Discover Your Psychic Type: Developing and Using Your Natural Intuition

by Sherrie Dillard

Intuition and spiritual growth are inherently linked, according to professional psychic and therapist Sherrie Dillard. This groundbreaking guide offers a personalized approach to spiritual development, introducing four different psychic types and revealing how to develop the unique talents of each. Designed for both beginning intuitives and advanced psychics, this book presents a simple, step-by-step Throughout the book, Dillard shares remarkable stories from her professional practice to illustrate the incredible power of intuition and its connection to the spirit world, inner wisdom, and your higher self.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, New Age, Metaphysics, Occult, Paranormal, Reference

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2008

About the author

Psychic since childhood, Sherrie has been a professional psychic, medium and teacher for over twenty-five years.

Drawing from years of empowering others to develop their intuitive ability, Sherrie wrote her first book the best-selling Discover Your Psychic Type, (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2008 to help others better understand and identify their innate intuition. Business Reed Information said of the book: “Lifelong psychic Dillard (intuition development, Duke Univ.) offers up a genuinely satisfying work on developing psychic abilities well beyond the typical if-I-can-do-it, you-can-too!”

Her book Love and Intuition, (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2010) explores how to develop intuition in one of the most spiritual aspects of life: love and relationships. Of the book, SingleWomenRule.com wrote: "The book that can turn your love life around,” and Suite 101 wrote, "This book is a keeper!"

Her newly released book is The Miracle Workers Handbook: Seven Levels of Power and Manifestation of the Virgin Mary. This book revels the seven energy phases of Mary's life -a blueprint for living each day as a magical adventure of synchronicities, intuitive insights, sacred encounters, divine intervention and miracles.

Sherrie's writing has also appeared in national magazines such as Glamour, New Age Journal, Belief.net and on the Yahoo! home page. She has been featured on radio and television for her innovative books and her work as a psychic detective and medium. Along with musician Kenni Hairston, Sherrie has recorded three popular CD meditations and visualizations.

With a lifelong devotion and dedication to be of service, Sherrie has worked with diverse populations in unique settings. Along with her work as a professional intuitive she has helped to house and feed the poor and homeless in New York City, and in San Jose and San Francisco, CA. She has built simple water systems in Indian villages in the mountains of southern Mexico and Guatemala and created art therapy programs in treatment centers for troubled youth in North Carolina and Georgia.

Sherrie's love of service combined with her intuitive ability has catapulted her intuitive practice around the globe. She has given over 50,000 readings worldwide.

Sherrie holds a B.S. in Psychology and an M.Div. in New Thought pastoral counseling. She has taught intuition development classes at Duke University, Miraval Resort and in Europe, Costa Rica and Mexico. Her passion for the fusion of intuition, spirituality and conscious self-growth has made her a popular speaker and teacher at retreats and conferences both nationally and internationally.

Originally from Massachusetts, Sherrie has made Durham, North Carolina her home for the past eighteen years and can often be found walking along the river with her two dogs, Busta and Holland. Her daughter, Mariah, a high school English teacher, and a granddaughter also live in North Carolina. Her son, Aiden, a film maker, lives in Miami, Florida.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read. It is a great introduction to psychic energy and full of exercises to develop your intuition. It helped me understand what was going on in my brain and really opened my eyes to how psychic energies work.

[Jacquline Ard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I finally bought a printed version of this book. I actually read it several years ago, and while I considered it interesting then, I find it far more useful now. I was finally ready for the information in the book.

You see, I'm going through one of those moments in life (again) where I'm questioning a lot of my decisions and beliefs.

Right away, I guessed I was an emotional intuitive, but I figured I would be either a spiritual or mental intuitive after that. Well, according to the test, and after reading the entire book, I realized I am equally an emotional and physical intuitive.

Still, I would think that am predominantly an emotional intuitive.

"The emotional intuitive feels energy, and is a natural empath who may experience emotional clairvoyance - experiencing a spontaneous image or impression that is emotionally charged, perhaps with fear, stress, grief, or bliss. Emotional intuitives may also be emotionally telepathic, receiving unprompted powerful emotions that seem to come from nowhere.

The mental intuitive knows, thinks, and sees systems and patterns. Mental intuitives do well with mental telepathy and clairvoyance, the ability to see or intuit an actual image, object, or event.

The physical intuitive interprets psychic energy through bodily impressions or through physical objects, and may excel at psychometry. Psychometry is the ability to hold an object, or view a photograph and receive unknown information about the object or its owner through images, impressions, or physical sensations.

