Art of Intuition

I once packed everything I owned into a trunk and moved from Minneapolis to Seattle, leaving my boyfriend of 8 years, “because I just felt called.” Through a chain of events from that decision, my sister-in-law would publish a book, my boyfriend (now husband) would see explosive career gains, and I would take the first step in my path towards becoming an emotional healing facilitator.

I once talked to my Mom at 10pm following a meeting one night.  My Grandpa’s health was failing and my Dad would be going to Iowa the next morning to see him. This was not the first time my Dad made a rush visit like this. This time I knew I needed to go with him. After a bit of coaxing, my Dad agreed.  We were halfway to Iowa the next morning when we got the call that he had passed away.

This year I woke up at 7am and without getting out of bed I sent a text my brother, who lives states away: “Is my nephew here, yet?” He replied: “We’re at the hospital right now, I will text you as soon as I can.” My brother's son, my nephew, was born later that afternoon.

These are just a few examples, big and small, of the power of intuition in my own life. Sometimes these moments come as split-second insights while I’m making a decision. Or, in the case of my move to Seattle, a nearly 2-year dripping faucet of information slowly inching me forward. In every case, the decisions and actions I have made using my internal guidance have positioned me to have incredible experiences I might have otherwise missed. Even the difficult times, such as the loss of my Grandpa, were made better by knowing my Dad wasn’t alone when the call came.

Our intuition is our greatest ally, always moving us in the direction of a greater good.

THAT’S NICE.  BUT WHAT IS INTUITION?

I hear you on this.  I find that amongst many circles this word is thrown around like a magic key, that everybody has, but nobody knows what it opens. I’m certainly no expert on this matter, but having been through my own frustration in trying to acquire information about building intuition, I hope this will shed a little light on what intuition is and how to build more of it.

I look at intuition as internal guidance. That’s it. It’s not just for women, men have intuition too, though they might refer to it as “a gut instinct.”  Either way, it’s all the same and it’s all intuition.

MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE

In my experience, many people are highly intuitive without knowing it. Your body, heart, and emotions are constantly feeding you information, only we might not have cultivated the awareness to recognize when we are receiving information.

Here are some basics into how most of us gather information:

Through the body:

• Goosebumps
• Physiological reactions (feeling sick to your stomach, or butterflies in the stomach)
• Feeling hot and cold suddenly in areas of the body, without the temp changing around you
• Hair standing on the back of the neck
• Tingling / “blissed out” sensations

Are you the type of person who can walk into a room and just know if the energy is good or not?  Think about the last home you went into - were you  consciously or subconsciously picking up the feeling of the space in your body?

Through hearing:

• A small, still voice
• Sounds, tones, or ringing in the ear(s)
• Sensitive to music, aware of how songs make you feel
• Talk to yourself aloud
• Keenly aware of what others are really saying

Have you ever heard clear advice in your own heart and mind, as though a voice of experience was speaking right to you?  Think of the last time you felt trouble or danger, did you hear those words, an alarm, or a voice go off in your head?

Through sight:

• An ability to see the path or various scenarios play out in your mind's eye
• Daydreaming
• Visualization
• Flashes of pictures or words
• Patterns of light, color, shapes, and forms eyes open or eyes closed

Are you the type of person that can see the next step, desired outcome or finished product in your mind’s eye? Think of the last time you have to make a difficult decision, did you weigh the choice by playing the options out through visualization?

Through a sense of inner knowing:

• Dreams
• Sudden flashes of awareness - the sensation of clicking on a lightbulb in your head
• Out-of-body or inexplicable experiences
• A strong, full-spirit pull towards a certain course of action
• Ability to interpret the signs and symbols around you

Have you ever done something or known something to be true, despite the circumstances of the situation? Think of the last time you took a risk with a positive outcome, from the outside-looking-in, were the odds in your favor?

For most people, you are going to be strong in one or two areas, and may get information in-combination, meaning, you might SEE a positive outcome in your mind’s eye while you HEAR your Mom’s voice say, “Go for it!”

JUMP FIRST, THEN SOAR

The trickiest aspect of intuition I have found is that we want to know what intuition is first and then learn how to use it. The truth is, intuition is just the practice of knowing. As in, the more we acknowledge and accept our intuition, the more we come to know of its nature. (How’s that for chicken and the egg?)

If you have ever had the desire to be more intuitive, my most sage advice is to be more intuitive. Hold the idea that you are a radio tower, constantly receiving information in the form of signals, at all times. As individuals, we interpret these signals in our own way. Some are more adept at hearing the messages, others feel their frequency, while some see and interpret the patterns. Learn how you receive you own signals and begin to use that information as guidance in your own life.

The more we begin to trust the information we are getting and use it in our decision-making and actions, the more information you will receive and the greater the gift will become.  This is the art of intuition.

Art of Play

As a young child, I doubt you ever said to yourself: “I really need to buckle down on this sand castle if I want to get anywhere in life.”

No. We built sand castles for the sheer joy of it. 

My brother and I could engross ourselves for hours on the banks of the St. Croix river. He would build the channels, I would pour in the water. Together, we would watch 2 hours worth of sand structures dissolve in 15-seconds. Sheer joy.

Many of my clients, myself included, use our craft diligently in our day-to-day lives as builders, consultants, strategists, writers or marketers. We’re used to putting a price on our trade and translating hours into dollars. We create to build a business, a home, or a brand. This is good. It’s important to work in your gifts and talents and be paid in exchange.  Or to be recognized for what you contribute.

It’s’ when all of our creative energy is spent under the intention of reward that we can find ourselves uninspired. We become blocked creatively.  And this lackluster feeling permeates all areas of our life, even our work.

One of my favorite challenges to give myself or a client is to practice the art of play.  I typically suggest about 3 hours/ week doing something that brings you joy, without the expectation of reward. Art for the sake of art.

Sometimes that means dusting off the ol’ sketchbook, filling the wheelbarrow or furnishing wind chimes out of materials you can find in your garage. Whatever does the trick for you. 

The art of play can have tremendous benefits:

• It takes us out of our head (which is often the area most of us over exercise)
• We let go of the need to be perfect, releasing the expectations we place on ourselves and others
• We feel good (which turns out is one of the quickest ways to create positive movement in all areas of our life)
• And it gives us something to talk about that doesn’t have to do with earnings or expenses (because chances are, your business is only that interesting to you) 

When we create space for ourselves to play, we open ourselves up to new ideas, inspiration and possibilities.
And this is its own reward.