Intuition- How to develop

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Home The idea behind this blog ? Book notes: Good to Great by Jim Collins I m not sure where this rant came from and I may disavow it tomorrow ? Notes from Shakti Gawain, Developing Intuition, Practical Guidance for Daily Life Posted on May 13, 2012 by Liz Stinson Author: Shakti Gawain, Book: Developing Intuition, Practical Guidance for Daily Life The more I follow my intuition, the better I am able to care for myself. And the more things just fall into place. Following our intuition puts us in the flow a very live, productive, and desi rable state All these things began to open me to the non-linear, non-rational aspect of m y nature The practice of listening to and following my inner guidance became a very imp ortant part of my life. I ve discovered that listening to and using your intuition on a daily basis is one of the most important keys to self development. Chapter 1: What is intuition? There is a universal intelligent life y thing. It resides within each one of We can access this wonderful system of n an inner sense which tells us what ment.

force that exists within every one and ever us as a deep wisdom or an inner knowing. knowledge and wisdom through our intuitio feels right and true for us at any given mo

In fact, our intuition is a very practical, down-to-earth tool that is always av ailable to help us deal with the decisions, problems, and challenges of our dail y lives. Although the message may come through a bit at a time, if we learn to follow thi s information, step-by-step, the necessary course of action will be revealed. As we learn to rely on this guidance, life takes on a flowing, effortless quality. Our life, feelings, and actions interweave harmoniously with those of others ar ound us. Our intuition needs to be the guiding force in our lives Many of us have programm ed our intellect to doubt our intuition. When an intuitive feeling arises, our r ational minds immediately say, I don t think that will work or What a foolish idea. d the intuition is disregarded. We must train our intellect to respect, listen t o, and express the intuitive voice. Instinct vs. Intuition: Animals live by their instinct genetically programmed part of them, naturall y directs them toward survival. Instinctual behavior is usually similar in all m embers of a given species. Includes aggression and sexuality. As humans, we have suppressed a lot of these (i.e. disowned them). Humans also have intuition, which gives us access to a broader array of info rmation which helps us not only in survival but in personal growth, development, and higher purpose. Intuition is fine-tuned to our individual needs in any give n moment. Need to develop healthy balance of intellect, instinct, and intuition.

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An exercise to help you recall an intuitive feeling Get in a comfortable position, close your eyes Take a few slow, deep breaths See if you can remember a time you had a strong hunch, gut feeling, or feeli ng of knowingness about something How did it come to you? How did it feel? Did you follow the feeling? What happened as a result of following it or not following it? Write a little bit about this experience in your journal or notebook. Chapter 2: Becoming Aware

All of us have intuitive feelings all the time. Many of us automatically ignore, discount, or reject those feelings. This often happens unconsciously. We don t ev en realize that some deeper part of us may be trying to get our attention. You m ight get an instant, deep feeling in response to something this feels right to me ! Immediately after that, you might think, Whoa, that doesn t make sense. Or That woul d never work. Or I can t do that. Or What would my family think? Or I don t know anyt about that, I might make a fool out of myself. Pay attention to what s going on inside of you. So that you can become aware of th ese inner dialogues and catch them as they are happening or shortly thereafter. As you become more aware of your inner process, you will become aware of the in tuitive feelings as they pop up and begin to deal with them more consciously. Ne xt up: how to interpret intuitive feelings, how to act on them. Here are (some) different ways that people experience intuitive feelings When phone rings, knowing who is calling Thinking about someone, phone rings, and it s the person you were thinking of Sensing something coming in the mail Sensing that something important is coming Participating in sports, while at work, at school Knew you were going to hit home run or sink putt and did Scientists use hunches to figure out which line of inquiry to pursue Strong and immediate desire to leave party or do X Very successful people follow intuition; intuitive guidance can come through dre ams. When we follow intuition, we don t know what doing or why but there are usual ly some surprising results. Awareness exercise: try every night for a week or so Sit in quiet place where won t be disturbed Take a few slow deep breaths Allow body and mind to relax Think back to when first woke up this morning: how were you feeling? what we re you thinking about? what did you do after you woke up Slowly review day, anything significant happen? how felt? Just review it in a detached way as if watching a movie of your day Try to notice any time during day when might have had an intuitive feeling a bout something impulse, hunch, rightness, wrongness, knowing something, a lot of energy / enthusiasm / juice for a possible action or conversely a sense of deadn ess about a possible action. How did you handle that feeling? Pay attention or ignore? How did you feel a fterward? Let it all go; relax. This is an experiment in awareness in increasing consc

