Developing Intuition

Intuition. We hear people talk about it a lot, especially when something bad has happened, or there has been a near miss.

But what is intuition?

Intuition, like so many things in life, is not easy to define. You can’t see it, or touch it or smell it.

Intuition is knowing, without knowing how you know.

It comes from various factors working together, without us even being aware of it. Our experiences and knowledge, mixed with an awareness which is often unconscious, come together to illicit a feeling, a sense. We then interpret this.

It is said to be a relation of instinct, coming from that same place within us that has existed since before time and before language. It’s at the very core of us, influencing who we are and what decisions we make.

Some also refer to intuition as the “sixth” sense. In addition to the main five senses that most people are aware of, we also have many other senses, giving us information about ourselves and the world around us every second. We can sense pain, temperature, we may feel nauseous or not, we can feel changes in the air around us, we can approximate how much time passes, the mood of others and we have many other abilities that we are capable of.

Most people can be “go with the head” people, or “go with the gut” people, when faced with choices. The latter rely on intuition to guide them, the former rely on their conscious analytical mind. Both are valid, both have their benefits and flaws. Harmony and balance between the two is the key to a fully able and functional individual.

When talking about intuition in real terms, it is important to be aware of the person we are – the personality, the job, the desires - is simply the tip of our true nature. A great deal of information is processed at a deep level, and we filter out the majority of it. We need to, in order to function in our structured society.

What actually reaches the surface, that we are aware of, and how we have processed it, can be referred to as intuition.

Why develop intuition?

In a world where our conscious mind is so occupied, with jobs, families, facebook and television, our mind is usually too busy to give attention and respect to intuition, sadly. Because of this, we are missing what could be a huge advantage in making our way through life. Using the analytical mind, most people look at an option, weigh up the positives and negatives, and make a decision. Using intuition, you may have access to greater wisdom, that may reveal a normally poor choice might actually be the preferable one.

Intuition can tell us about what kind of a person someone is, for example, that a man with tattoos and an unkempt beard is a kind man. Your “gut” might realise he has kind eyes, or moves in a certain way that we can’t put into words, but “sense” he means no harm. Using the analytical mind, you might look at the same man, remember the news programme the evening before showing a similar man shooting an old lady, and decide not to trust this gentleman in front of you.

Intuition can tell us more than we realise. We have all answered the phone, already knowing who it is. It might be, unconsciously, that you know your mother phones roughly the same time on roughly the same day, but it’s more than that. You might have seen someone answer the phone, see their face and know it’s their cousin that’s in trouble. There is no easy way to explain this, and it does lend itself the the term “psychic”.

In developing intuition, we develop our skill at evaluating situations and making decisions. Why wouldn’t you want to be better than you are? In developing these skills, you can learn to trust yourself and your power to make good choices, increase confidence and clarity of thought and purpose, and live more efficiently and holistically.

How do you develop intuition?

It’s easier than you might think, but as with any physical muscle, you need to exercise your mind to become proficient in your intuitive gifts.

First and foremost, pay attention. Be aware of yourself and your experiences, who you are and who others are.

Exercises

Sounds hard? Well, try this exercise. For 15 minutes, go somewhere public and just people watch. Take slow but comfortable breaths. Let yourself relax. There is no pressure or test. Try and feel the people passing by. Are the people you see honest, healthy, affluent? Your intuition will tell you about people and their nature. Is someone younger than they look, or are they grieving? Is the person on the corner in love, or perhaps they are in a rush? You will be correct more often than you think.

Those processes deep down under our surface of consciousness are ongoing.

To begin to gain better insight into those processes we have to close out distractions.

Try this exercise. Turn off that television, pull down your blinds and turn off the telephone. Wear something comfortable and loose fitting. This would be great preparation for a formal meditation session, but you don’t need to do this if you don’t wish to.

Lay down on your back, hands by your sides, and close your eyes. Have a blanket ready in case you get too cool. Just take 10 minutes to relax, to breathe, to simply be. Keeping the outside world outside is a great way to become more aware of your inner self. You might reflect on something that is worrying you, or you might think about any number of things. But this gives you time to yourself.

Of course, formal meditation and relaxation sessions will help you develop intuition. Creative outlets will also help, such as drawing, doodling, pottery, writing and any number of activities which involve you creating and delivering something that begun life inside you to the outer physical world.

Being kind to yourself is also important. Good diet and exercise is vitally important to developing intuition. If you are not functioning efficiently due to ill health you will not be able to intuit a great deal as your energy will be spent keeping you alive.

There are many ways to help promote and develop your intuition.

Perhaps you have ideas of your own?