The spiritual intuitive may have visions, see images, and sense the presence of spirits, ghosts, and loved ones dwelling in spirit. They are the type most likely to receive messages from nonphysical beings."

I am vulnerable and sensitive. I do desire transcendental love, connection, passion, and service to others. I've always been on a quest for a purpose-driven life, the perfect union with God, and my twin flame. I probably should constantly tell myself not to define myself by my feelings, to interpret emotional energy objectively, to love without attachment, and to feel every egotistical feeling before finally letting them go.

That's an emotional intuitive.

I am connected and devoted to healing the earth, nature, and its creatures. I have been attracted to nature witchcraft in the past. It's as if I can communicate with nature. Animals and plants are kind of my thing. It's difficult for me to imagine how I can become a channel for the creator (spirit to flesh), but I can see the importance of self-awareness and living a life that is filled with beauty, simplicity, and purity (if possible).

That's a physical intuitive.

I realize that I need to embody or promote the mental intuitive side of me in order to deal with my dominant emotional intuition. I'm not sure how I am supposed to figure out the divine wisdom of God. The advice for a mental intuitive was to feel love rather than think love, so it must be the opposite for me. I guess I need to increase my intake of mental energy or divine truth.

If anything, I do need the spiritual intuitive's transcendence and ability to be in the present moment.

In a way, it makes sense to be emotional and physical since they both involve feeling - emotional pain and joy vs. physical pain and joy, for example.

The mental and spiritual intuitives seem more connected to thoughts or images.

It's no wonder that sex is such an intense experience for me, especially when I let go and connect both the emotional and physical powers inside of me, and I absorb my partner's own emotions and feelings in the process. That's part of the reason why I could never be promiscuous since it would be painful for my psyche or soul to handle so much.

At least, that finally makes sense.

I may be able to harness that energy combination and use it for other creative pursuits.

There is a lot that I read which clarified what I've felt over the last few years, but I just couldn't put it into words because I couldn't connect my different beliefs. It helps that the author had Christian origins because she adds that theist taste to this pot of "alternative" views.

Oneness with all energy (the creator and other souls) is brought up a lot. It seems that the point is to be able to use all forms of intuition as much as possible rather than having a dominant intuition which makes sense. Everyone has at least one intuition that they use on a regular basis. I perfectly understand how repression of any form of energy or intuition could lead to psychological projection.

I like the idea that God or the Light is "a vibration of pure electromagnetic energy." That's what I've believed for so long, but I guess I couldn't find a way to explain it to others. I feel this energy, at times, when I make the effort or I have one of those tiny moments of enlightenment.

"The Light is a vibration that elevates our consciousness to a higher awareness of love and truth."

"...to love others we have to be able to let go of our expectations of who or what we think they should be...be able to release another to their choices and decisions."

I know I am in control of what kind of vibrations, vibes, or energy I attract. It's been a difficult journey dealing with my ego and flawed sense of self which has a tendency to attract negativity and awkward biases. I am tired of attracting certain people and experiences due to denying my shadow aspects. I can see how my vulnerability, sensitivity, and fears continue to repeat unhealthy patterns.

Then again, sensitivity and vulnerability can be useful for fostering change.

I've always been very introverted, and I wonder if it doesn't have anything to do with high emotional and physical intuitions causing me to avoid soaking up those feelings and sensations from my environment. I have suffered from headaches, nausea, anxiety, stomach cramping, and bloating most of my life. People are overwhelming.

The author brought up the shadow and duality, of which I have been attempting to dissect in myself as of lately, and I do wonder what exactly has been keeping me from intuiting properly or to create my own life from within myself. It's true that I don't know who I am because I haven't figured out who I am not - well, I'm getting better at it, but I need to experience more of the world.

People like me, with my kind of shadow, find themselves looking for an identity yet feeling constantly lost.

Hence, I come upon books like this.

See, I believe in emotional vampirism (spiritual, as well), and I figured that negative thoughts turn into negative energy that circulates. I am sure there are beings out there that are living among us very willing to damage our so-called aura or energy field. I believe I have attracted many of these throughout my life.

I am certain that the environment, especially people, causes the energy of any kind to be transmitted and absorbed. I think that's why a parent with an ax to grind will pass that belief and emotion onto the next generation.

