Developing Intuition

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 2 OCT. 2000

When Creative Visualization (Gawain's first book, now a New Age classic) was published more than two decades ago, no one had heard of Deepak Chopra, and seminars on creativity and intuition did not exist in the business world. Now that many of her pioneering ideas and practices have found a place in mainstream American culture, Gawain offers this collection of simple exercises for accessing and employing "a universal, intelligent life force that exists within everyone and everything" through daily meditation. Such practice, she claims, can singlehandedly "point us in the direction we need to go at any given moment," "keep us safe" and "connect us to the soul level of our existence." Unlike instinct, which, Gawain says, protects survival and procreation, intuition promotes "growth, development, self-expression, and higher purpose." She recommends balancing intellect, instinct and intuition, rather than relying too heavily on any one of them. As always, Gawain's conversational prose is clear and uncomplicated, her mood easy and low-key; and, by now, her concepts are acceptably mainstream. She shows her readers how to distinguish the "voice" of intuition, trust it, interpret its messages and receive insight on questions and problems involving work, money, health and emotional issues. This slim volume is a faster, easier read than Judith Orloff's Guide to Intuitive Healing (Forecasts, January 24) and has the potential to win Gawain back some readers in this crowded self-help subcategory.