Following Your Intuition

Today’s Miracle Moment is about cultivating our intuition.

We view Intuition as the phenomenon where we gain insight without the use of reason. Intuition is knowledge that comes to us spontaneously before we have a chance to analyze it with our intellects.

The word “intuition” is thought to come from the Latin verb intuaire or from the middle English word intuit, both of which mean to “look upon” or “to gain knowledge without using the process of rational thinking.” We all have intuitive potential – as a matter of fact, when you were a child you lived by your intuition, just following it freely long before you even had the ability to reason.

In fact, I (Debra) remember a day when my daughter was a little baby like it was yesterday even though it was almost 28 years ago. Since Deanna was our first and my husband and I both worked from home, it took awhile to have the courage to leave her with a babysitter. We were probably a little over cautious and must have interviewed about a dozen potential sitters.

There was one girl who we loved. She was charming and funny and seemed very responsible but when we handed Deanna to her – who was maybe 7 or 8 months old at the time – she would just start to scream her little head off. We were miffed but obviously couldn’t hire this girl because it happened every single time.

A few weeks later, we read in the local paper that this girl been arrested for selling narcotics and was part of a drug operation that spanned 3 states. How did Deanna know??!?!

Unfortunately, over time we begin to doubt our intuitive voice and shut down that channel of information. The good news is that it’s still there waiting patiently for us to open it up for business again! Just like a muscle that hasn’t been exercised, it’s still exists and if you want to build it up, you need to exercise it consciously.

The first and most important thing that you can do to develop your intuition is to acknowledge and honor the messages you receive.

Start noticing simple gut feelings throughout the day. Trust those gut feelings and act on them even if they might seem counter-intuitive. You’ll be amazed at the positive results that show up.

Although the mind is sometimes a useful provider of knowledge it often throws us off course as our intuition bumps up against the mind’s storehouse of old imprints and fears.

And if you think, “But I don’t get many gut feelings,” then you’re looking for the wrong thing.

Intuition may not be a big booming voice. It’s more often a subtle impulse that tends to come back again and again until it gets our attention.

Intuitive flashes often come to both of us in the bath or shower or during our meditations or when we’re driving with some quiet music playing or talking a walk in nature. And if you feel you don’t get intuitive messages, then you may simply be moving too quickly or doing too much multi-tasking. When there are 3 or 4 things going on in your head, there’s no space for that inner guidance to speak to you. Intuition is most readily available when we have silence or spaciousness in our heads. It also comes when we’re relaxed, enjoying and thinking about something else. Even Einstein said that his greatest ideas came to him when he was out for a walk or relaxing.

So, here’s what we recommend…

First, slow down. Intuitive knowledge cannot come to an agitated mind. When you’re running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off, stop, take a few breaths and ask for an intuitive answer. When we’re moving so fast that we’re “spinning,” we stop, take a breath and ask our higher self, “What do you want me to know right now?” 9 times out of 10, we get a profound answer because the contrast between the spinning and the silence allows a portal to open and your intuition to speak. Your intuition is a muscle that needs to be exercised or it can degenerate and then it takes longer to get it back up and running. As they say (whoever they is), “use it or lose it!!”

And we’ll end with a quote from one of our favorite actors, directors and authors, Alan Alda who said:

How has your intuition served you? Please share a comment below…