As for the idea of spirit guides and using them, I'm not sure I can go along with that. It makes me uncomfortable especially since they can manipulate electrical currents and energy vibration.

I think I understand the core, though:

Emotional intuitives are supposed to go from co-dependent love to unconditional love (divine love and oneness). Mental intuitives are supposed to go from narrow-mindedness to openness (divine knowledge and oneness).

Physical intuitives are supposed to go from duality of body and spirit/energy (with a body focus) to oneness of body and spirit/energy (divine on earth through nature). Spiritual intuitives are supposed to go from duality of body and spirit/energy (with a spirit/energy focus) to oneness of body and spirit/energy (divine on earth through the spirit).

I may end up using some of the exercises in the book.

For example, it is recommended for an emotional intuitive to try partner meditation. I think it makes sense for a type of person that wants to deeply love another soul in a friendly or romantic way. I'm not sure how I feel about the psychometry recommended for the physical intuitive, but I guess I can try it at least once. Since either group or solo psychometry works, I would rather do it alone.

I'm not sure if I will ever be ready for the oneness meditation.

The author states that "Psychic awareness is a form of intelligence," so I imagine this will all take quite a lot of practice. I would like to find my higher self after all. Perhaps there is a script, and maybe I am being molded while still somehow being able to make smaller choices. I don't know.

I just want to be free and be the person I was meant to be.

From my understanding, an emotional intuitive is prone to being a caretaker, nurturer, healer (family-oriented), or psychotherapist while a physical intuitive is prone to being a witch, shaman, magician, physical therapist, or alchemist. So, I guess that's a start in the right direction towards that unity of all intuitions.

I can only summarize so much. The book has many more details. I am grateful that I happened to find this book again while skimming through the shelves of a thrift store. I think it's helpful to know where to start when it comes to beginning a search for transcendence or awakening.

[DreamPacker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had some good information. I will take a few notes, but basically it's a book I don't particularly want or need in my library. Might be good as an introduction if one doesn't know anything about the subject, but most of it was boring for me. I would have enjoyed it more if the author didn't classify "types", but just stuck to the subject in the title...developing your intuition.

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not hold my attention... Maybe it will at a later date if I try again.

[MizzSandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some good and powerful meditations/visualizations.
I also found the different ‘types’ generally applicable, though probably more as modalities through which we connect with psychic energies, kind of like we have different senses (sight, hearing, touch etc), but since we are in actuality always perceiving through all of the modalities/psychic senses, even when we are not ware of it and maybe only aware of a few, dominant one(s), it can be a little hard to separate the information coming through as belonging to only one of them. Like when we are sensing an environment, we are getting information through several senses (including the psychic ones, obviously, but for the illustration of the example I’m going to just refer to the physical ones), but are maybe only attuned to what we are seeing, and not aware of the sounds for example until we either close our eyes or start focusing on what we are hearing.
And so I believe it is with the psychic senses, that they are just different psychic senses we can use to pick up information, and that some of them are just more developed or preferred by us or than others, so we aren’t maybe so much types, as we have preferences to our preferred i formation modality.
Which is more or less what Dillard is also saying, I would just word it and explain it a little differently, and that might be just semantics to some, but to me this is a small difference that has connotations and consequences in how i understand and perceive this concept and information.

[Madalynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good information in this book requires some digging to find, in my opinion. It is buried behind several layers of speech that has a Christian alignment (lots of talk about aligning ourself with god & angels). I was particularly revolated by a section that in essence said Emotional Intuitive types typically have their intuitive sense built from an early age because they have emotional or tumultuous childhood or adolescence. It's so good to know that my abusive childhood supersedes any other possibility I could be a different intuitive type- since this book really does paint it as we can only be one intuitive type. I have had to take what I got from this book and Frankenstein it into something workable for me, so for me, I would say it's poorly written, it's got way to many Christian themes, and a rough childhood to the point where a child had to become hyperaware of what bad things could be coming should not be called a psychic gift rather than what it is- a survival strategy.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread this one...that counts towards my Reading Challenge for the year...right?!

Her approach to psychic type is different from other books I've read. Her focus is on how one perceives or how one receives psychic/intuitive information. She lists four types: emotional, mental, psychical, and spiritual. She includes a questionnaire and mediations, plus some exercises.

I read this for the first time many years ago. By focusing on how I was receiving psychic/intuitive information, I believe it helped me with trusting.

Interesting read, even the second time through.

