Part 1: Is intuition really a thing?
If you are reading this now, you were most likely drawn in by your intuition. My question to you, my readers, is do you choose to tune in and follow these subtle nudgings, or do you ignore them?
Just to be clear: We all have intuition. It’s not something that some of us have, and some of us don’t.
I’m sure we have all had an experience where we felt a strong inclination to do something, trusted our gut in the moment, and escaped something that could have turned out to be unfavorable, or even disastrous.
But then, why don’t we continue to follow and trust our intuition at other times?
In this article and the ones to follow, I will spell out ways to recognize your intuition, how to receive guidance when you need it, and how to learn to be more discerning when you are being given a message that is truly meant to help you. Or…is it you, wishing for the answer you want? I know this can be challenging – especially when you are emotionally charged or invested in the outcome. Neutrality is the best place to come from.
I have struggled with discernment myself and so am eager to share my own experiences: How did I first become aware of my intuition? How have I developed and continue to develop and build my faith in it? Although it has taken me a while to build confidence, every decision I now make is based on tuning in, pausing, listening, and feeling what is coming through my body.
Becoming discerning is a matter of teaching your body to be your navigation system and guide (through your senses). When you make decisions, build relationships, manage finances or health issues, you are on a journey. Just like a tuning fork, your body can be programmed to feel into the subtle energies all around you. Truth has a specific frequency and so does untruth. And, it is through our life experiences that we perceive what someone might be telling us and / or what we are seeing or hearing. A phenomenon called “selective perception” teaches us that most humans see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear, based on our individual experience. If we aren’t clear about how we feel about something, we can be swayed easily. And so, the work is clearing away any interference that stands between you and your intuition, which comes directly from your connection with the Divine creator.
When I began my spiritual journey, I did not have the “developed” ability to differentiate among the energies that were showing up in my day-to-day life. I felt as though I had been brought to earth missing the parts that help me ferret out truths from lies. Now (after much work and time), I can feel truth like a rush of energy that floods me with warmth, a knowing that is undeniable. Sometimes, when I feel something really strongly, it gives me a jolt or makes me cry. And when I feel untruth, I barely feel anything.
I caution you not to compare yourself to me or anyone else when you are developing your own discernment muscle. We are all in different places of awareness and developmental stages. Remember: This is your journey.
If you are willing to surrender to the process and learn, I have no doubt you will be shown the way. All you need to do is turn off the noise and the influence that is all around you from religion, social conditioning, schools, parents, social media…the list goes on and on. Just show up, get quiet, and listen – within!
I suspect that most people think of intuition as a message (not necessarily audible) that you receive and that doesn’t sound like you. Or, you might perceive it as a warning that you feel in your gut. I see intuition basically the same way you do, but the difference is that I know it to be integral to who I am and to who I am meant to be – not something outside myself or different from me. I see it as important guidance for how I am meant to live my best life.
The way to seek guidance is to get quiet through meditation or just by being still, closing your eyes and asking a question. Then wait.
Many times, I have waited and felt I did not receive a response. This is when I (and many others, I bet) get confused (maybe angry). We might think no one is listening, and so we abandon the quest and seek our answer outside ourselves. This is where surrender and faith come into play. It takes time to develop trust in your higher self and in God – that you are being heard and that, when there is something you need to know, the answer (which is in your highest good) will come.
It is also important to release your expectations about the way in which the information will come to you. It may come through someone who has no connection to you at all. You may read something that answers your question, or you may get a call or bump into someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Suddenly, you’re hearing something you haven’t heard before. There are Angels all around us. They don’t have wings (at least that we can see), but they are messengers of the Divine who play a role in the invisible realm’s communications.
Think of your intuition as a tiny seed waiting to be developed. Plant this seed in your heart and set the intention that you are open to learning about your inner world. As your seed turns to seedling, so will your connection to the Divine. And, all of this is happening within, where intuition and guidance come from.
Continue to create the space for this internal communion to happen and watch as it grows and becomes stronger. Pay attention to opportunities that come to you that help you build your faith in yourself, your intuition, and your Angels and Guides, who are continuously sharing vital information with you that will show you the way.
Making the time and space in your day (on a regular basis) to connect with the Divine will boost your levels of support and mercy and increase your belief that you are worthy of abundance. You will be shown the way through seemingly unsurmountable difficulties. You will come out on the other side knowing that you are loved deeply into existence at every moment.
Think of a time when something came to you, without your initiating it, and you listened…or you didn’t and wished you had. The following parts of this article will offer some steps you can take to uncover and understand your intuition. Won’t you join me on this journey?
I will post the next article in a couple of weeks – Part 2: Learning to cultivate your intuition and how to receive guidance for your life’s journey.
Stay tuned!
