Exploring the Clair Senses and Types of Clairvoyance

“Clair senses” refers to heightened forms of extrasensory abilities, often referred to as intuition. Derived from the French word clair meaning “clear,” these abilities go beyond the five physical senses, offering insight into unseen dimensions of energy, emotions, and information. While clairvoyance is one of the most well-known of the clair senses, it is only one aspect of a broader spectrum of intuitive gifts. Each clair sense operates differently, allowing individuals to perceive the world through non-physical channels.

As you may have noticed, I am passionate about helping my clients connect with their intuition and body wisdom, in order to offer them a greater sense of inner peace and confidence. I believe it is important to honour this in every person, and as a parent, to honour this in our children who are keenly attuned to this world. Unfortunately in our society we give greater credit to logic over feeling, which in turn can disconnect us from this incredible gift, and even leave us prone to unsafe or unhealthy situations, anxiety, depression and more. I explore this in other posts, like ‘Sensing vs. Intuition’ if you want to learn more. 

In this post, we'll dive deep into the various clair senses and explore the different types of clairvoyance, giving you a clear understanding of how these abilities manifest and how they may show up in your life.

What Are the Clair Senses?

The clair senses represent the various ways individuals receive intuitive information:

1. Clairvoyance (Clear Seeing)

2. Clairaudience (Clear Hearing)

3. Clairsentience (Clear Feeling)

4. Clairempathy (Clear Empathy)

5. Claircognizance (Clear Knowing)

6. Clairalience (Clear Smelling)

7. Clairgustance (Clear Tasting)

8. Clairtangency (Clear Touching) 

Each of these clair senses offers a unique pathway to receiving information beyond the physical senses, making them invaluable tools for spiritual development, intuitive practices, and psychic work. Just like we each have a preference for our learning types; auditory, visual, kinesthetic, or a blend, we also tend to lean towards one or two of the clair senses mentioned above. 

So what clair sense gifts do you connect with? And how can you draw upon this to further develop your intuitive capabilities?

Clairvoyance: Clear Seeing

Clairvoyance is perhaps the most famous of the clair senses. It involves receiving visual information in the form of images, symbols, colors, or visions that may appear in the mind's eye, often referred to as the third eye or inner vision. Clairvoyants often receive insights about the past, present, or future through these visual impressions.

For example, a clairvoyant might "see" an image of a flower when reading someone’s energy, symbolizing growth or transformation. Others might have detailed visions of places, people, or events that they’ve never physically encountered. These visions can be spontaneous or activated during meditation, dreams, or specific psychic practices.

Types of Clairvoyance

There are several ways that clairvoyance can manifest, each providing a unique window into the unseen world. Here are the most common types:

1. Precognition (Seeing the Future)

Precognition involves seeing events that have not yet happened. Those with this ability might have flashes or visions of future occurrences, sometimes in the form of dreams, symbols, or brief glimpses of the future. Precognitive clairvoyants may experience these insights spontaneously or actively seek them through meditation and other intuitive practices.

2. Retro-Cognition (Seeing the Past)

Retro-cognition refers to the ability to see or perceive events from the past that one did not personally witness. This type of clairvoyance might occur when visiting an old building and suddenly “seeing” or sensing a past event that took place there. Retro-cognitive clairvoyants often tap into historical energies or memories lingering in locations, objects, or even within other people.

3. Remote Viewing (Seeing the Present at a Distance)

Remote viewing involves the ability to "see" places, people, or events happening in the present but at a distance. This type of clairvoyance can help individuals perceive what is happening in another location without physically being there. For instance, someone practicing remote viewing might be able to describe the layout of a room they have never been in or detail events occurring miles away.

4. Dream Clairvoyance

Some clairvoyants receive visual information through dreams, often referred to as dream clairvoyance. In these cases, the clairvoyant’s dreams carry symbolic or direct messages about the future, the past, or current spiritual matters. Dreams often serve as a gateway for individuals to access clairvoyant visions, especially for those who are not yet conscious of their abilities while awake.

5. Aura Reading

Clairvoyants often develop the ability to see auras, the energy fields surrounding living beings. Each aura reflects a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual state. A clairvoyant might perceive colors, light, or patterns within someone’s aura that provide insight into their health, emotions, or overall energy.

Clairaudience: Clear Hearing

Clairaudience is the ability to hear sounds, voices, or messages that are beyond the normal range of hearing. These messages can come in the form of internal thoughts, auditory whispers, or even external sounds that others cannot hear. Clairaudients may hear the guidance of their spirit guides, angels, or even the voices of loved ones who have passed away. This ability can also manifest as hearing subtle energies or vibrations from different planes of existence. 

People with clairaudience often report that the messages they hear come through as subtle but distinct, sometimes like hearing a voice in their mind or heart.

Clairsentience: Clear Feeling

Clairsentience refers to the ability to sense or feel the emotions, energy, or physical sensations of others. They might feel a chill when entering a room with a negative energy or warmth when encountering a positive energy, or even sense the energetic imprint left behind on items or in certain environments. This is a gift mothers possess, and in fact our brains change in pregnancy to begin to develop this deeper awareness so that we can better understand and support our children. 

Clairsentients often use this gift to help others understand their emotions or identify unspoken feelings. For example, I often feel others energy trapped in their throats when they are afraid to say something. 

