by the loss of a physical opportunity to address it. These souls apologize to help the person in the reading along with forgiveness or help them back into their heart—they want them to clear the chakra and avoid any dis-ease.

They never leave us. It’s wonderful to witness. In my experience, nobody has ever come in angry who has passed away. They’re often in a very good place. They’ve been set free and they’re wishing the same for us.

What does it mean if you listen to your intuition and your gut, and follow it, and the outcome is not what you desired? Is your gut wrong?

The gut is never wrong. It is very connected to oneness. It seems it is always for evolution, always there to aid us in moving onward or due north.

Our expectations can get in the way of what’s supposed to happen—we must remember we don’t always see the lesson or the gift right away. In hindsight, recognizing what happened is the best thing for us, but it’s often very difficult to accept in the moment when we don’t get our way.

It’s part of our culture to believe that if we’re good, good things happen, that if we’re nice, we’ll get what we want. But life is not about “fairness,” it’s about evolving, and it’s about wholeness. Getting what we want is often not what we need—or it’s not for the greater good of all.

Often, for example, people come to me because of disappointment about relationships not resulting in the outcome that they so desire. They feel like it’s right, they feel like they’ve met “The One,” but it’s not working out. Truthfully, there’s always an energy exchange, always something to be given and received, and when that exchange is done the relationship is done, for a very positive reason, i.e., you’re about to meet your one, or you just learned an important lesson or cleared or balanced a chakra.

Our culture is very black or white. Our all or nothing mentality has created a divide where disharmony and disappointment are rampant. It’s not always “EVERYTHING” in order to be something important. The more intuitive we become, the more we see this all clearly.

There are forces that are bigger than us, with higher, greater, loving understanding that will try very hard to guide us on our paths—they protect us in the process. We have final decision, we have free will, we have choice, and we can always ignore them.

(I have ignored this many, many times throughout my life, and it leads me astray and down a darker alley.) But if you pay attention, then the knocks are lighter, and the lessons are easier—quite simply, the situations don’t have to be as complicated or as dire, i.e., cancer, alcohol or drug abuse, etc. Things don’t have to become that extreme if we listen to the early signs.

We are so lucky that in this nation, we really have the freedom to choose—we have so much more freedom than many other cultures. That said, we are still a nation stuck in an unhealthy relationship to things. (See second chakra, above.) This includes our intuition, as many of us completely ignore our gut and listen instead to voices that do not have our best interests in mind.

Can you see into the future, or just what is happening around us, in the present?

What I’ve seen in readings is that some things are already happening or forming to happen in the near future, while some things are still mutable or being decided by the person, and their relationship with the world. I.e., what job they’re going to take, or if they’re going to move. This is where free will and choice play a big role. It is undecided and can go many ways. When someone comes for a reading and this comes in, I help shed light on the most positive choices—the person is already thinking the same thing.

What happens when you see something terrible or catastrophic? How does that sit with you? How do you not spend your days warning people and interfering with their lives?

I pray. People aren’t going to like this, but I pray and send positive thought and the best outcome possible to all involved. There is a lot of power in that. We can change a lot of things by sending good energy to one another. It greatly decreases the chance of catastrophe.

We are all so deeply connected that the energy we think, breathe, and consume co-creates our world, our reality, and our existence at every moment.

So really, the best thing I can do is send positive light, prayer, and energy. It is quantum physics—it can create a physical shift. I see my role as heightening awareness—when difficult, universal things happen, I believe that many whom are listening to their intuition, and in touch with their guides, will experience the best outcome for themselves. This does not mean that everyone will be safe, but things will be as positive as they can be.

When things that are more specific to individuals are shown, the situation is similar. I’m not supposed to meddle. When heartbreaking occurrences show, like a miscarriage or the ending of a coveted relationship, I know that my role is to empower the person or persons to shift and move energy for the best outcome possible at the time. Respectfully so, it’s not my right or place to take the power away from them to create their own their experience and choose their own path. I’d be taking their lesson away. My role is to add centering and shed light and hopefully support and confidence.

