The word “intuition” comes from the Latin word “intueri,” which roughly translates as “to look inside.” In simple terms, intuition is that gut feeling that something is either right or wrong. It often comes through as a feeling, an emotion, or a thought. For some, it can even be a voice that repeats itself over and over again inside your head, eventually becoming too loud to ignore.
Intuition is a really interesting form of intelligence that goes way beyond the rational mind. It often resonates from deep within and tends to give us answers and direction that extend far beyond any voice of reason. It is more of a subconscious process of receiving information that will help us to solve problems, make life choices, and guide us to either proceed or back away from certain situations.
Intuition is like an internal compass. If you access it and learn to interpret it correctly, it will open up pathways to an amazing life. It can also give you the answers to any challenges that may arise on a daily basis. The problem many people face is knowing how to interpret and trust what they hear and feel. The rational mind can be working totally against what your intuition is telling you and that is where the challenge lies for so many.
Albert Einstein once said “The intuitive gift is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
When you listen to your intuition and trust it completely, it will rarely lead you astray. The following 10 tips can help you to develop and trust your intuition.
1. Get to know that gut feeling
Developing your intuition is different for everyone. We all feel and interpret things differently, so it is important to recognize how your intuition communicates with you. This can occur in several ways:
- A deep feeling right in the pit of your stomach that can either be light or heavy depending on the circumstances you face.
- A voice that you hear in your mind that repeats the same statement over and over again.
- A powerful thought that pops into your head, so strong you cannot ignore it.
- A sensation in your body, perhaps a tingle, that happens when you are focussed on a certain situation.
Pay attention to the signs and signals that you are receiving in your body and your mind. Get familiar with the sensations you are experiencing, especially when you meet someone new or are faced with a challenge. Identify the feelings you have and honour them.
You will start to notice a regular pattern when you learn to listen and feel the sensations you are experiencing. You will soon be able to interpret them as messages that will guide you.
2. Ask the questions you need answered
If you are faced with a challenge and need direction, put your hand on your heart, ask for guidance in the form of a question, and then listen for the answer. It will usually come in a resounding YES or a NO. If you don’t hear the answer instantly, wait for the answer to unfold.
3. Develop your intuition
We all have intuition. Some of us come into the world with the ability to hear, feel, and see without a shadow of any doubt, and then some people come into the world and their intuition requires awakening and developing. If you need to develop your intuition, set aside time every day to work on techniques that will open and strengthen it. From meditating to focussing on breathing techniques to recording your feelings in a journal, just like any muscle, you must do the work to strengthen it.
4. Don’t doubt it
In order to allow your intuition to guide you, you must develop complete trust and faith in the way it communicates with you. For example, when a thought or feeling comes through to you and it is strong and resounding, trust it instantly. If your inner voice is trying to communicate with you and is making itself heard, you should really pay attention.
5. Work with your dreams
We often get messages in our dreams and it is important to learn to interpret them. We can connect our outer world and our inner world this way, so pay attention to your dreams.
Create a dream journal. Place it by your bed so you can record your dreams when you wake. When you get into bed at night, get into a meditative state by doing some deep breathing. When you are calm and relaxed, repeat: “I want to observe my dreams.” When you wake up in the morning, stay silent for at least five minutes so you can begin to recall the images and the stories you have witnessed during your sleep state. Record them in your dream journal. This is a perfect way to unlock all sorts of valuable insights into your feelings, your life, and your future.
6. Be silent
Learn to become silent and still. Intuition comes from deep within your heart and soul, so if you have any overwhelming struggles and anxieties, in order to feel and hear your intuition, you need to deal with your own issues first. Stress and anxiety can drown out your inner voice and it can overwhelm you. Clear out anything that doesn’t serve and support you.
7. Read more
Invest your time in reading and learning more about how to develop your intuition. There are so many great books written by incredibly intuitive writers, and their wisdom and practices can open you up to a whole new world of seeing, feeling, and believing.
8. Become aware
One of the biggest challenges can be the decision to act on your intuition. It is important to understand that these windows of opportunity presented to you don’t stay open forever. They can open up in a heartbeat and they can close just as quickly, so you need to listen and act so you don’t miss out.
9. Meditate
The more you meditate, the more open you will become to receiving guidance from your intuition. Meditation clears and quiets the mind and opens up a beautiful clear channel for you to receive internal guidance.
10. Connect the mind, body, and spirit
It is important for our bodies to be in alignment so we can hear, feel, and trust our intuition. It is vital to invest time and energy into our mental, spiritual, and physical wellness every day. The mind, body, and spirit are all connected, so we must keep them in a state of constant and continuous flow.
Your intuition is a powerful gift. Develop it and trust in it completely. You are equipped with all the answers and the knowledge that you will ever need to ensure you experience a happy and positive life. Always look inside to find the truth.
Featured photo credit: Akshay Moon via flickr.com
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