Understanding the Other Clair Senses
Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Claircognizance, Clairgustance and Clairalience
By Donna King – Spiritualist Medium & Mediumship Teacher
When we talk about mediumship, we often hear people discussing the different clair senses. We hear about clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience and claircognizance, but what do these terms actually mean?
More importantly, how do they work within our mediumship?
I think it is important that we understand these senses without becoming too focused on trying to develop one particular ability.
We must remember that our development is not about chasing experiences or trying to make something happen. It is about understanding our own power, becoming familiar with our natural awareness and allowing the communication to unfold.
In my teaching, I encourage students to explore all of their senses and to recognise that they can work together.
Let's look at what they mean.
Clairvoyance – Clear Seeing
Clairvoyance is often described as clear seeing.
Within mediumship, this may be experienced as pictures, images, colours, symbols or scenes appearing within your awareness.
You might become aware of a particular item of clothing, somebody's appearance, an object or even a place.
Sometimes an image may be very clear, almost like watching a picture or a scene unfold. At other times, it may be much more subtle, like a fleeting impression or a brief picture within your mind.
It is important not to assume that every picture has to be a literal representation of something.
An image may have a meaning that becomes clearer as the communication develops.
For example, you might become aware of a particular flower. Rather than immediately deciding what it means, allow yourself to remain with that impression. Other information may follow, helping you to understand why that image has come forward.
Don't rush to interpret everything.
Allow the picture to develop.
Clairaudience – Clear Hearing
Clairaudience is clear hearing.
This may begin as an awareness of words, sounds, names or phrases within your consciousness.
Some students describe it as an inner voice, while others experience sounds or words that seem to become increasingly distinct.
As your development progresses, this awareness may develop into what feels like a conversation with Spirit.
You might become aware of words being communicated, questions being answered or information coming forward in a way that feels conversational.
Again, we mustn't put pressure on ourselves to hear something in a particular way.
Not everybody experiences clairaudience in the same way.
The important thing is to become familiar with your own experience and to allow it to develop naturally.
Claircognizance – Clear Knowing
Claircognizance is clear knowing.
This is when you simply know something without necessarily understanding how you know it.
An impression or piece of information may come into your awareness, and there is an immediate sense of knowing.
You may suddenly know a person's personality, something about their life or a particular detail connected with the communication.
You haven't necessarily seen a picture or heard words.
You just know.
This can be a particularly interesting sense because students sometimes dismiss it.
They may think, "I don't know where that came from," or "I must have made that up."
But not every piece of information needs to arrive as a picture or a voice.
Sometimes knowing is simply how the information comes through.
Learn to recognise it.
Learn to trust the experience enough to allow it to develop, without immediately questioning or dismissing it.
Clairgustance – Clear Tasting
Clairgustance is clear tasting.
This is when you become aware of a taste within your mouth that may be associated with the communication.
For example, you might become aware of the taste of a particular food, drink or flavour.
It may be something that holds significance for the person in Spirit or relates to an experience in their life.
Perhaps you become aware of the taste of a particular sweet, a favourite meal or a drink.
As with all the clair senses, it is important not to jump to conclusions.
You may experience a taste, but the meaning of that taste is not necessarily immediately obvious.
Allow yourself to recognise the impression and pass it forward when appropriate.
Clairalience – Clear Smelling
Clairalience is clear smelling.
This is when you become aware of a particular smell or fragrance.
It could be perfume, flowers, tobacco, cooking, a particular aftershave or something else entirely.
Sometimes a smell can be strongly associated with somebody's personality, their home or a particular memory.
Imagine becoming aware of a familiar perfume.
Rather than simply deciding that the person wore perfume, allow yourself to remain with the impression.
Perhaps there is more information connected with it.
It may be something that the sitter recognises immediately, or it may be part of a much larger communication.
Again, don't force an explanation.
Allow the information to come forward naturally.
How Do These Senses Work Together?
One of the things I want students to understand is that we shouldn't look at the clair senses as separate little compartments.
They can work together.
You might begin with a feeling, then become aware of a picture. That picture may bring forward a word or phrase, followed by a sudden knowing.
One impression can open the door to another.
This is why I place so much importance on understanding clairsentience and learning to recognise our own feelings and impressions.
When we remain within our power, we give ourselves the opportunity to experience the communication without constantly trying to work it out.
We don't need to decide which clair sense should come next.
We don't need to demand a picture, a voice or a particular sensation.
We allow.
Don't Compare Your Development With Somebody Else's
One of the biggest mistakes students can make is comparing their experiences with those of other mediums.
Somebody might say they see Spirit very clearly, while another person describes hearing words or having an immediate knowing.
You may begin to wonder why you aren't experiencing the same thing.
But your development is your own.
You do not need to copy somebody else's experience.
You do not need to develop your senses in a particular order.
And you certainly don't need to believe that one sense is more important than another.
Learn to understand what happens within your own awareness.
Become familiar with your own power.
Give yourself the time and space to recognise how information comes forward.
The Importance of Allowing
Ultimately, the clair senses are ways in which we may experience information within mediumship.
But we mustn't become so focused on the names and descriptions that we forget the most important part of our development.
We are learning to recognise, trust and allow.
If you spend all your time wondering whether you are seeing, hearing, feeling or knowing, you can easily move into the thinking mind.
Instead, remain with your experience.
If you feel something, allow it.
If you see something, allow it.
If you hear something or simply know something, allow that too.
You don't have to make the experience fit a particular definition before you can recognise it.
Your development is not about forcing the clair senses to work. It is about understanding your own power and allowing your natural awareness to unfold.
Donna King
Spiritualist Medium & Mediumship Teacher
