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to suggest that they check the license plates on his car.

The car was registered to his mother. When police went to her apartment they found her in the bathtub - murdered. Christopher was charged with the murder.*

Jackie Larsen's actions are a good example of how to combine the intuitive and the rational. Her intuition told her that something was not right. However it could not tell her what the problem was, nor what to do about it. Using her rational mind she protected herself by not being alone with Bono. Then she initiated an investigation by contacting the police.

How did Larsen's intuition pick up on the problem? Research shows that the right brain collects experiences and makes connections between past events and current situations. As an experienced mother, Larsen had seen plenty of evasion by young people. She could not have told you exactly what in Bono's actions aroused her suspicions, but she did recognize a pattern that matched previous problems she had seen.

That is at least part of what the intuitive brain does. It recognizes patterns too complex for easy rational analysis. The right brain can match those patterns in a hurry. It may not explicitly say that this particular pattern is like one 20 years ago, but it does send a message that something is probably not right.

Once the right brain recognizes a possible problem we have a choice. In some situations, the fight or flight syndrome immediately kicks in. However usually the problem is not so urgent and we have time to look at things rationally. We can gather more information and logically decide on the best course of action.

Returning to the example of romance, what should a couple do if their emotions (and hormones) urge them to marry or otherwise pair up? This goes against the grain of popular belief, but they should check to see that they are really compatible for the long term. They should talk seriously about the three big problems that wreck marriages: children, finances and in-laws.

In fact it is a good idea to bring in a competent pre-marital counselor for some of these discussions. This professional can provide information based on the experiences of others, and on research. He can point out potential problems the couple will face. In many cases he can help them prepare so that their relationship remains strong in spite of the problems. In a few cases, the couple may decide that the kindest thing they can do for each other is to not marry.

Our right brain is the seat of intuition and emotion. Much of what it does is what makes life worth living. Without it we have no drive, no appetites or passions. However we must remember that those appetites and passions alone can lead us to trouble, they must be tempered by reason.

*The Jackie Larsen account is from pp31-32 of _Intuition, Its Powers and Perils_ by David G. Myers, Yale University Press, 2002.

Learn more about this author, Hal Lillywhite.
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