It can be fairly stated that intuition is one of the more valuable personal development skills we can use. It’s an innate and useful resource available to all of us. But have you ever felt intuition guiding your choices, big or small? If so, did it turn out well? Or perhaps you’ve needed intuition, but when the moment of choice came, none was perceived?
Intuition is defined as a direct perception of truth; a keen and quick insight. Often felt in the gut, intuition is that quiet, small voice that functions as our own personal GPS, directing us to what is best.
But where does intuition come from? How do we tap into it? And more importantly, how do we know when to trust it?
We already know intuition as an inner “knowing,” but what is the source of that knowing? Basically, the source of that knowing is Source; that spark of God or Higher Self that each of us carry within us. No one has been skipped or has missed out on this bestowing. As A Course in Miracles explains, the Creator exists within its creations. Therefore we can establish that intuition is good. It exists as part of us, for our benefit; a Divine resource that can be trusted.
Then why is it so hard to tap into sometimes?
Like any relationship, the quality of our perception depends on how much time and energy we invest in it. Here are some tips to access that font of beneficial guidance:
- Develop a daily habit of sitting in stillness. Silence your phone, turn off all distractions you can control, and accept the noise in your environment that is beyond your control. Slow your breathing, relax your shoulders and just be, even for just 3 – 5 minutes. As author Michael Neill explains, “We can’t hear the piccolo of wisdom over the marching band of personal thoughts.” When we practice stillness on a regular basis, we open that channel of communication so that it is well established and readily available to us when needed.
- Ask the question. There doesn’t need to be an emergency or dire situation to ask a question. Again, this is best done daily, even when there is no pressing dilemma on your mind. I often ask, “What would you have me know?” or “What would you have me do?” Then just relax and don’t try to squeeze an answer out of the practice. It comes to us in time, often outside of this practice, when we are going about our daily lives.
- A note of caution: Often our ego, dressed up as our analytical mind, will jump in at this point with it’s own advice. However it is fairly easy to recognize this “intuition imposter.” The ego-based thoughts will be fear-based. Instead of a gentle knowing, it will appear as anxiety-inducing thoughts of what you’d “better” do, to avoid disastrous results. That is not intuition, but the chatter of our fearful mind.
You can recognize the voice of intuition because it will feel sure and grounded. It might guide you to do something scary, like sign up for a class or get out of a relationship, or have a difficult conversation with a child or parent, but it will feel right.
What about “women’s intuition?” It is true that women are credited with being more intuitive than men, but only because women are usually more tuned into their feelings than men are to theirs, but this inner wise guidance is equally available to all.
If you would like support or help in tapping into your inner guidance, why not schedule a coaching call? It is my mission and my passion to empower people to access their own power (and guidance!)
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