iousness of intuition. Don t judge or criticize self if not as advanced as you d lik e to be. Instead, appreciate yourself for your desire to develop and use this gi ft more. In general, when we follow an intuitive feeling, things tend to work out well. W e feel energized and enlivened and there is a sense of being in the flow of life . When we don t follow our intuition, we often feel somewhat depleted, depressed, or numb. And there may be a sense of being blocked, having to *push* to make thi ngs happen, or being out of the flow. (Later: will work to distinguish intuition from other feelings.) Chapter 3: Trusting Yourself We are taught from a young age Try to accommodate those around us Try to follow certain rules of behavior Suppress spontaneous impulses Do what is expected of us Look to outside authorities (family, religion, school, community values and mores, spouses, employers, doctors, lawyers, other experts, ) for guidance or dir ection, rather than looking inside ourselves INSTEAD of paying attention to own feelings and intuitions We can follow our gut feelings about who to go to for advice or support. If we w ere drawn to them, there is likely to be value for us. Then we can ponder what t hey say, paying attention to what s right for us. Open to learning and receiving g uidance from others without giving our power or authority away. Many of us have the pattern of being overly concerned about pleasing or caretaki ng of our families. Or being overly concerned with trying to live up to their ex pectations of us. We may be reluctant to even tune into our intuitive feelings i f we sense that following them might cause us to do things which might upset our friends or families. Things work out better when everyone can express their nee ds and feelings, including their intuitive feelings. Can you remember a time when you had an intuitive feeling about something but di sregarded it and followed another person s advice. How did you feel about it after wards? How did things work out? Write a bit about this experience. Chapter 4: Accessing Intuition Many of us are aware of spontaneously having intuitive flashes from time to time . Our intuitive wisdom is always there inside of us. And it is always trying to come through to guide us. Most of us just don t know how to access it at will on a regular basis. Here is a basic meditation for getting in touch with your intuitive guidance Find a quiet peaceful place where you will be undisturbed for a few mins Sit or lie down in comfortable position Close your eyes Take a deep breath. As you exhale slowly, relax your body Take another deep breath. As you exhale, relax your body a little bit more. Take another deep breath. As you exhale, try to relax your body as much as p ossible. If any place in your body feels tight or tense, gently breath into that area and allow it to release and relax. Now take another deep breath. As you exhale, relax your mind. Let your thoug hts just drift away. As each new thought comes into your mind, let it go. Take another deep breath. As you exhale, imagine that you can move your awar

