I know, I know, I know, but I keep forgetting.
~Unknown
Life always presents options for our growth. Whether or not we heed them is up to us. When confronted with a situation that perplexes us, we have a choice. Any choices we make will be perfect, presenting a lesson to be learned, so we can never make a wrong choice; however, some choices align with our growth. How do we determine if the chatter in our brains is the correct decision? How do we decide the direction to follow when we are on the fence? How do we see or hear the signs of what to do next?
Many will hash it out with friends or colleagues, yet we all have the power to decern it on our own.
Our intuition, or some call it our instinct, is natural. Although the two are slightly different, instinct is a natural-born tendency, the primal intelligence that has allowed our survival. Intuition, on the other hand, can be further developed throughout life. Regardless, every one of us has had an experience of it; some may call it a hunch, or we experience a bodily reaction: the hair on the back of our neck stands up, we get a feeling in the pit of our stomach, our hearts may race, our breath many accelerate, or we may get goosebumps, which I call confirmation chills.
Our conscious mind always reminds us of our obligations, the shoulds, could of, and would of. However, our intuition is connected to the greater good of who we are. It is our higher self speaking, the knowingness of who we are.
Listening to our gut feeling is vital to hearing our intuition. Our guts, as many know, are our second brain. The gut houses the voice of our intuition. The answer is to quiet ourselves sufficiently to allow our intuition to speak and simultaneously disregard our conscious and rational minds’ input. Our gut feelings alert us to the dialogue of our unconscious mind; we can call intuition its voice.
To utilize our intuition, we must first recognize how it communicates.
Numerous signs alert us that something wants to be heard: It may come in the form of emotions, fear, anxiety, confusion, unidentified tensions, uneasiness, trouble concentrating, or a visceral feeling of suspicion, the heebie-jeebies. All these are your subconscious alerting you; it may be to danger or the next step for your growth.
Once we acknowledge these signs, the next step is to trust them.
Start with baby steps.
Move into a mindset of being rather than mindlessly doing. Before doing: ask yourself if what you are doing is to people-please. To unearth our motivations for doing things, it is essential to tune into ourselves, starting with quieting down and engaging in soul-nourishing activities. Taking time for ourselves is not selfish but imperative for our overall well-being. Flipping the script of labeling things will make us more harmonious within.
Meditation, pranayama, or breathing techniques will help realign scattered energy. Our intuition often whispers, so we must quiet down to hear it. Five minutes of sitting quietly without distractions, no electronics, no chores to do, or a guided meditation is a fantastic way to begin.
Grounding or earthing will help us to balance our energy. Take a few minutes daily to be outdoors, barefoot in the earth.
Make a mental note when you have a feeling or a sensation. Do you often get chills when you hear something? When confronted with a strange situation, do you have a knot in your stomach?
What is your body language telling you? Are you closing yourself off by crossing your arms or moving away from a situation, or are you open to the energy you are experiencing?
Then, take a step to trust what that feeling is saying to you. Walk away from a situation, leave 5 minutes later than your routine, or take another route. Turn down an invite or say yes to one. Act quickly when you get a feeling or a sign, giving our conscious minds less time to talk us out of it.
Electronics disrupt our natural frequency, so take a break from them occasionally, and don’t sleep with your phone on your bed or under your pillow. It is best not to have it in our bedrooms at night.
As children, we innately can read our parents’ or caretakers’ emotions and feelings. We were tuned into the vibe of the family. Did something happen that made you turn that off? Take some time to travel back to when you felt more connected to the voice inside.
Play games with ourselves. Visualize a scenario and various outcomes; which one feels right? Flip a coin and see if you know the answer before you look at it. These seemingly innocuous games will alert our intuition that we are ready to hear.
As a child, I was told to be less sensitive, to toughen up; I believe now I was not a hyper-sensitive child, as I came to consider myself to be, but one that was still connected to my higher self. I learned to dampen the inner voice and develop my rational one.
As I have grown wiser, I have come to understand the value of intently listening to my intuition. I no longer challenge it. Instead, I question when I choose not to heed its voice. I follow my intuition without knowing why and have never been steered incorrectly. It is never too late to tune in. The quote at the beginning of this, I know, I know, I know, but keep forgetting, was said to me by a psychic as a child. She said one day, I would begin to remember. Thankfully, my intuition is there to guide me.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
