Maria explores how we connect with intuition
Summer is most people's favourite season, filled with sunshine, cherries and light-heartedness; but for some it could also be filled with many uncertainties as routine seems blissfully broken – think school holidays, longer days, work changes, etc.
As we take breaks and let our minds roam free, we are creating the ideal setting for our inner voice to surface and guide us through stress. We can use this month as an amazing opportunity to discover and reach into our own intuition.
What is intuition and how can it help us in times of uncertainty? Intuition is the capacity of knowing something without conscious reasoning: Our “gut feeling". It provides quick, big-picture insights that can help us make more holistic decisions. Intuition is based on previous experiences, “unknown” knowledge, that provides a quick sense of what is safe and tolerable. Using our intuition can ground us in moments when routine is no longer there to guide us.
To use our intuition, we must first access it. This isn't always easy in our noisy, day to day fast paced world. Even when you clearly hear your gut feeling, it may be difficult to act on it, especially if it doesn't make logical sense. Nevertheless, tapping into it can provide us with additional perspective to add to our here-and-now rational thought. Intuition can allow us to make better balanced decisions, especially in times of change.
How to connect with (and validate) your intuition
1. Carve out moments of silence in your day. This allows space for your intuition to emerge. You won’t need much time, waiting for a kettle to boil gives an ideal space to check on yourself - “How is today going so far?”.
2. Check on your stress levels. What part of today’s situation doesn’t feel right for you, what about this day is feeling stressful or unsafe? Notice your posture, your body responses.
3. Tap in self-regulation mode. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, maybe change your posture. You could ask yourself some guiding questions like “What would make me feel ok about this” Try not to panic on acting on the solution to that just yet… Hold the silence.
4. Listen without judgement. Begin to notice how your intuition communicates with you. Is it a specific sensation in your body? An internal voice? A vision? Try not to judge it or check whether this is a viable solution or not. Just allow it and be aware of it.
5. Journal and validate. You could try and write down what your gut feeling suggests, along with your hopes and fears without judgement. Once you start to recognize these signals as your own safety calls, you can increase your attentiveness and openness to them.
This will increase your awareness of yourself and can be a helpful tool to manage stress in times of uneasiness and change.