eness out of your mind, out of your head, and drop it into your body. Let it rest in the solar plexus of your body Take another deep breath. As you exhale, let your awareness move into a very quiet, deep place within. Keep repeating this until you come to rest in the deepest, quietest place yo u can find. Let yourself rest in this quiet place inside. In this quiet place inside, you naturally have access to your intuitive inne r guidance. A wise part of you that lives within this deep place within you. It knows ex actly what you need at every moment. Ask yourself, What do I most need to remember or be aware of right now? Or you could ask: What direction do I need to go right now? Show me my next step. How do I need to take care of myself? Should I take a job I ve been offered. After you ask this question, just rest quietly and be open to what might com e. If a thought, feeling, or image comes to you in response, notice it. Just take whatever comes and be with it for a little while. It s not necessary to understand it. Just be with it in a receptive way. Don t try to make anything happen. Trying gets in the way of the process. Trus t your own experience. When you feel complete with the process for now, begin to notice your breath again. Become aware of how your body feels. Notice your surroundings. If you wish you can write down whatever you experienced or what message you received. Otherwise, contemplate your experience a bit. Practice following any intuitive impulses you have and notice how they work out. Don t try to make anything amazing happen. Just listen a little more deeply than u sual for your own sense of truth. Try not to get caught up in needing to have an immediate answer. You may be in-process. Inner guidance usually just lets us kn ow what we need to do in the moment. Sometimes it s telling us just to wait, be pa tient, hang in there. When clarity is meant to come, it will. If you feel really blocked for a long period of time, you probably need to d o some emotional healing work. Find a good therapist or support group and begin learning to experience and express your emotions. You can learn to check in with your intuition at regular points in the day. Develo p the habit to pause several times during the day to tune into what your intuiti on may be telling you. Go into the bathroom or Take a moment to sit or Walk outd oors. Exercise: Take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Notice what s on your mind, what you have been thinking about Notice how your body is feeling right now How are you feeling emotionally? Do you feel like you are more or less following the flow of your energy? Or do you feel stressed, conflicted, or out of sorts? Take another deep breath, exhale slowly. Let your awareness move into a deep place inside. Is there anything you need to pay attention to that would help you feel more connected to yourself? Any gut feeling you need to be aware of? Enjoy a moment of rest before you carry on. Just the fact that you are taking a moment to tune into yourself will be deeply healing. Will make you more present and hence more likely to be tuned into our f

eelings. You will begin to develop and deepen a relationship to your intuitive s elf. And intuition will come to you more frequently, more clearly, more visibly, more easily. Put little reminders where you are likely to see them to remind yourself to do t his exercise at regular times during the day. Something which conveys to you the feeling of connecting to your intuition. Maybe move the reminders around period ically so that they stay fresh and visible. You can apply the intuitive check in a t many different instances. Develop habit of checking intuitive messages frequen tly. Chapter 5: Acting on Intuition What makes it difficult to follow intuition: We are only instructed on what to do in the moment. We can t see how/why/what this path leads to and why we are meant to take it. Fear of acting on our gut; Conflicting feelings or voices on the matter; Feeling of moving into the unknown Challenge: to infer that our intuition is telling us NOT to do something. We may try to make ourselves do it but it may not work. We often think there s somet hing wrong for us. Also disconcerting: the energy doesn t seem to be moving in any direction at a ll. Maybe you aren t meant to be DOING anything right this minute As we keep following our inner guidance, a path evolves. How to build trust in i ntuition? Start by taking small steps what movie to see, what restaurant to go to, who m to call, what to do that night When faced with simple choice or decision, briefly quiet your mind and go in side. Instead of making your decision based on logical choice or reason, what you think is correct, or what others might feel, try to go by what your intuitive fe eling tells you. Get in the habit of checking your intuition and developing trust in yourself . Make a practice too of noticing how you feel after following your intuition. Do this in the spirit of adventure! Notice also how things work out If you think you are following your intuition and yet things don t work out well ( or you don t find much value), You may be misinterpreting your inner guidance You may be following a different feeling or voice that is actually not intui tion You may be following your intuition but it s a more complex process st haven t gotten the full big picture yet

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Exercise: List every reason you can think of about why you are afraid or doubtfu l about acting on your intuition. (Keep updating as you think of others.) Exercise: For some pre-defined period of time, allow yourself to pretend that yo u are absolutely trustworthy in every intuitive inclination you feel and ACT tha t way. Let go of your doubts. Chapter 6: Interpreting Intuitive Messages It s not always easy to understand what your intuition is saying or what direction it s trying to move you. Your true intuition is always correct but you may not al ways know how to interpret it correctly. Ways in which you may experience your i

ntuition: A feeling of rightness or wrongness A deep gut feeling An inner knowing Energy we sense that our life energy is trying to move us in a certain direc tion or BLOCK us from a certain direction Generally it s a very normal and natural feeling, as in: I want to do this or on t want to do that

