Do You Have a “Clair Bear?”

If you clicked this thinking “WTF is a Clair Bear?” please understand that I grew up in the 80s and I love to have fun with words. Besides, Clair Bears are much more fun than sickeningly sweet Care Bears.

So, what is a Clair Bear? My goofy name for the different clair-gifts that many people are born with. These gifts are part of you — you are born with them just like you are born with a certain eye color or hair color, but no dye in a box is going to change them.

What are the clair-gifts? There are seven of them and some people may have one, have several or have none at all. (Although everyone is probably born with at least one of these gifts, some people will have a mental/spiritual block so strong that they may never realize them.) Please understand, these gifts - which yes, sometimes can feel like a curse - do not make you evil, a witch or certifiable. They are just part of who you are. They are meant to help you in this wild ride called life, not harm you.

Let’s explore the different Clair Bears.

1. Clairvoyance — The most well-known of the gifts is clairvoyance. Those with this gift will see visions in their mind’s eye — quick snapshots of images or scenes such as those in a movie. Similar to dreams, but when you’re completely awake. It may be something from the past that pops in your head for a reason, or often, it’s a glimpse of something yet to happen.

2. Clairaudience — This gift involves hearing voices, sounds, music, singing, or sometimes an odd ringing in your ears. Those with clairaudience aren’t hearing these things with their ears, but with something deeper — the sounds aren’t audible and others aren’t going to hear them.

3. Claircognizance — Have you ever just known something — something that you should have no way of knowing — and it turned out to be right? Do you trust your intuition because it’s never been wrong? Then you most likely have the gift of claircognizance — just knowing things without any real explanation of why you know them, but you just do. And you’re usually right.

4. Clairsentience — This gift will get you all in the feels. Literally. The gift of clairsentience — also known as being an empath — means you feel what others around you are feeling. Do people have a hard time lying to you because you can feel that they’re lying? Do you ever walk in a room and the energy is just so UGH that you have to leave? Then you likely have the gift of clairsentience — you’re an empath — and while it can be a helpful gift, it can also be a hindrance if you don’t learn to block it at times. Especially around your loved ones, OK?

5. Clairalience — While not considered one of the major clair-gifts, clairalience is still a gift, and is worth mentioning. It involves smelling things that aren’t there. But if you’re smelling burnt toast, please get to an ER, because you might be having a stroke. If you’ve ever briefly smelled your late grandmother’s cooking, your late grandfather’s after-shave or your late mother’s hand cream, you experienced clairalience. Personally, I think it means that your loved ones are reminding you that while that they’re not here with you, they aren’t really gone and are watching over you.

6. Clairtangency — This gift is a touchy subject. Ha! Clairtangency — otherwise known as psychometry — means you get a feeling, information or maybe a quick vision in your mind by touching an item. Not any item — so don’t go crazy picking up everything at the antique store unless you want kicked out — but there might be one or two things in said antique store that would give you a feeling if you touched them. And no, sorry, this gift doesn’t mean you’re Phoebe from Charmed.

7. Clairgustance — Another minor clair-gift similar to clairalience, clairgustance is tasting something when there’s nothing there. Say you suddenly start tasting chocolate and you haven’t had sweets in years. You’re either really craving a Hershey bar or you have a touch of clairgustance.

While those with these gifts likely have all of them to some degree, most will be strongest in one or two. And again, these gifts are something you are born with — they don’t mean you’re evil, you’re a witch, you’re crazy or any of that. But if your gifts are very prevalent I would be cautious who you discuss them with. Be careful who you trust, although if you’re an empath — clairsentient — you know that already. Embrace your inner Clair Bear. Think of it as an invisible teddy bear sent to help you on your journey. And we could all use some extra help in this life.

Originally published on Medium here.