Many people will discuss the gifts they possess, often referring to them as intuitive gifts rather than using the term psychic. There isn’t much difference between being an intuitive and a psychic. The thing is, many people have preconceived notions about the word “psychic,” such as crystal balls, fortune tellers, and other outlandish things. Of course, the word psychic does not mean that someone tells the fortune, but it is actually a Greek word that is defined as “of the soul.”
The truth is that psychics are people who guide you, and they are able to reach into the spiritual world, unlike other people. Intuition means “higher self communication,” and it is part of the soul, and that is why there isn’t much difference between the two.
Intuition, Psychic Gifts & Empaths and How They’re All Connected
Sometimes people get caught up in the labels: psychic, intuitive, empath. But what matters most is how the information flows through you and what you do with it.
You’ll often hear that psychics tend to receive messages through more “visual” or “audible” means. That’s clairvoyance, like seeing images, symbols, or scenes in the mind’s eye or clairaudience (hearing messages internally, almost like someone speaking softly just behind your ear). These abilities tend to be more dramatic, which is probably why the word psychic is often linked to showier forms of spiritual connection.
But when someone refers to themselves as intuitive, they’re usually leaning into quieter, more subtle ways of receiving information, like clairsentience (feeling things physically or emotionally) and claircognizance (just knowing something without explanation). These gifts might not be flashy, but they can be incredibly powerful and accurate.
Still, not everyone fits neatly into those definitions. Some people choose the word intuitive because it feels more grounded or accessible, especially when speaking to people who might be wary of the word psychic. I’ve even renamed classes for this reason, even though I don’t mind the word psychic when I’m with folks who understand the work.
Ultimately, whether someone identifies as an intuitive, psychic, sensitive, or empath, it’s about how we listen, tune in, and support others with the information we receive.
Empaths Are a Different Kind of Sensitive
Now, the term empath brings something else entirely to the table.
Unlike someone who just feels sympathy or emotional resonance, empaths actually feel into another person’s experience. It’s not just compassion, but it’s full-on energetic absorption. Some empaths can feel physical pain, emotional wounds, or even memories that don’t belong to them.
And it’s not always tied to time or space. An empath can pick up on something happening miles away or long after it happened and still feel the imprint of it in their own body.
A Mother’s Intuition Led Her to Her Daughter
A client once told me about a moment that changed everything for her.
Her daughter had just left for a road trip through the rural hills of the South Island, and shortly after, this woman was suddenly overcome with a wave of anxiety and dread. She wasn’t prone to panic attacks, and there was no obvious reason for her fear, but she couldn’t ignore it. It felt sharp. Urgent.
She tried calling her daughter, but the signal wouldn’t connect. Rather than sit in that panic, she grabbed her keys and took off in the same direction her daughter had gone. She didn’t have a plan. She wasn’t even sure what she was looking for. She just knew she had to move.
About half an hour into her drive, something in her gut told her to slow down. And that’s when she noticed a faint light glowing off the edge of a steep embankment. It was her daughter’s car, it had crashed and was half-concealed by brush, dangerously close to tipping over the edge.
Rescue was called, and thankfully, her daughter was shaken but physically unharmed. But what stayed with this woman most wasn’t the shock of the accident, but the knowing. The moment her own fear collided with her daughter’s, something deep inside of her pulled her toward the danger before she even knew it existed.
This is what emotional empathy can look like when it crosses over into psychic territory. It’s not just feelings for someone, but it’s feeling with them. Deeply. Instantly. Sometimes, without even understanding why, until later.
Psychic Empathy
A person who is a psychic empath is able to know what is going on in the lives of those around them. They are people who know when someone is happy or when someone is struggling. Emotional empaths are individuals who are highly sensitive and can easily pick up on emotions.
Final Thoughts
An empath is different from a psychic or an intuitive. Intuitives and psychics pick up information from the spiritual world, whereas an empath is someone who picks up the energies of others. Empathy is a form of clairsentience, but empaths feel things more intensely than others.
Some people prefer being referred to as sensitive instead of an empath, psychic, or intuitive because it has a less negative stigma than other words.
‘Mother’s intuition’ is real, folks! 🤱 This article highlights something so relatable for parents everywhere—our instincts can save lives! It’s comforting knowing that there’s something deeper guiding us in difficult times.
This post oversimplifies what being psychic or intuitive really means. Not everyone who claims to have these abilities truly understands them, and this can lead to misinformation. We need more critical thinking about such topics.
While I appreciate the exploration of intuitive gifts, labeling oneself as ‘psychic’ or ‘intuitive’ often invites skepticism. It’s crucial to maintain a balance between open-mindedness and critical analysis when discussing these topics.
‘Psychic empathy’? More like ’emotional overexposure’ if you ask me! Why would anyone want to feel what others feel? Sounds exhausting and frankly impractical for daily life!
Interesting read! I never thought about how being an empath differs from being psychic. It’s fascinating how our emotional connections can be so deep that we feel others’ pain. Makes me wonder if I might have some empathic traits myself.
‘Psychics are people who guide you?’ Really? That’s quite a claim! How do we know that they aren’t just making educated guesses? There are scientific methods to understand human behavior without resorting to metaphysical explanations.
‘Scientific methods’? Please! Sometimes you just know things without explanation, and that’s where intuition comes in. Not everything is measurable; some things are felt! 😏
‘Educated guesses’? That’s rich coming from someone who likely believes in science alone! If we can’t measure it, it must not exist? You’re missing out on a whole realm of human experience!
I absolutely love how this article demystifies the concepts of psychic abilities and intuition! 🌟 It’s refreshing to see a focus on the positive aspects of these gifts rather than the stereotypes. It resonates with my own experiences. Thank you for sharing!