Do you think death is a bad thing?

No, but let’s live our earthly life as long as we can, and be there for our loved ones as long as possible. And for ourselves. Life experience is a gift. I’ve witnessed many energies that wish that they were experiencing human life.

The act of being born means that the person beat out millions of sperm to be created in the first place. That makes us in first place upon birth. I would love to see our world be less competitive, and more compassionate. Life experience is a gift—we need to take care of it.

If someone is cheating, do you tell them?

Often, no. That said, positive steps always come in for the person to discover it for themselves—or empowerment to change or leave the relationship. I’ve learned that I cannot judge, nor can I gauge what is positive or negative information. Sometimes the cheating is what is necessary to empower someone to conclude a relationship that should have concluded earlier.

I’ve learned that I cannot judge, nor can I gauge what is positive or negative information. Sometimes cheating, for example, is what is necessary to empower someone to conclude a relationship that should have concluded earlier.

What about infertility? What reasons does it show?

It shows all different reasons. Sometimes it’s the food we’re eating, sometimes it’s the thoughts we’re thinking (i.e., I’m not capable of getting pregnant, I need intervention or help, etc.). Sometimes it’s because the person does not feel of worth or worthy of a child. Sometimes it can be because of the relationship either the husband or wife has with his or her own mother. The joy in the work I do is that it will usually show the reason, and how to remove the obstacle. The first reading I ever did professionally was for a friend who had one child. She had then gone on to have many miscarriages. It showed that all she was missing was folic acid. She didn’t believe me, as she had been taking a prenatal vitamin, but had a doctor’s appointment where she was getting a full lab done. The lab confirmed that all levels were normal. She called me, I looked into her aura, and told her that they hadn’t checked her folic acid. She called her doctor’s office and confirmed that they had not, in fact, checked her folic acid. She made another appointment. A few days later, she picked up a prescription bottle for a medicine she had been taking since her first child was born. She turned it over she saw a tiny disclaimer that it may block folic acid. She started taking the prenatal in the morning, and the medication at night and she became pregnant on her next cycle. It was something simple and under her nose the entire time—she would have just never thought to look. Once we learn more about our intuition, we can do this for ourselves. We’ll be given the information more quickly. Because she began to open her intuition, the answer came to her.

You keep mentioning quantum physics—what is that about?

I am actually a math brain, and I’ve always known that intuitive information is rooted in science and fact. Many believe that intuition is “woo woo” and vague and fake. This is not the case. And now, science is proving this through quantum physics.

What do you need in order to do a reading for someone? How do you access them?

I need their name. And the invitation to come in. Once the person makes the appointment, information starts streaming in, whether the appointment is a day, or months away. This has been my experience. The readings can be in person or over the phone. Sometimes bits of information come in while I am standing in line or at a party, but I do my best to close down my third eye when in large group situations.

How do people find a good intuitive?

Use your gut! It might be a little trial and error but if your intentions are clear and you stay aware of the signs, I believe you will be lead to your match. Word of mouth or going to a good yoga center or meditation site and asking around can help. In all honesty, it’s very important that you speak to someone who believes in the power of all people—who isn’t using their power for personal gain. You should get a feeling of health, vitality, and lightness as you move along your quest. As you are on your path, go to the new age/self help section of a bookstore and see what book sticks out for you, or falls off the shelf. Read the signs around going to that bookstore, or making an appointment to talk to a psychic or intuitive. What does the universe co-create for you? Is it easy to get there? Did you happen to find yourself outside of one? Were there impediments to getting there? Start reading the signs in your daily life, and you will be led to the right intuitive or the right piece of knowledge.

Remember it’s the journey that’s important, and intuitive beings come in all shapes and sizes. You could receive a piece of intuitive information from your mailman, from your hair stylist, or from your child’s teacher. All you have to do is be present.