Clairvoyance is a form of psychic ability. Literally, it means the ability to see clearly (Clair from French), so clairvoyants can often see things that most people can't. It is the ability to look beyond the everyday world and see far away people or events, or can include seeing into the future, known as precognition.

Clairvoyance can be defined as acute intuitive insight or perceptiveness and being able to see things outside the normal range of human perception. Experiences such as being able to describe a house you have never been to, or having a premonition that you are going to have a car accident before you start your journey are examples of clairvoyance.

This information is perceived as images or pictures - some people can visualise things clearly, for instance some people have very vivid dreams in colour, while others don't see mental pictures as clearly. Clairvoyance is also known as second sight.

Note: clairvoyance is different from telepathy the art of reading someone's mind. Clairvoyance involves perceiving events directly, rather than through the mind of someone else.

See practitioner(s): Barbara