The first three ways of intuition, Instinctive Intuition, Emotional Intuition, and Creative Intuition, are common. Phrases such as "my gut", "it 'felt' right", "a light bulb went off" are all indicative of an intuitive process. These non-rational words 'gut', 'felt', or 'light bulb' describe instinctive, emotional and creative intuition, respectively. You are probably familiar with one or more of these phrases and may have used them yourself. The seven steps arise from your innate spirit. A brief description, which is taken from my chapter in Intuition At Work, of each is:

1. Instinctive Intuition: Gut Knowledge

Our spirits are natural. Many times our instinctive to situations is correct. Peter Anderson, whose money management firm overseas $105 billion dollars, said, “I trust my more, not less. I’ve made good decisions and good money doing it for the past 27 years.”

2. Emotional Intuition: Feeling Knowledge Our spirits are sensitive.

Human sensitivity is powerful enough to send and receive information without normal sensory means. We've all heard stories of people knowing when a particular person is going to call them, knowing when a beloved is in danger or has died, or knowing serene victory before the final score is tallied. Strong emotions, such as future victory or sadness, radiate information. Traditionally, this type of intuition has been called psychic.

3. Creative Intuition: Innovative Knowledge Our spirits are creative.

Creative intuition produces innovation, genius or artistry in all walks of life. When something is creative, we are struck by its "spirit". Intuition's spirit inspires, creativity follows, and an innovation or beauty is born. Intuition is the silent partner of creativity.

4. Systems Intuition: Pattern Knowledge Our spirits are connective.

Systems intuition links us to each other and large scale patterns or trends. Individuals sensitive to these intuitive skills are attracted to marketing, public relations, investments and globalization. A key feature of systems intuition is the ability to experience intuition as "surround sound"--Intuition is embedded in patterns everywhere.

5. Visionary Intuition: Precognitive Knowledge Our spirits are visionary.

Visionary intuition is like a two-way mirror. We can look outward toward a vision of our desired future and sometimes our actual future looks back. We call these latter experiences precognitions. We see or know the future before it occurs. Our vision either guides the future reality or the future reality reveals a vision.

6. Collaborative Intuition: Unitive Knowledge Our spirits are unifying.

Native American tribes share a prayer whose meaning is the same in every Native language. The words said to begin and end every important event, meeting, and ceremony, mean "For all my relations." These words are based on the cultural and spiritual belief that all life is related. Nothing is done without honoring and assessing the impact of that fact. Although we are many, we are also One. Our actions effect each other deeply because spirit is always working to unify life not foster competition.

7. Universal Intuition: Beyond Knowledge Our spirits are universal.

The Lakota language, which emphasizes verbs rather than nouns, describes a sacred person as "going beyond knowledge he or she". The description emphasizes an evolving activity sharing a personal field rather than a person who has attained a state of being.