I am interested in assistance on a paper dealing with the subject of intuition. As a psychoanalyst-theologian I am impressed with the notion that the best definition of INISGHT is ‘A SUDDEN GLIMPSE OF THE OBVIOUS.’ It seems to be that this is an very accurate description of what occurs at the healing moment in psychoanalysis. Then, it appears to me that the exact same dynamic occurs at the moment of an individual’s sudden or crisis conversion to Christ. Before that specific moment the individual has all the required ‘head-knowledge.’ Then there is a light-bulb moment of illumination in which the knowledge is personalized and the death of Christ is seen as applying to himself as if there were no other person in the whole universe. From the psychoanalytic perspective this is an ‘energy’ based reaction, i.e. Freud’s psychic energy, which is the sine qua non of all relationships. In the theological arena the same process is also ascribed to ‘energy’, namely holy spirit energy. Many people who come alive in Christ do not do so on the basis of an understanding of the legal ramifications of justification and/or redemption but rather experientially by profound and new awareness of the love of Christ and a spirit energized intuitive comprehension of their ‘place-in-Him.’ Modern chemistry was launched with the intuitive apprehension of the structure of the benzene ring – in a dream! Sometimes reason is insufficient! “Reason your viceroy I, me should not defend, But is captive, and proves unweak or untrue.” (John Donne 1572-1631) “Nah is und schwer zu fassen der Gott” Holderline. “Near and difficult to grasp is God.” __________________________________________________________________________ When I encountered Jesus for the first time I appreciated my personal hopelessness and the majestic glory of God. As a result of this spirit stimulated intuitive illuminated epiphany, my only response could be worship. I have long been convinced that a plethora of glaubic assumptions regarding metaphysics and word-views have become so enmeshed in accepted scientific notions that they have become confused, have risen to the level of dogma, and that much of ‘science’ has become quasi-religious. The Purpose of Imagination Is not to devise what has no existence, but rather to perceive what really exists, not creation but insight.” Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. 1807-1882. Intuition is 1. A sensible and trans-empirical experience of reality, 2. Which results in knowledge, 3. Which comes from direct apprehension and apperception, 4. Rather than understanding, 5. Which is the result of logical cognitive application; 6. It is a focus on the ‘whole’ rather than on ‘divers parts’ 7. And which sees the holistic milieu, 8. In which such parts are embedded; 9. It is an expression of synthetic awareness, 10. Which concentrates on the whole, 11. In contrast to analytic awareness which focuses on ingredients. Experience has taught me that there are two aspects of knowing: 1. Initially there is an intuitive apperception of the whole; 2. Followed by a perception of the divers and separate parts. The importance of reason and all empirical procedures is to clarify and facilitate an original intuitive experience and to make it more intelligible. INTUITION is direct or immediate knowing without known conscious cognition. 1. It represents feeling and insight – the vision of the thinking man. It is expressed in poetry, painting, foresight, prophecy. 2. Reliance on intuition is older than reliance on intellect and reason. 3. Much philosophy is intuition – it provokes intellect, reason. 4. Faith is intuition. 5. Intuition goes beyond sense, extends sense perception beyond the sense object. 6. It holds that reality is beyond phenomena, as life is behind its forms. 7. It maintains that reality is attainable by intelligence. 8. Intuition is the beginning of knowledge and precedes perception and intellect; it completes knowledge. Intuition is the trans-empirical phenomenon which enables one to see what one cannot see!