Creating Your Dream Life: Practical Intuition

by Marelisa · View Comments

(“Alone”; courtesy of *Gabisa Motonia)

Intuition, hunches, gut response, and instinct are different ways of referring to the ability to perceive information without relying solely on logic and on your five senses. In Intuition: The Path to Inner Wisdom, Patricia Einstein defines intuition as “an inner awareness and a sense of knowing that is outside the realm of logical thought”. Rational, “linear” thought is incomplete and needs the support of intuition. The Greeks were great logical thinkers, but they consulted the Oracles. Einstein asserted that scientific truth is revealed first by intuition, and then verified by logic.

Laura Day, author of Practical Intuition explains that she has been consulted by doctors, lawyers, politicians, CEO’s, and investors to predict things such as: finding lost objects, analyzing stock offerings, and developing courtroom strategies and anticipating the questions of opposing counsel. In fact, studies show that executives who rely on both logic and intuition surpass their colleagues who rely on logic alone. Everyone is intuitive, albeit to different degrees, and using your intuition can help you enhance every area of your daily life.

Developing your intuition can help make you more aware of how others feel and it can help you identify when others are lying.  In addition, a well developed intuition can help you make better and quicker decisions, as well as help you to get in touch with what you really want.

Use Your Intuition to Check In With Yourself

Laura Day suggests that use your intuition to help you get more in touch with yourself by recording your first response to each of the following questions:

  • In this moment, what do you want?
  • In this moment, what do you need?
  • In this moment, what is your greatest fear?
  • In this moment, what is your greatest wish?
  • In this moment, what would you need to be happy?
  • In this moment, with what part of your life are you most satisfied?
  • In this moment, in what part of your life would you most like to see change in the coming year?

Ask yourself one of these questions, turn on a tape recorder,  and simply begin talking without censoring yourself, without worrying about grammar, and without stopping to ask whether what you’re saying makes any sense. If you slow down or pause, you’re rational mind will interfere in the process. Simply allow yourself to report what you’re picking up in response to the question. Afterward you can listen back to the tape and record anything that jumps out at you in a notebook.

Developing Your Intuition can Make You More Creative

“I shut my eyes in order to see.” — Paul Gaugin

Your intuition can lead to creative breakthroughs. Patricia Einstein explains that intuition and creativity are very much related since they’re both children of the right brain hemisphere. Both creativity and intuition encourage you to look at the familiar in a new, alternate way. By developing one quality you naturally develop the other. Andrei Ridgeway shares in his book, Psychic Living, that when he’s writing stories he picks a Tarot card and then uses his intuition to interpret it in order to help him shape the plot of the story and invent new characters. Intuition can give you the extra input you need to work through creative blocks and envision new ideas and projects. In fact, what many people call their “muse”, is actually their intuition.

Other Uses of Intuition

In addition to helping you reconnect with yourself and make you more aware of what you truly want and need, as well as helping you solve problems in a creative way and come up with new ideas, Sonia Choquette explains in The Psychic Pathway: A Workbook for Reawakening the Voice of Your Soul that intuition can help you with things such as:

  • Finding a reliable baby sitter for your child.
  • Deciding which job offer is a better fit and a better opportunity for you.
  • Identifying the best activities on which to devote your time.
  • Connecting with people who have the potential to become good friends.
  • Choosing the best foods for you.

How to Develop Your Intuition

Patricia Einstein advices that you put yourself in the state of awareness Zen teachers call “beginner’s mind”, which is an open and receptive state of mind. She adds that when you’re performing any rote activity, such as going for a walk, ironing, doing the dishes, taking a shower, and so on, you say the following to yourself: “I’m opening to my intuition; insights and ideas are flowing to me now.” Then get into the rhythm of whatever you’re doing and flow with it. You may be amazed at the insights you receive.

Yet another method is to consult oracles, such as the I Ching, runes, or, as we’ve already mentioned, tarot cards. Some say that tarot cards were created by Persian mystics to preserve esoteric teachings; instead of writing in books the mystics would conceal their insights in symbolic patterns and secret codes. The I Ching is one of the oldest books in the world. It consists of sixty-four small chapters—known as hexagrams—each of which prescribes a particular style of action. Runes consist of 24 stones, each carrying a letter from the Runic alphabet, which has its origins in Latin and Etruscan culture. Using the Runes is very simple: you simply put your hand in the bag, select a stone, and then use your intuition to interpret it.

Meditation will help you to focus inwardly and still your mental chatter so that you can better access your inner knowledge.  In addition, the The Silva Life System can show you how to control and slow down your brain’s rhythm to the Alpha brain wave level. Slowing down your brain’s rhythm is conducive to creative thinking and intuition, and is excellent for problem solving, as well as for finding new ideas.

Conclusion

Learn to use your intuition as an information gathering process. By relying on your intuition you expand your awareness and you direct your subconscious to pick up on cues from the environment. It’s important to remember that, like anything else in life, you have to be willing to make mistakes. As you learn to trust your intuition you’ll become more effective at accurately interpreting the messages your subconscious is sending you.  Instead of relying solely on logical analysis and data compilation, begin to integrate intuition into your decision making.

