Our intuition is always there, always reading the situation, always trying to steer us the right way. ~ Arianna Huffington

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I’ve known about my sixth-sense for some time. I first heard the term six-sensory from author and spiritual teacher, Sonia Choquette. Being a six-sensory means that you process your world with more than the conventional five senses (visual, auditory, touch, taste, smell).

Your sixth sense is your gut instinct. It’s natural, normal and everyone has it. The parental version of sixth sense awareness happens when children first venture away from parents: When you get there, if something doesn’t feel right I want you to call me or leave right away. Others talk about business relationships and opportunities: I just knew from the start that this was not a good person/idea, but I didn’t listen to my gut and I got burned. Think about the varied ways that your sixth sense has been involved in your life.

Now that we have established that you have a sixth sense, the question is: Do you listen to yours or have you ignored your inner voice?

Choquette believes that “your sixth sense should be your first sense”. Author Sophy Burnham (The Art of Intuition) says it’s the subtle knowing without ever having any idea why you know it. If you are ready to embrace your six-sensory self, there are ways to develop, and learn to hear, your inner voice / gut instinct / intuition: 

RECOGNITION – It is already communicating with you, but your mind’s chatter hides it. Busy minds and activities make intuition difficult to receive.

SOLITUDE AND CREATIVITY allow you the opportunity to reconnect with yourself, so strive to regularly build them into your schedule.

MINDFULNESS – Silent meditation is the most common, but you can be mindful during chores, exercise or any other activity. Focus your mind on each aspect or movement of the activity to quiet the chatter.

BREATHWORK – In your mind’s eye watch the movement of your chest and abdomen as it moves away from your spine on the inhale and then back inward on the exhale. This also helps to focus the mind and still your thoughts.

RECEPTION – You may ‘hear’ the message, see symbols or visual pictures, feel sensations or emotions in your body, or have a vague yet clear ‘knowing’. It may seem like a subtle whisper or a powerful download.

WRITE/DRAW – Relax your mind, close your eyes if you wish and write or type whatever comes to mind. You can similarly draw in a free association manner.

DREAMS – Dreams and intuition both come from the unconscious. If you remember your dreams, they can become a source of information. Begin each night with a request for information about a specific question. When you awaken, write in your journal everything that you can recall about that dream as well as your questions and recent life events. Review your journal regularly looking for symbols and patterns.

DISTINGUISH the difference between mind chatter and your inner voice. As you practice you will likely notice that your inner voice speaks clearly, concisely, gently and without judgment. These are not the typical descriptions of your inner chatter.

MAKING A DECISION? Imagine a path or a doorway for each of the choices that you face. As you approach each: feel for density, heaviness, thickness; observe the visual cues of light, dark, color, sparkles; look for excitement, dread, fear, approachability, resistance, expansion.

PRACTICE will allow you to trust your inner voice/instinct/intuition. Begin with small questions that don’t feel life altering, such as, which route should I travel to my destination today?

EMPATHY – Your empathic abilities are a gift. You don’t require the fullest amount of input to have the knowledge. Instead, modulate the amount of information that comes in to you. Use intention as well as the techniques described in Energy Cleansing.

TRUST your intuition and allow it to become a more significant part of your daily life!

Living life as a six-sensory is beneficial because all of your senses are more attuned to give you the fullest information. This allows you to see the many options that are available, to know when to proceed and when to withdraw, in relationships and professionally, and to ultimately recognize and live your life’s purpose.

When you are connected to your inner wisdom you can experience a deep, strong connection to your true Self. This provides a calm and confident power, fewer emotional triggers and less anxiety or depression. Living a six-sensory life is a profoundly empowering experience.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

As a spiritual being having a human experience, it’s important to care for all aspects of your being.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

You are more than a physical structure. There is energy in and around your body. Clinicians who study acupuncture follow the energy along meridians to look for blockages or sluggish movement. Correcting these can improve health, pain and mood. Also within the physical body are chakras – energy centers. Each chakra corresponds to specific physical structures of the body as well as to emotional and psychological processes; and is also linked to a symbol, name, musical tone and color. There are seven major chakras: the root chakra at the base of your torso, abdominal, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye at the center of the forehead, and the crown chakra at the top of your head.

Those who are hyperaware of the traditional five senses as well as the sixth sense of intuition, empathy and energy are considered Highly Sensitive People. If you are a Sensitive, other peoples’ energy fields as well as the electro-magnetic fields of your environment likely affect you. When all of this inundates your energy fields, it can lead to emotional distress, physical tension and even illness. There are a number of practices that you can use to clear or balance your energy:

FOR THE SELF

DURING A SHOWER use the water to wash away all uncomfortable emotions and tensions from the day. Have it all flow down the drain.

IN A RELAXED STATE, IMAGINE A SPONGE passing from head to toe on all sides of your body. As the sponge moves down, it removes the excess tension, emotions, energy, and any challenges that had accumulated throughout your day.