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Almost always a feeling of uncertainty or risk involved in following intuition. Rarely feels like a sure thing. Relax, take experimental approach, pay attention t o what works or doesn t work. Take in the feedback that life gives you and learn f rom it. When following intuition, you feel like you re in the flow of life. Things open up smoothly and easily. You feel like you re in the right place at the right time do ing the right thing. You may experience synchronicity with people and events. Th ings might happen miraculously. May get profound sense of Higher Power acting in the situation. When life is following smoothly like this, we are getting great feedback that we are following our intuition properly. Sometimes we find ourselv es on a much bumpier road. Our intuition often leads us down a very different pa th than we expected. Our intuition may advise us to take a different path than r ational logic would suggest. Or we might end up at a different place than we tho ught we were headed. Our intuition might lead us right into the challenge that we hope to avoid. Some thing difficult or seemingly disastrous brings a wonderful result. Sometimes may need to let go of something we are very attached to. Or we may feel that our li ves are falling apart. If you re not sure, you can ask your intuition for clarity equest to be blocked if moving in wrong direction or for a sign. The surest and most reliable way to know whether you are following your intuitio n is that when you do so, you feel more alive. When you are listening to your in tuition and acting on them, you keep your channel open so that the life force ca n keep flowing. You literally have more energy moving through you. Living in the present moment. When you don t follow your intuition, you may find that you feel a certain heaviness, lack of interest, deadness. This is b/c the life force is t rying to come through and move you in a certain way but it is being blocked. Whe n we aren t following our life energy, life feels like a struggle. So in order to suss out your eel a certain aliveness more energy for the thing? If you with a feeling of depression

intuitive feelings on something, test whether you f with one of the options. I.e. what is your natural don t act on an intuitive feeling, you might be left or numbness, loss of energy or power.

What blocks intuition? Fear or self doubt If we pay attention to what enlivens us, it sometimes comes from expressing a di fferent part of ourselves than we are used to expressing. Quite often when people begin paying attention to inner guidance may not get any message at all. Surrender into a time of being. Let go of all of the need-to-be -doing. After relaxing, our energy will be replenished and moved into new direct ion. Our energy moves and rests. We must rest. Energy Awareness Exercise: Make a practice of noticing how you feel when you fol low your inner guidance and when you don t. Chapter 7: Distinguishing Intuition from Other Voices

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How do I distinguish my intuition from all the other thoughts and feelings going on inside me? She learned from Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone. We each have many different selves. Each one has its own distinct energy and voice. Through the voice dialogue process, we can learn to dialogue with these inne r voices and learn why they are there, how they feel, and what they have to offe r us. This can bring us awareness about what is really going on inside of us. (This also reminds me of Caroline Myss s Sacred Contracts book which is all ab out the multiple archetypes we each contain/embody.) We are called to DEVELOP and EXPRESS as many of these different ARCHETYPAL perso nalities as possible. If you are overly identified with action and achievement, you need to develop the opposite polarity (relaxation and play). In so doing, yo u will actually be enhancing your action and achievement strengths. We have primary selves. There are certain other selves that we are afraid of, as hamed of, or try to keep hidden. These are our disowned or shadow selves. Accord ing to Dr. Gawain, these are often the opposites of our primary selves. Our prim ary selves make most of our decisions and run our lives. Their objective is to k eep us safe and to make us as successful as possible. How do we become conscious of the many selves within us and keep them balanced i n our lives? Begin to recognize and become aware of our primary selves.Don t want to be tot ally identified with these selves. Want to see them as ENERGIES WITHIN US rather than WHO WE ARE. What qualities are you most identified with? Can you identify the personalities that make most of your decisions and run your life? You may have primary self: CARETAKER. You may find yourself automaticall y doing this without making a conscious decision. Once you become CONSCIOUS of t his, you can have more CHOICE in the matter. This is called developing Aware Ego disowned selves come forth. Our lives work better as we integrate the energy of previously disowned selves. As you begin to become aware of the different energies operating within you, you can learn to distinguish them from intuition. If you are feeling that you SHOULD take some particular action, that is probably your inner rule maker or perfectionist, not your intuition If you are feeing SELF CRITICAL or JUDGMENTAL of OTHERS, that is your in ner critic or judge definitely not your intuition. Intuition NEVER guides us with an authoritarian or critical edge. It doe sn t impose rules. It never feels heavy handed or burdensome. It never makes us fe el guilty. It s not self indulgent or rebellious. Intuitive guidance brings a feeling of enlightenment, even release. It f eels good in our heart and soul. It feels like exactly the right step to take in the moment. It s very important to distinguish between our FALSE CRAVINGS and ADDICTIONS vs. o ur true intuitive impulses. We are lured by false cravings when we are not consc ious of our true needs and desires OR when we do not know how to fulfill them. W e must heal our addictive patterns because they keep us from being aware of what we truly want and need. Workaholism, obsession with relationship, Even meditati on. Anything we do habitually to avoid the pain. Addiction: anything we unconsciously do to attempt to fill the emptiness ins ide This emptiness can only be filled by the things we really need. In order to

