Women’s Intuition: the Woman Instinct Never Fails Idea

The power of a woman intuitively (or instinctively) knowing which choice to make for her family is greatly undervalued – do you think? It’s compelling to read women’s intuition stories for appreciating this phenomenon. You’ll find these in places and I’ve added a few here while incorporating the paradigm of the ‘woman instinct never fails’…

Women’s natural instincts

We see a woman’s natural instincts exemplified in caring for and protecting her family. She’ll instinctively know what to do. We are so often told that the woman instinct never fails. In many ways, this is true. In many ways I know for some women this paradigm causes them to feel inept – the woman instinct that should automatically happen is not there. It’s a mystery or is it a myth? More on that later.

Women’s intuition vs instinct

The terms ‘instinct’ and ‘intuition’ are commonly used interchangeably, i.e., as meaning the same thing.

As I explain in my article on when to trust gut feeling and instinct vs intuition, my take is that they are innately distinct (you might debate this depending on your field of interest).

So, in staying true to that notion, the following identifies instinct and intuition as distinct phenomena but at the same time, maintains the understanding that, when we hear or see them spoken or written about, they may be portrayed as the same.

Remarkable Stories of women’s intuition

Women’s intuition stories have been aired on Oprah “5 Women Whose Hunches Changed—or Saved—Their Lives”. We learn of life-saving hunches received in dreams or a ‘just knowing’, in these women’s intuition accounts.

Babygaba also gives 15 accounts of the ‘woman instinct’ or intuition that are quite dramatic and remarkable situations.

But these can be counterproductive, meaning you only think of intuition in terms of extraordinary stories.

Everyday accounts of women’s intuition

Let’s look at women’s intuition in ordinary wants and decisions to show it’s an everyday phenomenon…

Following her hunch

This story comes from Florence Scovel Shinn in The Game of Life. Shinn gives an account of a woman who desired a large sum of money. The woman put her need for a large sum of money out to the universe and at the same time asked what she needed to do.

The thought came, not long after, to give a helpful friend $100. Her friend was not convinced and told her to wait and see.

Later that day she met another who said: “I gave someone a dollar today; it was just as much for me, as it would be for you to give someone a hundred”. She took this as a definite lead and knew she was right to give the $100 to her friend. After doing this, a large sum of money came her way. She had followed her intuition and received what she had asked for.

Intuition…simply points the way

Florence Scovel Shinn, The Game of Life

Women’s Intuition Science Studies

Are we talking about psychic ability? Some people frame ‘intuition’ as a psychic phenomenon, a sixth sense or ESP (extrasensory perception).

I prefer not to. One reason is that the terms ‘psychic’, sixth sense or ESP (while the phenomena appear to exist) conjure up paranormal or pseudoscience connotations. I like to think of intuition as a normal process with a scientific basis.

Secondly, calling it ‘being psychic’ or ‘having a sixth sense’ or ESP makes people think that it’s not possible for them, that only ‘gifted’ or special people have intuition.

How I see it is that people display different levels of intuition, much like they do other human abilities. And, similarly the more you tune in and practice it, the stronger becomes your ability. Some differences can be attributed to how much one listens and follows one’s hunches (or intuition).

This then gets back to women. Are they more gifted when it comes to intuition? Maybe they just listen and follow their intuition more.

From the science of psychology, it appears that women are better at picking up on nonverbal communications and compute certain ‘feelings’ about a situation or person as a result.

They may be matching patterns they’ve experienced from various sources in the past. This is intuitive thinking, a fast type of cognitive processing, which I cover in my article on what it means to be an intuitive person.

…women tend to be more “open” to others’ emotional messages

Ronald E Riggio PhD, Psychology Today

This may explain a woman’s ability to ‘mind-read’ or the ‘woman instinct never fails’ idea. But does it explain the women’s intuition where encounterers talk of a ‘just knowing’ or receiving messages out of the blue? Or of gut feelings in love relationships?

There must be more to this or another aspect altogether.

Yet studying intuition is unlike studying most other phenomena that are the focus of scientific investigation

Lois Isenman, Understanding Intuition: A Journey In and Out of Science, 2018

Maybe science isn’t there yet.

Inspiring stories From women On intuition

A recommend watching is Innsæi: The Power of Intuition. Innsæi is ancient Icelandic for the ‘sea within’. Innsæi features a number of women and their intuition stories.

What’s Your women’s intuition story?

Have you an intuition story as a woman? Or do you know of one? Feel free to share.

Info sources

Psychology Today: Women’s Intuition | Zeitgeist Films: InnSaei | Inspirational Quotes About Intuition |