PLACE A BUBBLE of pink or white light around your body to keep “other” separate from “self”. You may visualize any color, a balloon, ball or even a force field around yourself.

CHAKRA BALANCE: In meditation, bring your attention to each chakra beginning at the root. Use your own intuition to balance the hue, density and size. Strive to bring balance to each. (You can find CDs or individuals to facilitate this process.)

HUM THE MUSICAL SCALES to balance the chakras via vibration. It isn’t necessary to know which note corresponds to each chakra. Deeply hum the scales and feel the vibrations within your body.

RELEASE OLD TRAPPED EMOTIONS that congest the energy. You don’t need to remember, you just need to release. This can be done through exercise, movement to music, massages and bodywork.

SEA SALT baths: a 10-minute soak helps to remove any released energies or toxins.

DRINK WATER to help the body move energy and toxins.

ENERGY MODULATION: If you are an intuitive or empath, you can feel others’ energies and emotions within yourself. It is important to learn how to regulate the input. First try to identify where you sense this energy entering. Most clients tell me that it enters at the abdominal or heart level. Find an image that allows you to have a “selectively permeable membrane” at that location. Consider visualizing the blowhole of a whale or dolphin, the weave of a fabric, screen or grid, or the adjustment of a color’s hue. I have had a computer expert describe it as a firewall. Others see it as a swirl that needs to slow or quicken. What’s important is that you select a method that resonates with you and practice shrinking and enlarging your portal while in a relaxed state. Then, set your intention when entering a challenging environment or when feeling overwhelmed, to shrink the size of your portal.

FOR THE HOME OR SCHOOL

You can additionally assist yourself and others by decreasing the amount of excess energy in your surroundings. The individual is then better able to neutralize his or her own vibratory fields.

SMUDGING is used to move the accumulated energy in one’s environment. Dried sage, cedar or sweetgrass is lit, extinguished, and the smoke is moved through the rooms, especially in corners. Please be cautious with the fire and note if anyone is sensitive to fragrances.

TUNING FORKS work in the same manner as smudging, but the tone that is emitted moves the energy.

COLLECTING AND REMOVING EMOTIONAL ENERGY: Ground yourself, use your intention, and invite the excess energies of the room or home to a location that is not immediately near you. Depending on what resonates with you, direct these energies to depart through the ceiling, a window, or to the ground. This is especially helpful when someone is triggered by anger, fear or agitation of others in the space.

Your energy fields are affected by many factors. I encourage a regular practice of cleansing to influence the ease vs. dis-ease of your life.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

Are you, or is your loved one, a Six-Sensory?

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Sensitives come in all ages, sizes, races and faiths. They can look like everyone else, and yet stand out by being empathic, compassionate, creative people. Sometimes they are at peace with these gifts, but for others it creates inner turmoil and can lead to minor or significant difficulties.

To additionally complicate the situation, some Sensitives have anxieties and/or ADHD and may even be on the Autism Spectrum. They often love nature and animals. They tend to seem older than their years, or may be characterized as ‘old souls’. They are often right-brain thinkers who are creative and artistic. They are deep thinkers and tend to be bright. In school or the workplace, they may be unsuccessful or seem unmotivated because of the mismatch between their learning style and the system.

Sensitives may be argumentative and headstrong. They are frustrated with our society because they came into the world knowing how things should be in our institutions, systems and relationships. Yet as children they don’t have the power to create this change. Their ability to comprehend their world may be great, but their ability to cope with this awareness is compromised because they have neither the life experience nor the emotional maturation to handle what they know.

Sensitives may feel misplaced and alone. They frequently verbalize their dislike for (or discomfort with) their school, peers, and/or community. Their belief is that few individuals truly understand them and think as they do. Their feelings of personal isolation and different-ness can lead to anxiety and depression, then be exacerbated by the “negative emotions” they absorb while in the presence of others.

Sensitives are often referred to as Six-Sensory Beings because of their heightened awareness of the six senses, sometimes in varying amounts:

• Touch: The individual complains about irritating fabric, embroidery, tags or the sensation of water on the skin. Some are uncomfortable being touched by others.
• Hearing: This individual hears everything (other than directions to clean their room or put out the garbage). Certain tones can be distracting or even distressing. I had a student who was bothered by the classroom TV’s high-pitched sound. In a noisy classroom or environment the individual can have difficulty distinguishing a specific voice in the midst of others, or might feel the need to tune everything out. 
• Taste: Flavors or textures can limit the types of foods eaten.
• Smell: Sensitivity to chemicals or fragrances.
• Seeing: These individuals will take in their entire visual surroundings and notice all the details.
• Sixth sense: Intuition and the awareness of others’ energies and emotions. Sensitives don’t necessarily realize that they are sensing the emotions of others. In fact, their anxiety, anger or sadness might be coming from people in their surroundings.