FILL those needs, we must FEEL them. Our intuitive feelings often come to us from our bodies. Chapter 8: Intuition and Emotions Feeling == our intuitive promptings Feeling == our emotions Vulnerable sensitive child within us. Carries our emotional needs. Playful child within us. Angry self that feels afraid. Primary self: one we identify with and show to the world. The more we allow ourselves to be in touch with our emotional feelings, the easi er it is to be in touch with our intuitive feelings. When we are in the flow emo tionally, our intuition comes through more easily. Once we are aware of our emot ional feelings, it s not too difficult to distinguish them from our intuitive feel ings. Each emotion has a particular energy; and our intuition has a unique energ etic vibration as well. We may feel these differently in our bodies. Our emotion s and intuition often go hand in hand. If we have disowned our emotions, how do we do our emotional healing work? Need someone supportive that we can talk to about our feelings. If you sense that you have some blocked emotion, try working with a good therapist. Exercise: To get in touch with your emotions. When you wake up in the morning, p ut your attention in the middle of your body. Ask yourself, How are you feeling e motionally right now? Try to distinguish your FEELINGS from the THOUGHTS you are having in your head. Are you feeling peaceful, excited, anxious, sad, angry, joy ful, frustrated, guilty, loving, lonely, fulfilled, serious, playful, ? If there seems to be an anxious or upset feeling inside of you, go into that feeling and give it a voice. Ask it to talk to you and tell you what it s feeling. Make an eff ort to hear it and listen to its point of view. Be sympathetic, loving, and supp ortive. Ask what you can do to take care of yourself at this time. Repeat this e xercise before you go to bed at night and any other time it feels appropriate. Chapter 9: Intuition and the Body One way to get more in touch with your intuition is to get more in touch with yo ur body. The more you feel your body and listen to the signals it is giving you, the more it helps you get in touch with your intuition. Meditation helps, espec ially if you can drop your awareness from your head to your heart. Out of the in tellect and into your intuitive self. Intuition can be experienced in the body: in your gut, heart, hands, goosebumps, some may feel being physically pulled in some direction, like a magnet. When meditate on various areas of your life (work, spouse, children, home, c ommunity, friends, parents, ), do you experience anxiety at any point? If so, div e deeper into that area in order to pinpoint the exact cause of the stress. It m ight be Work > Project X > I m haunted by sense that X is doomed to failure You might sense that you are on the right track when you feel excitement in your b ody (this is not the same thing as ego-driven gratification, which feels differe nt). Also, feel peaceful, content, and calm. Exercise: Over a period of at least a week, make a note in your journal of every time you feel an intuitive impulse or hunch through your body. Also keep a reco rd of the times when your intuitive feelings were validated. The more you practi ce recognizing this sort of experience in your body, the easier it will be to re cognize your intuition. Your ability to use your intuition on a daily basis will increase.