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  • I've relied entirely on my intuition for as long as I can remember, although I'm a very logical-minded person. As a child I predicted certain personal life and even general events 15 years in advance, while people around me said I was nuts.
    But I made my decisions according to my gut feelings and they proved crucial, despite the fact that it wasn't what I wanted to do or produced the results I hoped for.

    The way I see it, intuition is subconscious perception of signs, phenomena, information etc invisible to conscious mind. Then our unconscious processes the gathered data, works out the answer or message and sends it to our conscious mind. That's when we get gut feelings, premonitions or misgivings. Curiously, my bad vibes prove to be right much more often than good ones (the law of universal injustice, I guess).

    For example, when I see a person for the first time I know (in general) to what extent I can trust them, because my brain automatically processes the data their face, body, voice etc provide.

    I believe everyone has intuition you just have to listen out for it, though the degree of perception varies from person to person. Inner voice and rational thinking are the best decision making tools.

    As for feminine/masculine intuition, I think it has to do with self-confidence and the courage to rely on your own intelligence, which is more common among men, rather than with sex.
    However, we shouldn't forget that to err is human, therefore trust but verify.
    .-= Stella´s last blog ..A fix for the Get Answers gadget. =-.
  • Mare
    @Irene: That's something Laura Day points out: your intuition is never wrong, the problem is that people misinterpret it (because it comes in fragments and tends to be symbolic rather than literal) or they chose to ignore it. I'm glad you like my blog, I visited yours yesterday and I think it's great.
  • Hi Marelisa,

    This is my first visit to your site ... you've got cool stuff here! I'm a big fan of intuition. I don't remember it ever failing me, but I do remember the times when I failed myself by not listening to it! Ouch.

    Irene | Light Beckonss last blog post..Ask Why
  • Mare
    @Lance: Hey, you're back! I guess our ego doesn't like listening to another, much wiser voice.
  • What a wonderful post Marelisa! For me, it's easy to sometimes try and stomp out the intuition I hear in my head - but why? I need to listen more. You've provided some great things to try - actually I'm afraid of how I may answer some of the questions. So, I will have to ease myself into this.

    Lances last blog post..The Power of Love
  • Mare
    Hey Mark: So, you decided to ignore your intuition? I think we've all been there :-)
  • Hi Marelisa,

    Thanks for this post. I'm a big believer in intuition - mainly because not too long ago I went against it and paid the price. I've been looking for more reading material about it, so thanks!!

    Mark - Creative Journey Cafes last blog post..Appreciation for Randy Pausch
  • Mare
    @Anne: You're right; your intuition can help you with the questions "what do I need right now?" and "what's the most constructive action I can take at this moment?"
  • As Panther said, I've learned to listen to that "little voice" when making certain kinds of decisions; it always backfires when I don't. Sometimes it's even a physical sensation - I guess that's why they call it a "gut check".

    I've also used intuition to check in with myself when I need to quiet anxiety, specifically when I want to turn to food to self-medicate. I try to find something else that will help me calm down.

    Ann at One Bag Nations last blog post..Does Being Productive Mean “doing more work”?
  • Mare
    @Kelly: I agree that it comes down to self-trust. A lot of people are living outside of their bodies since they're so focused on the outside world and have lost their inner focus. I think life becomes easier and less complicated when we listen to ourselves.

    @Vered: Yes, when the ideal is for each person --regardless of sex--to develop both their analytical and their intuitive skills to their full potential.

    @Chris: I see, so her intuition works as an inner voice for the two of you :-)
  • My wife is great at using her intuition and I have learned to trust it. As for me, I'm still a work in progress.

    chriss last blog post..I’m Back
  • @ Mare and Al: Interesting! Much like women were taught to rely MORE on intuition and less on logic, I guess.

    Vereds last blog post..Powerful Men, Half-Naked Women (Best Shot Monday)
  • I have lived by my intuition most of my adult life and I think so much of it comes down to confidence. Confidence to trust ourselves and that inner voice. I'm not saying I don't intellectualize or use logic because I do, but when it comes down to the final call on a decision I know that I can't ignore my gut.

    And in a way it won't let me because the few times that I've made a memorable decision based on other data, like what a colleague or friend has logically argued, I have felt utterly sick about it. Lain awake at night, worried and anxious just knowing I did the wrong thing.

    I really have my mum to thank for teaching me at an early age that my inner voice and those niggles in my gut are always right. Her family has quite a few mediums and psychics and I guess it flows on from that.

    Loved the article. Thanks Marelisa.

    Kelly
  • Mare
    @Barbara: The problem is that there's so much "noise" around us that sometimes it's hard to listen to your intuition. I've learned to listen to my intuition as well.

    @Tom: Ah yes, intuition is very good at getting people those "aha" moments.
  • You said. "It’s important to remember that, like anything else in life, you have to be willing to make mistakes." This is so very true. When I first began coaching things would come to me in the middle of a session that didn't appear to be related but I knew that they could be useful so I'd get the clients permission to share and they often led to an aha moment. But even now I just accept that not all of my hunches are hits and I'm okay with that. This is a very comprehensive look at a very valuable subject, thank you.