Understanding the Sensitives in your life allows you to avoid focusing on what seemed to be undesirable traits and provides the opportunity for empathy and acceptance for yourself and others. Here are ways to support these individuals:

• Teach them that being different is not bad.
• Allow them to verbalize their experiences.
• Keep your own energy and emotions calm when communicating, especially when offering criticism or suggestions.
• Focus on their gifts: compassion, empathy, creativity, intelligence, rather than any challenging behaviors.
• Help them realize that they may be affected by the moods of family, peers or even people that they don’t know who are nearby.
• Provide structure and familiar routines.
• Encourage breath-work and relaxation.
• Teach grounding techniques for anxiety, agitation or hyperactivity: Sit or stand with your feet on the ground. Imagine the trunk (torso) of your body is the trunk of the tree. Feel the strength of the tree move down through your legs and feet (the roots), anchoring you into earth.
• Use your own energetic skills to clear the negative energies from physical spaces (more about this in a future article).
• Find a mentor or counselor who understands Sensitives’ six-sensory experiences and who can teach them how to set verbal, physical and energetic boundaries and to recognize their inherent gifts.
• Continue to educate yourself about Highly Sensitive People, Indigo Children and Crystal Children.

I believe Sensitives will help us to create a peaceful world that promotes and maintains ecological and social responsibility. We who are Sensitives and we who understand Sensitives have an extraordinary opportunity to parent and mentor these Six-Sensories to achieve their destiny. I hold the Sensitives in my life (and yours) in love and light. May we all know and attain our highest purpose. 

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

“I don’t like this shirt; it picks me.”
“I don’t want to wear socks.”
“That is tooooo loud.”
“I won’t eat THAT.”

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

These comments can be humorous or exasperating, but I no longer view them as the problem behavior of a picky child. These children are sensitive. And while many of these sensitive children acquire labels – anxious, ADHD, Aspergers, or autistic – these are only labels. I don’t believe your child has a problem, though at times the behaviors can be challenging.

If you are wondering if your child’s behaviors are indicators of being highly sensitive and want to understand your child better, you can examine the five senses.

Touch: This is the most common. Children complain about scratchy fabric, embroidery that irritates the skin, shoes and socks, or the sensation of water on the skin. Some children find the touch of another person to be uncomfortable or intolerable. When this is the case, use a firmer touch. Occupational therapists might prescribe skin brushing and weighted vests for extreme cases.

Hearing: This child hears everything (other than directions to clean their room or put out the garbage). Certain tones can be distracting or distressing. I had a student who couldn’t concentrate in a classroom because of a loud fan. Another student was distracted when the TV in the classroom was on. Though the picture was off, it emitted a high-pitched sound. The student heard this above the other classroom sounds. Oh, and that noisy classroom? A sensitive child can have difficulty distinguishing a specific sound in the midst of others, and may even tune everything out.

Taste: There are some children who only eat certain foods. Many are choosy about the flavor, consistency or texture of the food.

Smell: This is the least known. But if you ask your sensitive child questions they will acknowledge smelling things that others don’t, or being irritated by certain smells.

Seeing: The highly sensitive child tends to see everything. They notice the smallest details and feel compelled to take it all in. Once they are familiar with a room they are less distracted by the visual stimulation.

There is also the sixth sense. It tends to be the most overlooked. This is the awareness of others’ emotions and moods and helps us to be empathic and intuitive. The sensitive child doesn’t realize that they are sensing the emotions of others. Teach your child to realize that the anxiety, anger or sadness that they feel might be coming from the people around them. Help your child understand this concept and teach them to then ask, “Is this mine?” to help them identify if it is their own emotion.

It is important to realize that being highly sensitive is not just experienced by children. Many adults also have these traits. As the parent of a highly sensitive child, it is likely that you also have some of these characteristics (though probably not as intense or as many). You have a wonderful opportunity to educate your child and to model acceptance and ease.

There are many things that you can do to help your sensitive child:

• Educate yourself about your own sensitive nature.
• Don’t focus on your child’s challenging behaviors.
• Provide structure and familiar routines.
• Keep your own energy and emotions calm when communicating with your child (especially when giving corrections).
• Recognize your child’s compassion, empathy, creativity, and intelligence.
• Accept your child and appreciate his/her gifts.
• Explain to your child that these gifts help us to become a society of loving, compassionate, accepting people.
• Help your child to realize that they may be affected by the moods of others: family members, students in class, people in malls, etc.
• Understand that this experience can be overwhelming for your child.
• Learn more by reading about Highly Sensitive People, Indigo Children and Crystal Children.
• Find a mentor or counselor who understands sensitive children so that your child can learn how to minimize the sensitivities, deal with the experiences and recognize their inherent gifts with ease.

Being a sensitive is a challenge as well as a beautiful gift. You can help your child to be the full expression of who they really are!

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

Published in Metro You Magazine, May 2011