Body-talk exercise: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, take a deep breat h, let yourself sink into the floor or chair; feel supported by the earth below you. Gradually allow your mind to grow quiet. Take another deep and allow your b ody to feel held and protected like it is surrounded by light and warmth. Take a nother deep breath and ask your body, What would you like to tell me at this time ? If you are troubled by illness or aches or pains, ask your body what the illnes s or aches are trying to tell you. Be patient and breath deeply. As you inhale, allow your body to feel the nurturing healing properties of the oxygen you take in. When you exhale, release any anxiety. Bring yourself to a deeper place withi n your body. Notice any feelings, images, or sensations you receive. Now, ask yo ur body, How can I relieve these concerns? Notice any feelings, sensations, and im ages. Now take a deep breath and thank your body for the information it has give n you. When you feel comfortable and ready, open your eyes and make some notes i n your journal about any info you received. Make sure to note how your body comm unicated to you. Chapter 10: Intuition and Work Intuition can be a great aid in your work. Can help you process info, make bette r decisions, take care of yourself, and interact with people more successfully. Following your intuitive guidance supports your creativity. Great source for dis covering and creating work that will satisfy you. Can use intuition to guide you rself to your right purpose. May take time, though. Good to explore the things t hat really turn you on Here are some exercises for discovering your passion: Follow any impulses you have in the direction of your true work, play, creat ive desires even if it seems totally unrealistic. Follow the impulse anyway in th e spirit of opennese and adventure. List any fantasies you ve had around work, career, or creativity. Beside that list, make another list of the ACTION STEPS you plan to take to explore these fa ntasies. Write an ideal scene picture of your ideal career. Write it in the present t ense as if it were already true. Put in description and details. Put it away som eplace. Cut out pictures you come across or articles that pertain to your desires. C ollect in large envelope to develop a clearer picture of what you re looking for. Possibly create a collage out of these. Look at it often, let it inspire you. Chapter 11:

The Art of Following Intuition

It s an art requires a certain commitment. Challenged to move to a deeper level of self trust. Allowing intuition to guide us a new way of life. At times, may feel uncomfortable or frightening especially if we have been conditioned to follow l ife in a completely rational manner. Learning to tune into and trust our inner t ruth is a major shift, which may take some time. And it may be a little difficul t or confusing in certain moments. It s important to be very compassionate to ours elves. We may be very aware of the conflicting voices inside of us. We ought to acknowledge and honor all of our inner voices. The more we practice our intuitio n, the more faith that we get. Because we see that it actually does work. Our li ves are actually getting better and better Intuition likely to push you to take some appropriate risks. Intuition may t ell you that there is something within you that is trying to come through. Allow yourselves to fantasize about something you ve always wanted to do (e.g. start yo ur own business). Follow any impulse you have to move in this direction. You may find that your process of making decisions changes. Rather than just trying to figure things out in your head, follow your intuitive process a littl e and let things unfold.

If you have a problem to solve or a desire to fulfill, try turning it over t o your intuition. Consciously ask your intuition to guide you in this process. Y our intuition may draw you to certain activities, which may give you what you we re seeking. Our intuition is always guiding us to our own highest good and to the greatest g ood of all involved. In the process of learning to trust intuition, some people may go through a period where their life feels like it s falling apart. These are signs that letting go of old identity. It s a matter of TRUSTING that there is a d eeper perfection in the process. New forms of relationship, creativity, and work will come into being. Obtain emotional support while going through these change s! You may need to seek out people who are interested in personal growth. Learni ng to follow your intuition can feel a bit like living on the edge. Gradually, we become less afraid and more comfortable with uncertainty. We can learn to enjoy n ot knowing. Relieved of false sense of control. We can learn to move into the unknown with the confidence that we have a guiding force within us that is showing us the way! Final meditation: repeat as often as you like! Relax your body. Take another deep breath and relax your mind. Continue to breath slowly and deeply. Let go of all tension and anxiety. As you relax, find yourself in a deep quiet place inside. Allow yourself to just rest in that place. Imagine that you are following your own energy feeling it, trusting it, movi ng with it in every moment of your life. You are being completely true to yourself. Speaking and living your truth. You feel alive and empowered. Imagine that you are expressing your creativity fully and freely. And let yo urself enjoy the experience. ******************************************************************************** **************************************************************

Intuition is the space between your thoughts, when the mind lets go and surrende rs to the present moment. There are 7 steps that you can use to strengthen and exercise your intuition. 1.Your intellect! Thoughts are the starting point as everything begins with thought. Pay attention and listen to what you are saying and thinking. 2. Imagination. Imagination plays a key role in nearly everything we do. It is the ability to pi cture things in our head, things that are not visible around us. Visual symbols and shapes are vital to stimulating inner growth. Imagination is the gateway to awareness. 3. Trusting your gut. Have you noticed that our culture does not value intuition? They value logic and reasoning and so we loose our connection to intuition and a very young age. We have been conditioned to look outside for the answers. Do you realize that you g ive away your power to people you think have all the answers. For example, docto rs and healers may have all the information you need and it may be right but we should be open to taking it in and ask if this feels right for us. Nobody knows what's true for you as well as you know in your soul.