[Ramona Mead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a useful guide for intuitives. I especially appreciated learning about the different types. I already know I'm highly intuitive and an emotional empath, but I didn't know about all the different ways this can manifest. I learned I am a physical intuitive almost as much as emotional, and that explains a lot of things I experience in my life. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the rest. I found some of the content repetitive.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

This book was very interesting and informative. I have yet to try the exercises, so I can't as of now attest to how they work. The information given makes a lot of sense, however I was left with more questions than answers. I'm not quite sure how to move forward with all the info in this book. I'm hoping that going through some of the meditations might help.

[Kae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended by the Psychic Teachers so I picked it up. Unfortunately it wasn’t too insightful for me as I already knew about 80% of what the book teaches. I found it to be incredibly repetitive and super God focused, which if that’s your schtick, no shade, just isn’t mine.

I couldn’t keep my focus at all and found it a chore to finish the book.

[Kathy Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book connected with me in many ways of relating to the psychic traits and I thank Sherrie for her guidance and for allowing me to reference in my soon to be released book about the mental intuitive!

[Becky Morlok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Sherrie Dillard's best. Her work is amazing.

[Marquita Seven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revolutionary to my life. I always felt that I receiving information in a different way that I could not explain to spiritual types. This book explained why.

[Kathleen H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I enjoyed learning about the different types of intuitives.

[Monique Geer]

Very helpful

I really appreciate all the information given in this book. I have more insight to the many forms . Very helpful

[kataryna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It held my attention for a handful of pages. I wish it was able to keep my focus but I got sidetracked quickly, unfortunately. I did not finish this book.

[Christina McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a great read. Very smart way to look at intuition.

[Heather Talpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Handbook / guide about the different types of intuitives there are (mental, emotional, spiritual, physical).

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great eye opener for me to better understand when things seem to align for me very well.. and also helped me to understand the people around me better as well..

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book lost me when it started talking about Jesus.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book helps you understand that "Psychic Ability" is just another way of describing the intuition that we all have to some degree!

[Rebekah Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the information in this for each type as well as the exercises

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book as a reference for my spiritual group. We all took the survey of intuitive type, discussed intuition, and referenced the book for insight and information. I enjoyed hearing the author's stories weaved in the sections about spirit guides and intuition - this kept the book grounded in a personal journey and added to its validity. I also liked the real life cases she adds to each section.

[Debdanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to me serendipitously AFTER I had made an appt with Sherrie- fun! It was a fascinating and thought provoking book.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the better books I have read about the subject. I enjoyd the guided imagery exercises. I think the most interesting part was the author has a Christian background. I didn't feel so disconjointed from the book that I wanted to stop reading it.

[Eva Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic book and I found it really interesting. I really enjoyed reading it because Im always very interested in Psychic stuff and I also have dreams and things like that and am kind of psychic to, weather or not anyone would believe me or not. There were parts of each I could relate to especially the spiritual intuitive and how they don't want to go with time and stuff and feel like they don't belong on this planet, although I keep track of time because of life and stuff I prefer not to. I also felt like I could relate to the emotional intuitive side of it because I sometimes feel a shiver go up my spine when im around others and their emotions change. I could partly relate to the mental intuitive part of it because of hearing people I knows voices in my head and getting it right or finding out something to be true. I also can imagine see situations and write a story about it and then a very similar situation happens a year or 2 later. My dreams are roughly two years ahead of me as well. haha. I really really enjoyed this book a lot ad you can probably tell

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interested in being psychic? Sherrie Dillard posits that we all have psychic capabilities, they just have to be recognized and developed. She deftly explains the natural talents of the four different types of psychic abilities and provides real life stories of clients she has worked with with these abilities. There are also suggested meditations for getting in touch with your guides - whether you believe those are angels, fairies, animal guides, or spirits of those who have passed on. I found this book fascinating and life changing, as it's opened me up to a proactive, rather than a passive, sense of spirituality.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and helpful. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was that the meditations were in the book. In order to do them, you have to read it beforehand. For me, I felt like it is easier to listen to recording because I'd tend to forget what step comes next. As far as providing information on the topic though, it certainly explained each of the four types thoroughly.

[Shoshanna French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherrie Dillard presents an interesting additional perspective to view your intuitive and psychic powers by. I have used the test in this book with clients and taken it myself. I found and continue to find her information very useful. Whether you are a professional psychic or just starting to explore intuition, this book is helpful!

[Garrett Dunnington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty good book. I would say that it would work as an introductory text, for sure.