Clairempathy: Clear Empathy

Clairempathy similar to clairsentient, but goes beyond what is physically present. It is the ability to sense or know what another is feeling at a profound level. This is easily confused with being highly empathetic, and those who are often also pick up on others, but this gift can be developed so that we can know what another is experiencing in the moment, near or far, or in their past or likely will in their future, without it deeply affecting the person picking up on the emotion. This can also be sensed for those who have passed. 

For example, and this is where energetic boundaries become incredibly important, sometimes someone and their current emotional state will come to me, regardless of where they are in the world. 

Claircognizance: Clear Knowing

Claircognizance is an intuitive sense of clear knowing. People with this ability often just “know” things without having any concrete evidence or reason for it. This knowing can come suddenly, offering answers or insights that seem to appear out of nowhere. Claircognizants typically have strong gut instincts and can quickly recognize the truth in a situation, even when others might be unaware.

This gift is often more subtle than the other clair senses, as the knowledge feels innate rather than something that is seen, heard, or felt. Claircognizants may have a deep sense of certainty about people, places, or situations and often rely on this ability to guide their decisions.

Clairalience: Clear Smelling

Clairalience, also known as clear smelling, involves receiving intuitive information through the sense of smell. Those with clairalience might smell fragrances, scents, or aromas that have no physical source but hold significant meaning. For instance, someone might smell their grandmother’s perfume long after she has passed, signaling her presence. Interestingly, I have met several men who have this gift. 

This ability can be particularly helpful in mediumship, where loved ones who have passed may use familiar smells to communicate their presence or send messages to the living.

Clairgustance: Clear Tasting

Clairgustance, or clear tasting, is the ability to taste something that is not physically present. Those with this ability might experience a sudden taste in their mouth that provides intuitive insight. For example, a clairgustant might taste a certain food that reminds them of a specific person or time, delivering an important message.

Like clairalience, clairgustance is often used in mediumship to provide validation of a loved one’s presence through familiar tastes or flavors.

Clairtangency: Clear Touching

Clairtangency, or psychometry, is the ability to receive intuitive information through touch. People with this gift can often hold an object and pick up on its history, the emotions connected to it, or the energy of the person who owned it. This is a powerful tool for understanding the past or connecting with the energy imprinted on objects or places.

This is one I rely on in my Craniosacral practice, as do many who are drawn to body therapies.

Developing Your Clair Senses

Developing clair senses takes time, practice, and patience. Each person has the potential to connect with these abilities, though certain senses may be stronger than others depending on individual strengths and openness. Meditation, grounding practices, and energy work are all ways to strengthen your connection to the clair senses. 

1. Clairvoyance (Clear Seeing): Offer yourself space to be visually creative, without any predetermined outcome. What shows up for you? 

2. Clairaudience (Clear Hearing): During meditation, ask higher self, a Guide, or someone close to you who has passed a question. See what comes up!

3. Clairsentience (Clear Feeling): Practice becoming aware of the sensations in your body. Are they yours or are you picking up on another? 

4. Clairempathy (Clear Empathy): Notice your energetic boundaries - what is your energy versus and other’s. If this is not clear for you, it can be very energetically draining. 

5. Claircognizance (Clear Knowing): When you experience clear insights, take a moment to pause and sit with it. Why is it showing up? 

6. Clairalience (Clear Smelling): Practice going into different spaces and taking in the environment. What do you notice? 

7. Clairgustance (Clear Tasting): Notice the tastes you experience and when there are unusual ones for the moment, ask what they are here to share with you. 

8. Clairtangency (Clear Touching): Crystals are a beautiful way to practice this, and something children greatly enjoy! Hold and meditate with different ones and see what comes up for you. 

Personally I rely on clairaudient, claircognizant, clairsentient, clairempathy, and clairtangency. So you can see there is a bit of a mix here. Journaling your experiences, practicing mindfulness, and paying attention to subtle signs or shifts in your energy can help you identify which clair sense resonates most with you. Over time, these abilities can become powerful tools for navigating life and connecting with the unseen world.

Practicing Healthy Energetic Boundaries 

I would be remiss if I did not speak to this. Energetic boundaries are incredibly important to be aware of, and something I enjoy exploring with children in age appropriate ways. As a highly sensitive person, I remember how overwhelming this was at times. Explore what is yours versus someone else’s. Have a healthy grounding or earthing practice, and an energetic boundary practice.

This is something to practice every single day when you wake up, falling asleep, and periodically throughout the day. In doing so, we feel less overwhelmed and strengthen our practice to recognize our own energy versus others, and our ability to clear other’s energy.

Equally important is to never cross another’s energetic boundary. If someone comes to me for energy work, they have given me permission to work with what they choose to bring up but that is as far as I go. Remember, this is a very special gift and like all gifts, we treat them with respect. 

Want to Learn More?

• Highly Sensitive Soul: This course supports highly sensitive souls in overcoming their challenges and connecting to their strengths, with a special section on supporting children.

• Crisis or Awakening: If you have experienced a crisis or an awakening, you have likely noticed your senses became heightened. This course is designed to help you move from crisis and integrate awakening experiences, for sustainable wellbeing.

• Heart Centred Parenting: Are you a parent to a highly sensitive or neurodiverse soul? This course offers you more than you imagined to support yourself and your family on this incredible, and at times challenging journey.

All gloWithin courses are on-demand (you can enjoy at your leisure), offer community support, and are yours for life! You are also able to access further 1:1 support if you like.