4. Awareness - This simply means living your life consciously. When we do this and give full attention to each and every moment in our life, we begin to glow in our own light and truth. 5. Meditation. This is when the body can reduce stress and concentration becomes easier and mor e effective. Your ability to learn expands and you enhance your creative powers. You also achieve an overall feeling of well being. Remember to really hear your inner voice you have to learn to be silent. 6. Dreams. They are your greatest source of self help. They can express and teach creativit y, reinforce learning, work on problems, and open the door to deeper spiritualit y. Dreams are therapeutic and healing. 7. Practice- Practice-Practice... Think of intuition as a muscle that must be used to gain strength. So let's do s ome exercises! Exercise 1 Take a look at what you are wearing right now. Do you know what your clothes may be telling you? As I mentioned in article two, your clothes, especially the col ors will always tell you something about the energy that you may need at this ti me in your life. o Are you listless and tired? o Are your clothes and colors reflecting that? o What color do you think you could put on to change your energy to something di fferent? o What is your intuition telling you about how you look and feel right now? Are you willing to listen to it? o Is there someone close by? If so, look at what they are wearing and ask your i ntuitive self to give you some feedback on what you see. Part 2. Think of a question that you want an answer to. For ex: Will it rain in your city before the next snowfall? Pretend that the color of the blouse/shirt y ou are wearing is the answer to the question OR any other object you want to use . o Describe the color, any memories you may have associated with it, what the col or means to you in this moment and how your perception of the color has changed during this exercise. o Simply allow yourself to notice images, symbols and other impressions. Do you feel the color would mean a yes or a no to you right now? Pretending and being able to make things up are very important skills to work on in gaining control of your intuition. Intuition is really just information gath ering. Don't try to figure everything out. Exercise 2 Do you ever notice animals or birds when driving or sitting outside? Did you eve r stop and ask yourself why they suddenly came into your line of vision & what t

hey could mean? Here are some common meanings that you may want to consider next time an animal comes into your line of vision or space. What is the first word that comes into your mind when you read the words below? Do they fit with the ones I have given or did your word feel better to you? Dogs- friendship, loyalty, unconditional love Cats- independence, freedom, march to your own drums Rabbits- timid, shy, fertility, abundance, growth Crows- Spiritual laws, intelligence Horses- Power, freedom, inner strength Butterfly- Transformation Are you starting to realize that when we use our intuition we are really operati ng without a safety net? There is no logic, common sense to this. Know that what you sense, feel, perceive and dream has some meaning. There is always a reason we notice what we do and that we don't notice everything else. The same object viewed by two people can mean two very different things. Just al low your meanings of the symbols to come to you, and this may take time. It also takes an open mind, even if at first you have to pretend that the symbols are s ignificant. Allow things to be meaningful and they become meaningful. Exercise 3 Start an intuition notebook and write your experiences in a book. Write on how s ome daily or other impressions you had may have answered your question. oPractice on things like; who is on the other line when the phone rings? oWhich elevator will arrive first? oWill the next traffic light be green, red or yellow? oFocus on a call you would like to receive from someone and you will suddenly he ar from them! oIf the doorbell rings and you're not expecting anyone, who do you think it is? You'll be amazed at how accurate your "guesses " can be. As little children we had no trouble pretending. Pretending often precedes faith and before we know it, we no longer need to pretend. If we insist on our experience of the world making sense, we will deprive oursel ves of valuable intuitive data. You must be willing to make mistakes. When you f ollow your intuition you will gain a feeling of power and energy and more import antly a wonderful spiritual connectedness to all things in your life.

