Connecting to & acting on our intuition
True empowerment comes from a deep connection to ourselves.
Intuition is a survival tool. Its how hunters track, business people find good deals, parents know what their children’s needs are and how we are able to choose what’s good for us everyday. It’s quick, outside the thinking mind and beats logic. The moment you stop to think about it/figure it out, then you know you’re in your mind and not in your ‘gut’ instinct.
Others can support and offer guidance, but no one can tell what you need better than you. All the answers are inside you.
But we need to feed our intuitive instincts. And we do this by listening to and acting on them.
Our intuition can be deadened by living inauthentically, if we fall into a routine instead of following our souls passions, when trying to fit into the social norms, being too nice or too protected growing up. If we stay in this cooshy place, life (or our deeper selves) may throw us into challenge in order for us to grow and in this process intuition will be the lifeline that we will be forced to develop. .. And what a blessing that will be.
Some reminders:
You need to be prepared to face the truth. Usually we block it to control the speed at which our world changes. We resist change because our limbic brains perceive it as a threat. It takes courage as it could shake up your world… but it will always lead you where you need to go and what’s good for you.
It guides you to what you need rather than what you want (this can of course be the same thing).
We need to be in a neutral state and not in our emotions – anger, guilt, being elated (often overlooked), in a state anxiety – these all block you from perceiving objective reality.
it helps to be in the parasympathetic state,
and present in our bodies, in the moment. Try to look around the room, observe something with curiosity, get engaged with the senses – feel, listen… This can be hard at times as it can be very unconformable to fully feel a present situation.
Other ways of getting out of our mind and into our bodies: dance, play, breathwork, cold water.
Be engaged but unattached to outcomes.
For many, intuition speaks in a whisper.
Practice in small ways e.g. with the food you choose. We need a few examples of following our pings (intuition calls) and it working out. The more you do this, the stronger the relationship becomes and the more your trust will grow.
It may be obvious, but health is important – good sleep, diet, exercise etc.
Trust that you will get the answer.
Here’s a test:
False talk (eg when your ego is being sneaky) will defend itself – using logic to justify, being protective or coming from a place of playing-not-to-lose.
True talk wont – it’ll be silent, but there will be a magnetic pull to it. Aspirational, coming from a place of love/beauty and playing-to-win (not playing-not-to-lose).
Ways to clear, connect and listen
Here is a meditation to connect to your inner guidance. Grab a pen and paper before you begin.
Ask a yes or no question, allocate a hand/arm to each and feel in your body which side tingles.
Ask a question and write freely (it’s best to do this once you have centered/did a short meditation).
Ask to receive guidance on the question/challenge you have and then do something different like a walk/cook/something creative. Watch as the answers often come when we have stopped trying to figure it out.
Voicing, doing and expressing what we love connects us to our souls, spirit and so builds our link to our intuition.
Nature can be an amazing help, it effortlessly harmonizes us and can bring in another level of incredible wisdom and guidance.
Flower and tree essences can help – you can try the Pock Ironwood. Essences elevate us and bring clarity, so they will naturally help with our intuition too.
Here is a kundalini yoga set for intuition. Kundalini yoga in general clears out our blocks and enables us to see clearer and a wider picture. It is often referred to as the yoga of awareness. You can bring your questions and challenges to the class – set a silent intention before the class to ask to receive some help or guidance.
Tobacco and plant diets are another incredible path to clear our blocks and connect to our soul and spirit in a very deep way (contact me for more info).
In a mythical way you can connect to or call in the essence of the predator/the jaguar – it knows what it wants, it’s fast and decisive.
What does one feed intuition so that is it consistently nourished and responsive to our requests to scan our environs? One feeds it life — one feeds it life by listening to it.
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With The Wolves