Intuition is an inner voice that is always there, waiting to guide, help and inspire us. But, unfortunately, we often neglect to listen to it or even understand its messages, choosing instead to make decisions that are so important, so life-changing, so soul-nourishing – solely with our minds.
We feel a certain way deep down, but we are hesitant to trust it and instead let our rational side take over.
And more often than not, the heavily rational side lets us down.
Ignoring your Intuition
I’ve had many of these “mind-ful, heart-less” setbacks.
The biggest one was my marriage. I was 22 and too young to get married. I was stressed, alone, terrified, traumatized, and sick. I wasn’t myself, just a shell looking for a home.
When I met a guy, I thought he would be my chance, my “way out.” Yet my intuition told me that I was wrong. My intuition knew he wasn’t the right one and wasn’t “it” at all.
I didn’t listen, and with a force that still surprises me, I plunged ahead, got married within six weeks, and derailed my life in, well, interesting ways.
A kid, you could say. Yes. A mistake, you could say. Yes. A silly decision. Maybe.
Now I know that getting married so soon was my desperate attempt to escape my reality, and at that point, my intuitive side just didn’t have a chance to get to me.
The Science of Intuition
The science behind intuition is fascinating. Intuition is described as a form of unconscious reasoning that operates outside of conscious awareness. It is an automatic process that provides us with quick insights and judgments without the need for conscious deliberation.
It is also related to your body’s physiological response to external stimuli, which makes body awareness a crucial part of tapping back into your inner wisdom. If you’re living two steps away from your body, you’ll have a hard time tuning in to your intuitive side and miss out on life – real life.
Escaping my body had been part of my life. I had always tried to disconnect from it – abusing it, messing with it, hurting it, and almost crushing it.
The more disconnected I was from my body, the more manageable my life seemed. I didn’t have to feel the pain; I could just control my food intake. I didn’t have to confront my traumas; I could just exercise endlessly. I didn’t have to live; I could just be thin.
I also didn’t have to make decisions, as I knew that another day simply meant another 24 hours of hunger.
So my intuition faded. Every day a tiny bit. Every year a little more.
Yet when I was standing on that train platform in Zurich, meeting my soon-to-be husband for the first time, it was suddenly there again, striking me with an impulsive awareness: this wasn’t right.
I didn’t listen, but I knew.
How to Cultivate Your Intuition
Today, I live by my intuition. It guides me in my coaching, parenting, writing, and being. It’s always there speaking to me, sharing its wisdom.
It wasn’t a fast process to get to this point, but the more I reconnected with my body, the more I learned to hear it again.
Here are some practical tips for cultivating your intuition and harnessing its power:
Stretch
You instantly drop back into your body by stretching deliberately for a few seconds. You’ll feel your limbs, your muscles, your flesh. You’ll notice your tensions and relaxation points and flush your body with new energy.
Set daily reminders to rotate your upper body, bend your legs, get into the downward-facing dog, and see how you’ll slowly reconnect with what is.
Breath coherently
Breathing correctly is an “art” you lose when you disconnect from your body – or are a human being living in the 21st century – and it is one of the best ways to return home to yourself.
Studies show that breathing at a rate of 5.1 breaths per minute is optimal for about 90% of people. However, the reality is that we take about 15-20 breaths a minute as of 2020, mindlessly, of course.
So, to reconnect with yourself, begin a breathing practice. Start small. But you’ll soon want to focus on your breathing for long periods during your day as you notice its benefits on your well-being. Inhale on four counts through your nose and exhale on four counts through your nose or mouth. Imagine that you are re-fueling yourself with positive energy on your inhale and letting go of worries, stress, and repetitive thoughts on your exhale.
Touch
Touching your body is an excellent way of slowing down and syncing with your inner voice.
How does your skin feel? Where are your body’s boundaries? Where do you start, and where does space begin?
Touch your body, every inch, when you get dressed in the morning and at night when you’re ready to go to bed. Become aware of your body and create that powerful mind-body connection. Supercharge this practice with loving affirmations or mantras.
Listen
Once you’ve re-established your relationship with your body, begin to listen. When you feel inferior, where in your body do you notice it? When you feel terrific, where does that emotion sit?
Note your discoveries in a journal; over time, you’ll see a connection between your feelings and your body – your intuition, the feeling in the pit of your stomach, your gut.
The more you practice these pillars, the more you’ll be able to live by your intuition, and trust me, you’ll be happier than ever.
