clairsentience

Clairsentience is a claimed form of extrasensory perception (ESP) in which a person perceives information through feelings rather than through the five physical senses. Practitioners describe receiving impressions as emotions, physical sensations, or gut feelings that are believed to come from outside sources, such as other people, events, or environments. In some spiritualist contexts, clairsentience is described as sensing the emotional state or physical conditions of others, sometimes including messages from spirits conveyed through felt sensations.

Clairsentience is often distinguished from clairvoyance (clear seeing) and clairaudience (clear hearing). In modern metaphysical discourse, it is sometimes grouped with empathic abilities, emphasizing the interpretation of emotional or bodily cues as sources of information. Readings or sessions that feature clairsentience may involve the practitioner reporting impressions about a person’s mood, health, or life circumstances.

In scientific and skeptical discussions, clairsentience is treated as a claim of ESP that lacks independently verified evidence. Research in parapsychology has not produced consistently replicable results, and many scientists attribute reported experiences to cognitive biases, heightened empathy, memory effects, or suggestion. Critics warn that subjective interpretations can be misleading and ethically risky in practice.

Applications of clairsentience appear in certain divination, spiritual healing, and energy-work traditions, where it is used to guide consultations or personal insights. As with other ESP claims, the reliability and underlying mechanisms of clairsentience remain debated.