Interview

Speaking with Judith Orloff was both a privilege and a treat. A psychiatrist, intuitive, and author of the new book "Dr. Judith Orloff's Guide to Intuitive Healing" (Times Books, 2000), Judith hails from a long line of doctors -- there are twenty-five physicians in her family including both her parents. As a child Judith was not allowed to talk much about her premonitions and in medical school she struggled to reconcile her intuitive abilities with her scientific studies. This struggle became the subject of her first book, Second Sight (Warner Books, 1997). It wasn't until her mother lay dying that Judith learned of her special legacy -- many of the women on her mother's side of the family were intuitive healers.

In both her private practice in Los Angeles and her assistant professorship at the University of California in Los Angeles, Judith passionately integrates intuition with conventional health care and healing. With the help of a UCLA resident, she works to create "a prototype for a new program in medicine". While the integration of intuition with medicine may be controversial today, Judith believes that in the future it will be "a moot point". In fact, change is already in the air. The prestigious and highly conservative American Psychiatric Association chose Judith to speak at their May convention in Chicago on "How Intuition Can Enhance Patient Care."

In her new book, Judith uses five basic steps to guide us as we travel the path towards discovering our inner voice, or intuition, which is really the voice of our spirit and our connection to all life. The book contains three parts: The Body, Emotions and Relationships, and Sexual Wellness. It is wonderfully well-written with a voice both compassionate and intelligent. I've read a fair number of books on similar subjects and this is the best.

In my own life, I've been frustrated with my inability to tap into my dreams. Using Judith's advice, I started keeping a dream journal and voila - the dreams are coming. But I think it's more than the simple act of journal keeping, which I've done before. Judith's abilities as a healer come through loud and clear in the pages of her book which I believe triggered something in me. This book can help you begin an exciting journey towards self-discovery.

SML: You outline five steps throughout the book: 1) Notice your beliefs; 2) Be in your body; 3) Sense your body's subtle energy; 4) Ask for inner guidance; and 5) Listen to your dreams. They seem like an excellent framework to help us really get at ways to hear what's going on inside.

Dr. Orloff: When people want to develop their intuition, a strategy really helps. Most people feel intuition hits them spontaneously. It seems like an unknowable realm that they have no relationship with. I use the five steps to help my patients find something very real inside -- their intuition -- which I feel is the authentic language of spirit. I frame everything in terms of the five steps which I use in my own life as well. They penetrate the mystery and help people find the answer inside themselves that is most true, rather than just using their minds to make a list of positive and negatives. When we look at our beliefs we have to determine which are loving and which aren't since these beliefs shape the context of our healing. Notice which ones make sense and which are fear-based or outmoded, particularly about the body. In Western culture we have so much loathing for the physical body and its secretions. It's important to compassionately process those beliefs so they don't weigh us down in case illness comes. We don't want to be hating our body while at the same time trying to heal it. When we're clear about what we believe we create a very solid relationship with ourselves.

SML: Still, it must be difficult to get rid of beliefs that don't serve you even if you recognize them as such.

Dr. Orloff: It's very hard, but I believe people on a spiritual path need to make the decision to live a life based on love and to frame everything in that context. When we come upon a negative belief like, "I think I'm ugly," or, "I'm never going to succeed", we need to realize it's not the truth and try to bring a loving, compassionate view in order to reframe it. This is a philosophy that permeates everything. The universe is compassionate. It wants us to heal. I truly have an optimistic view.

SML: What about step two, be in your body?

Dr. Orloff: Most people live from the neck up and have no conception of the rest of their bodies. Part of healing is realizing that not only do we have a body but it's an incredible intuitive receptor. It give us clues we need to listen to. For instance, certain situations might make you feel nauseous or give you a headache or a knot in the stomach. It's about honoring the signals the body sends in every situation. It's also important to learn the workings of our bodies and where our organs are. I suggest that people get Gray's Anatomy Coloring Book or something similar. We have an absolutely gorgeous three dimensional universe inside us and nothing about it is yucky or weird. The way our culture is, especially womens' magazines that show just the surface - hair, skin, eyes, lips - we believe that's all we are.

SML: They make the rest unspeakable.

Dr. Orloff: Yes. It's taboo or disgusting.

SML: Then it's scary when something's happening inside and we don't have any idea what it is.

Dr. Orloff: Exactly. So if you do the kind of work I'm suggesting before you get sick you have a big head start.