How to Use Zener Cards to Increase Psychic Ability

How to use Zener cards

Zener Cards

Remember the scene in Ghostbusters where Bill Murray’s character uses Zener cards? You know, the cool cards with the shapes on them: star, wavy lines, circle, square, and a plus sign?

Movies aside, these cards are real tools that you can use to increase psychic abilities.

Today, I’ll teach you how to use Zener cards to strengthen clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognizance.

psychic development tip: use zener cards to increase intuition

What You’ll Need

1. Zener or index cards

First, grab a pack of Zener cards. They can be hard to find, so I ordered mine on Amazon.

Or you can gather some index cards and make your own. To make your own, draw:

  • a circle on one
  • a square on another
  • wavy lines on the third
  • a star on the fourth card
  • a plus sign on the last card

I recommend you make three sets for a total of 15 cards. You can stick to using a black sharpie or break out some fun colors – it’s up to you.

2. A Partner

Here’s the cool part: your friend could be across your living room or across the world! If they’re a globetrotter, you’ll just need to have a connection with them via phone or Zoom for this intuitive game.

3. An Open Mind

Increasing your psychic abilities should be fun, not stressful. So, if you’re missing answers or feeling pressured, take a breather. You may be overthinking it or letting your mind get in the way. Either way, don’t let a bad experience turn you off forever.

Optional: Drop some essential oils in your diffuser before the Zener card exercise to enhance your experience. Rose oil, lemon oil, and cedarwood all support intuitive development.

How to Get Started

Once you have your cards and a partner, you’re ready to get started. Each Zener card exercise starts the same way.

  • First, set the intention to strengthen your intuition with this exercise. If you’d like, invite your Spirit Guides and angels in to support you.
  • Position you and your friend across from each other — either physically or via planet wifi. Don’t forget, this exercise is telepathic – so, even though it’s fun to be in the same room, you can do this over the phone or FaceTime.
  • Now that you’re all set up, each person will take a turn being the sender and the receiver.

How to Use Zener Cards

The goal of this intuitive game is to transmit the shapes on the cards to your partner without using words.

Yes, that means with ESP; it’s like mental emailing!

Sender
  • Choose a card. Then, close your eyes and visualize the shape on the card in your mind.
  • Next, imagine there are invisible waves (like radio waves), transmitting the image to your friend’s mind.
  • Let them know when you are done sending, then have them tell you what image they “received”.
Receiver
  • Take a few deep breaths and focus on your third eye area.
  • Allow yourself to receive whichever of the five symbols (circle, wavy lines, etc.) comes to mind. Try to relax and allow an image to form in your mind.
  • It’s important not to second-guess yourself during this time or wonder if you’re really clairvoyant (you are).

Now switch off and have your partner psychically send the images to you.

Tip: When my kids were little, we used to do this using the little cards from the game Candy Land. Instead of shapes, we would send each other colors!

More Zener Card Games

To Strengthen Clairaudience

To strengthen psychic hearing, follow the steps above, but instead of psychically sending an image, send the word(s) star, circle, wavy lines, plus sign, or square. Repeat the word(s) in your mind and visualize sending an ‘audio file’ of the word(s) to your partner.

As the receiver, listen for a prompt from your own voice. You may hear the word star, circle, or whatever in your mind (like when you are talking to yourself).

If a word ‘pops’ into your mind, go with it! Clairaudience is spontaneous like that.

To Increase Clairsentience and Claircognizance

To develop clairsentience (psychic feeling) and claircognizance (inner knowing) with Zener cards, you’ll transmit the card using feelings.

  • Choose a card, then focus on it and imagine feeling the shape on the card.
  • Certain shapes may make you feel certain things (like the waves reminding you of the beach, or the circle reminding you of your wedding ring). Let your mind wander with those feelings, and don’t try to control them.
  • Imagine using your ESP and telepathically sending the feeling to your partner.
  • The receiver should go with their gut feeling. Your power is your first instinct!

Group Zener Card Exercise

  • Grab some friends and sit in a circle.
  • Place the Zener cards in a pile face down.
  • Pick up one of the cards, but don’t show it to anyone. For this example, let’s say you chose a square.
  • Close your eyes and envision the square in your mind.
  • Next, imagine ‘sending’ an image of a large square to the floor between you and your friends.
  • When you are done sending the image, ask your friends to focus on the floor between you.
  • Now, ask them to envision which symbol you sent to the floor, and have everyone announce what they get.

Zener Tips

I used these exercises in a psychic development class back in 2000 and it was so much fun. One partner and I actually got 100% correct, so it can work!

But other partners and I were only accurate about half the time.

If that’s you, don’t worry. It takes time to build your intuitive muscles.

Rest assured knowing that this exercise is helping to strengthen your psychic abilities even if you aren’t getting the correct answer 100% of the time.

If you can’t seem to find your stride, here are some tips:

  • Each of you practice being the sender and receiver. Believe it or not, some people are better senders, while others are better receivers.
  • Take notes. If you do this exercise enough, you will start to see patterns. Are you a more accurate receiver? Is it easier for you to transmit images or words? Remember, there are 4 main psychic gifts, so it takes a bit to find your vibe and what gifts are strongest for you.
  • Practice again another day. It takes time to get used to each other’s psychic energy (even if you’ve been besties since Pre-K). You’re working with your intuitive gifts here, so give yourselves grace and allow yourselves time to jive.
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