How to Access Your Intuition

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What is intuition, and does everyone have it — or is it a gift conferred upon some people only? A literal translation of “intuition” from the Latin is “in to you.” We interpret the “in to you” as knowledge that comes from sources other than books, classroom lectures, films, and other tangible transmissions of information.

Most people, in describing that they intuited a person’s state of mind — and sometimes even their actual or impending illness — cannot describe the process other than to say “I just felt it.” Essentially, it is a non-verbal, non-cognitive knowing of something actual or about to occur.

But where does intuition really come from? What is it rooted in?

I believe that intuition is sent to us from our higher selves — that wiser, knowing part of us hidden from view — to guide us toward our survival first, followed by the attainment of what is good and right for us and for others. As inner navigators, flashes of intuition are useful in helping us make our way through many of the complexities of living, to secure our survival while pointing us toward the Higher Good.

Many stories of personal success and achievement illustrate the beneficial results of “listening” to one’s intuition. And it is well known that many inventors have been moved to their discoveries in the middle of the night, in the absence of any external stimuli. It is inarguable, therefore, that that “certain something” can come powerfully to the rescue while we endeavor to survive, to help others survive, or to create other desirable outcomes.

While intuition may present itself as a gift bestowed only on special people, I believe that we all have intuitive powers. And, while it is a natural, inborn trait, many of us tend to lose touch with it as we grow into adulthood — we are conditioned by our parents and society into adopting concrete, tangible means of acquiring knowledge.

Most often, these layers of adaptation to our external world have taken hold of our psyches to the point of nearly replacing our original ability to intuit self, others, and life situations. In some, intuition has all but disappeared as we see them trust only in data-in, data-out — or, as Detective Sergeant Joe Friday used to say on Dragnet, a famous weekly TV series, “Only the facts, ma’am.”

And by the way, if only the facts suffice to nail a suspect or locate a missing child, then police departments from coast to coast would absolutely shun the help of psychics — individuals who possess unusually sharp intuitive abilities. So, because so many in law enforcement actually use the help of these gifted individuals when they feel stumped, and also because of the countless “incidents” where intuition saved someone’s life, we cannot deny its reality and potential benefits — despite all the scoffing and sneering from its old-fashioned detractors, who pride themselves only in rational, measurable knowledge.

“I get it,” you reply, “No argument from me… Intuition can be ignored, but it can’t be snuffed out. Great, but tell me this: how can I get me some?”

The good news is we can reclaim it with a little practice and allow ourselves to become much more proficient at accessing it to help improve our daily lives. A lot of people will use the expression “my gut says,” and that’s intuition at work.

The first thing you want to do to develop your intuition is to “listen to” and acknowledge any feelings you receive about anything — any person, any situation, anything you might anticipate. Diligently reflect on your internal atmosphere, and don’t dismiss any passing thought or feeling, and how it is affecting your body — your muscles, your posture, your way of breathing. Acknowledge your internal emotions, and explore them.

Think of recent times when you had a feeling or a hunch about something. Did you shrug it off (not useful), bury it (it’s in the way), and continue about your day? What happened later — did your hunch or gut feeling turn out to be a quiet but correct gauge on reality? We often tend to ignore these hunches or feelings. But to develop your intuition, you’ll need to start paying attention to them — no matter how small or trivial they may seem at the time.

So, sensitize yourself to that quiet, persistent voice within; listen to it; use it as another tool for your emotional comfort; and develop that intuition!

It will tell you how to guard yourself better, when to act, when to refrain from action, when to postpone your response if the situation is already heated but not urgent. If your stomach is in knots as an event approaches, or you are planning to meet someone, that’s a strong indication that something’s not right — it may be the timing, it may be the physical setting, or it may be one or more of the participants. It’s your job to uncover what is making you feel so uncomfortable, and that will tell you how you can remedy the situation. To intuit something wrong ahead of time is a wonderful tool to have, and to use.

So how can we be better equipped to receive intuitive information? The first step is quieting the mind.  Silence is the key.  Stop all thoughts and breathe deeply and just relax. When your mind is uncluttered, intuition can flow more easily. Have you ever been in a situation where you started to panic and you couldn’t think straight? That’s because your mind was out of control with too many thoughts and worries. By relaxing the mind and body, you allow your intuition to flow uncluttered. You can do this with any big decision or dilemma you may be facing.

After receiving intuitive information, you must learn to trust it. Begin trusting your intuition even though your left-brain is telling you otherwise. Too many times we are afraid of following our instincts because of what others may think or say or because it requires us to get out of our comfort zone. Act on it and see what happens.

If you have a question that needs answered here are two ways you can access your intuition. One is to go into a meditative state and silence all thoughts. Wait for an answer to come to you but don’t force it. If it doesn’t come right away, be patient. It may come later in the day or in a few days.

Another exercise you can do is right before going to bed: Ask yourself a question, and see if the answer comes to you in our dream state. It may come as an image or symbol, or you may wake up the next morning with the answer right in the forefront of your mind.

So, remember to remove fear from your decisions and trust your feelings, your awakening intuition!

Happy Explorations!