Some people say that I am an argumentative person and I am going to prove them right by disagreeing with my own title. I believe that rational thinking and intuitive thinking are not in opposition with one another but have the potential, if nurtured, to compliment one another so that the picture becomes bigger and the understanding fuller and deeper.

The key words in that first paragraph are 'if nurtured'. I don't believe society as a whole values intuition and the insights it can bring. That is why I believe many struggle with the tarot when they start out learning, as not only are you learning how to listen to the cards but also how to use your intuition; in effect you are learning two skills at once and it becomes very frustrating at times. I gave up the tarot for about a year because I felt I wasn't getting anywhere. I have been using tarot regularly since 2004 when I picked it up again after having several dreams seeing my tarot cards. I decided the universe was trying to tell me something. I believe that a lot of people fall into the trap of believing that somehow that you are going to instantly succeed with the tarot, that as soon as you see the cards everything becomes clear and you learn the answers to the universe. In my experience, and others I have spoken to, you don't. I gave up because I was fed up of drawing a blank. Seeing just the picture and not the meaning. If I am being really honest I was one of those people who fell into the trap.

I don't know what other people expected when they started to use the tarot. I expected a big bang and the lights to come on and for me to suddenly gain a deeper understanding. Why did I have so unrealistic expectations? Reflecting on it I think it was because I didn't know how it was supposed to feel. A lot of us have gut instincts that we may have chosen to ignore because it contradicted rational thinking, but further along the line turns out to be correct. Why are we so mistrustful of this gut instinct or intuition?

A lot of it has to do with how a person is brought up by their family and/or conditioned by society. Children tend to be a lot more intuitive than adults. For example, they are more likely to sense a person in spirit than an adult. However, this maybe because in a child's formative years they can express their intuition more freely by being creative through art, music and other mediums by using their imagination. In fact, children are encouraged to express themselves in this way. As children grow older they are expected to adopt a more rational approach to the way they see the world via language and knowledge so that they begin to assimilate the behaviour of adults. I don't have a problem with this as a rational approach should be involved in a good decision making process, but I do have a problem with the emphasis that is placed on it at the expense of intuition.

A person is not encouraged to develop their intuition after they have left those formative years. Creativity for example, is not encouraged unless someone is talented in that area. I am not of course saying that adults are barred from creative endeavours but the way creativity is viewed is different. Instead of a way for them to express their intuition, they become hobbies; ways to pass the time, unless of course they can make money out of it.

Rational and intuitive thinking become two separate things. Intuition almost exclusively becomes for children only. Society impresses on people that an adult should only adopt a rational approach in their way of thinking. An notable exception is 'mothers intuition' but the cynical side of me believe that society allows this as it connects mothers to their children increasing the ties between them. Someone commented on a friend's journal recently with 'What is a rational woman like you doing believing in the tarot?' I may be paraphrasing, but only slightly. This comment reinforces the view that rationality and intuition don't mix which I don't believe is true. I maybe generalising here, but people who stand and say that they believe in the value of intuition are often characterised as flaky, needy or gullible. Which brings me full circle to last week's article.

Because we are not encouraged to use it intuitive thinking often becomes dormant. It isn't until we take up a creative hobby, start interpreting our dreams or using the tarot that we begin to hear the inner voice again. It also explains why it is hard to trust what it is telling us because it requires us to use skills that we have lost as we have become adults. When you use intuition effectively, it often tells you what you already knew, but were afraid to voice rationally. Sometimes though it offers you new paths that you can travel on, that were hidden from, or drowned out by the rational part of your brain.

Not only can intuition strengthen your rational mind but the rational approach can improve your intuition, but only if your intuition is no longer ignored and is actively listened to. Tarot cards often use a lot of symbolism, and by understanding what those symbols mean your intuition can become stronger.

If people were actively encouraged to develop their intuition throughout their life it would give them a deeper understanding of their lives and enable them to make better decisions? Surely, that can only be a good thing.