    Tom Volkar / Delightful Works last blog post..What’s Really Possible?
  • Hi Marelisa,

    When I first learned how powerful those gut feelings are, I began to take notice. Every time I haven't followed my intuition, I've been sorry. Now I listen to it VERY closely.

    Barbara Swaffords last blog post..NBOTW - Blogging - No Age Requirement
  • Mare
    @Shamelle: Well, I think at least your intuition tries to keep you out of trouble. Unfortunately a lot of people ignore the warning until it's too late :-)
  • Insightful post and I learned a lot by reading the post.

    I suppose another way of looking at this is intuition is what keeps us out of trouble ;0)

    Shamelle

    Shamelles last blog post..12 Words and Phrases That Automatically Kill Your Self Image
  • Mare
    @Avani: You know, I've been meaning to, I loved "The Tipping Point". I'm adding "Blink" to my book wish list.
  • Hi Marelisa,
    The exercise to get in touch with yourself sounds very interesting.
    Have you read Blink - The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell? It explores power of trained mind to make split second decisions using intuition.

    Avani-Mehtas last blog post..Cheat Codes To Have A Happy Marriage
  • Mare
    @Ribeezi: The trick is to get past your rational mind.

    @Bamboo: You have an intuitive hunch but then you follow up with logic, data, and analysis. It's like a needle in the haystack: your intuition tells you where to look but then you actually go there and start digging around to see if it's really there.
  • I found the reference to using intuition for the foods you eat quite interesting.

    I agree, intuition is important. But, also, one must be careful not to get paranoid with intuition and to always put logic first. Though, intuition should not be excluded for optimal living.

    Bamboo Forests last blog post..You are The Writer of Your Own Story
  • Now that's an interesting exercise...asking yourself those questions and then turning on the tape recorder to give yourself the time to answer them uncensored! I haven't done anything like that before... I usually just reflect and keep it myself silently but I can see where this might bring out some more in us...
  • Mare
    @Vered: I don't think that women are naturally more intuitive than men, I just think that traditionally men are taught to be more linear, rational, and logical. I think that most great male leaders are very intuitive. (So I agree with Al).

    @Urban Panther: I find that the more I rely on my intuition, the more it rewards me with sudden, intuitive flashes.

    @Al: I think that intuition, the Law of Attraction, synchronicity, and so on, are all related in that they tell us that there is more going on than what are five senses are telling us. I also think that if we rely on our intuition we can accelerate the speed at which we get the things we ask for.

    Maybe you felt an intuitive hunch to turn left instead of turning right as you always do. But you ignore it. If you had turned left you would have seen a store that had the coat you really wanted on display at a low price you could afford. So yes, I do see a close relation between intuition and the Law of Attraction.
  • Hi Mare - just curious, do you see close relations to the Law of Attraction?

    @Vered: Coming from a guy's perspective, I believe men probably have the same amount of intuition as women, but we tend to rely on it less (which is to our detriment sometimes).

    Al at 7Ps last blog post..Jump Right In!
  • I have learned to never ever over ride anything that little voice inside my head says. From don't put that glass there, to don't hire this person. Everytime I have ignored it, disaster. The cat knocks the glass off the table; the employee turns out to be a dud. The 'voice' has always been there, but I never seemed to have the confidence in myself to listen to it. I would say the turning point for me was working with tarot cards. This helped me focus in on the voice, and helped me gain the confidence I was lacking. I don't use the cards very often now, because intuition is simply part of my daily thought and decision making processes. I generally just turn to the cards when I am blocked about something, and POOF, I'm back on track.

    Urban Panthers last blog post..Whatever you do, don't go there
  • I'm curious... do you think women are naturally more intuitive than men are?

    Vereds last blog post..Powerful Men, Half-Naked Women (Best Shot Monday)
  • Mare
    @Robin: The trick is in developing both; both the left and the right brain hemisphere, as well as logic and intuition, have an important role to play.

    @MizFit: Do you know that I actually think of intuition as a time saving strategy, so believe it or not this is a "how to be more productive" article in disguise :-)

    @Cath: I too can distinctly remember several occasions where my intuition was telling me something loud and clear and I refused to listen to it, when I definitely should have.
  • Hi Mare - This is interesting. And it is brilliant that so many people employ Laura's consulting services.

    I wish I'd listened to my intuition more. Ignoring it has caused me many problems in the past.
  • I'll see robin and raise the HOW DO YOU CONSISTENTLY MAKE ME THINK/HAVE SUCH STIMULATING POSTS?

    I shall be returning to this one again in a bit...when I have life here quited down.

    Thank you.

    MizFits last blog post..Monday Facetime. Blooper Reel.
  • Hi there Marelisa

    I like the way you explain how logic and intuition work together - for example "Einstein asserted that scientific truth is revealed first by intuition, and then verified by logic."

    You've got some really good information on how to develop intuition there - i think it's so important! ;-)

    Robins last blog post..Is Living Like Today Might Be Your Last A Good Idea?
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