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Exercises For Developing Your Intuition lotusSome of these exercises will be probably be more effective and joyful for y ou than others. Experimentation is part of developing your intuition. Use those exercises that you enjoy and feel free to change others to fit your needs. If you want to enhance your learning, keep an Intuition Journal. A Journal will help you keep a record of what has happened, evaluate your intuition, and learn what exercises work well for you. Exercise 1. Work with direct (literal) intuition. Find a place to sit comfortably. Follow your breath by counting '1' on the inhale and '2' on the exhale. When you are relaxed and quiet, identify an event or situation that you'd li ke more insight about. Focus on the event or situation intently for a few minutes. Ask for a direct intuitive experience about it in the near future. Let it go. Exercise 2. Work with indirect (symbolic) intuition. Get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Ask yourself, "What does my life need right now?" three times in row, pausin g between each question. Imagine you are going toward a more meaningful answer e ach time you ask. When you've finished with the 3 rd question, pick up your pen and draw one s ymbol on your paper. Interpret this symbol. What does it suggest you add, subtract, or enjoy from your life? Exercise 3. Learn to look for and pay attention to intuition's subtle messages. Invest in your sixth sense. Imagine that your eyes, ears, hands, skin, emoti ons, and intellect could stretch out into the invisible world and capture sensat ions, information, inspiration, knowledge, and wisdom like a cable or a cell pho ne captures invisible waves of sounds and images. Let yourself 'walk' through your day sensitive to other dimensions. Exercise 4. Choose a sense to work with. (Intuition uses the senses to describe or receive information and or knowledge. Choose one and practice with others as you see fit.) Your Intuitive Body Make a date with yourself on your calendar and allow 2 -3 hours. When the time comes, get in your car (or if you are without a car, you can w alk) and begin to drive without knowing where you are going. Resist the first few 'ideas' you have about where you are going. Wait for th e idea that makes your body very relaxed. Your body is your best barometer of wh at is right-if your choice arises from intuition, you will experience inner stil lness, silence, and 'knowing' it is right. When the barometer is correct, go visit the person, place, or event that is suggested. Your Intuitive Eye Sit quietly anywhere, any time.

Relax your eyebrows and forehead. Let the muscles of your face 'melt' into ease. Inhale and exhale rhythmically. With your inner eyes, create a vision of you radiating health and happiness to every part of your body and to all those around you. Your Intuitive Ear Pretend that you have an inner DJ and invite your DJ to play a song which is relevant for you. Listen to what you hear-it maybe only a few words-and ask why your intuition chose that song at this moment. Exercise 5. Work with dreams and altered states. Before you go to bed at night or lay down to rest during the day, put a pen and paper next to you. After you lay down, mentally ask your intuition for a dream or day dream ima ge that will benefit your life and the lives of those around you. Repeat your request as often as possible before you drift off. When you wake up, even if you don't remember any thing specific, write or dr aw whatever comes into your mind. Look over and evaluate what you receive. Act on the advice where appropriate . Repeat as needed. Exercise 6. Ask a question. Ask yourself: If I knew I would receive help from my intuition, what is it I am most concerned about or most interested in growing now-relationship skills, rewarding career, personal evolution, financial stability, etc. Formulate a question and ask it internally as often as you can. Exercise 7. Focus your love. Find a spot to sit comfortably. Identify something you really love to do or a place that you love. Using your imagination, allow what you identified to 'fall into' your heart area and nest there for the duration of the exercise. Inhale on the count of '1' and exhale on the count of '2' however imagine th at it is your heart that is breathing. Allow your 'heart breath' to caress your thoughts as it moves in, through, a nd around the nest. After 5 minutes of caressing the thing or place your love, invite your thoug hts to return to your head area. Focus on your breathing heart. Use your intuitive senses to know what gift of understanding has been left o r been born in the nest. If nothing is there, let it go for the moment. Exercise 8. Practice with real situations. On a clear day, the light of the sun comes long before the sun itself rises. Imagine a question which is like the first rays of light; it is a good question , but the real question has not yet risen. Observe the first question while you patiently wait for a more valuable and real question to emerge. Record the real question and begin to work with it.

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