how to listen to your intuition (step by step guide)

are you ready to learn about intuition kids? (your intuition says, “aye aye captain!”)

intuition is by far the coolest human superpower. we have an internal neurological system that lets us know what’s up all the time, even before things have happened.

i didn’t have a very strong intuition as a kid, but i knew it was real because of my mom. that lady has the strongest intuition of anyone i know. i could never get away with anything, because she would already know before i did something bad. she had prophetic dreams if i was going to a party. it’s a teenager’s worst nightmare.

as i’ve grown into an adult and started my spiritual journey, my intuition has become louder and louder. i make all of my large decisions off of intuition. well, maybe 70% intuition and 30% rational thought. trusting my intuition has singlehandedly brought me to my most happy, abundant self.

what is intuition?

intuition is the true center of all beings. some people call it your highest self, your gut instinct, spidey sense, a hunch, and a plethora of other things. it’s the feeling when you know something is right and true, even if you don’t have a logical reason to believe so.

there’s a reason your intuition is called ‘trusting your gut’. scientists believe that intuitive thought comes from the hippocampus and the digestive system (just another reason to maintain your gut health)! the evolution of intution is thought to stem from our need to predict danger, but i believe our intuition comes from our divine nature. we are all spiritual beings, able to read the energy around us unconsciously.

plato defined wisdom as “intuitive reason combined with scientific knowledge”. it on’t wholeheartedly agree with this definition. he also said only men are capable of it, so take that as you will. i will insert that of all the strong intuitives i know, they’re all women.

on a personal note, i believe intuition is the connection we have with all other beings. it’s our highest calling to trust our intuition and follow it. it’s our job to differentiate intuition from ego and connect back to out highest selves.

i can’t hear my intuition.

i used to be the same way. i was deeply atheist, i didn’t believe in any higher power, magic, or anything beyond fact. i had effectively closed off my connection with my intuition.

for many people, intuitive blocks come from trauma. you may have been very connected to your emotions as a child, but were made to feel dramatic. you may have been told to toughen up, don’t let your emotions show, or ‘be a man’. conceal, don’t feel, as queen elsa says.

here are some other reasons you may not hear your intuition:

• you have a strong rational mind. this isn’t a bad thing! rational thought is super valuable as you’re navigating this world, but it’s not the only information you have access to. rational thought can help you relate to the outside world, but intuitive thought helps you relate to yourself.

• you’re in emotional turmoil. when you are experiencing very strong emotions, it becomes hard to distinguish the emotions from your intuition. i’m not saying suppress your emotions though! you may just have to wait until the emotion passes to tap into your inner knowing.

• you have low self esteem. it can be hard to listen and trust yourself when you don’t like yourself. the start to all spiritual journeys is to accept the self first, then you can start working on developing intuition. try some of the exercises in the spiritual self care guide.

if you don’t feel an intuitive pull, that’s okay. your intuition is always there, waiting to be heard. you never totally lose your intuition, your consciousness gets clouded with outside information.

there’s many ways that people ‘hear’ intuition. some people can ‘hear’ a voice in their head, similar to your own thought process. others feel a pull in their stomach, and others can feel their energy shift. while you’re developing your intuition, pay attention to any immediate physical, mental or energetic reactions to a decision.

there are certain ways you can strengthen your connection with your intuition.

how to strengthen your intuition.

• sit in silence. when you are developing your intuition, it is very rare that it will come our roaring and ready to go. for most people, it is very quiet and undetectable if you’re not paying attention.

  this is why having silence is so important. meditation clears out all the mental and emotional goop so you can hear the good stuff.

  a practice i use every day is asking for guidance in meditation. i sit cross legged, close my eyes, and settle into the space. i take a few minutes to focus on my breath, letting my mind become quieter. i then ask “what do i need to know right now?” and take note of anything that happens.

• get out in nature. this is also a useful tool to quiet the mind. walking can be a form of meditation, and doing in outside helps you connect back to the earth and source. i’ve had some of my best blog post ideas while hiking!

• take care of yourself. your spirit can only grow when you are taking care of your physical form. get your veggies, move your body, practice good hygiene, all that jazz.

• pay attention to your emotions. your emotions can be a great way to understand your intuition, if you unpack the trauma around them. when a strong emotion gets triggered, take time to understand where it’s coming from.

  for example, i used to get very upset when someone would change plans last minute. when i decided to unpack that emotion, i found that having other people change plans, made me feel out of control, which made me feel unsafe. once i was able to understand that, i was able to move past that emotion. now when someone changes plans, i no longer have that reaction. i can hear my intuition again.

• always question what you’re told. there’s all sorts of societal conditioning going on, and very little of it is beneficial for spiritual growth. question everything, and if it does not serve the highest good, throw it out.

these techniques are a great place to start. if you would like to read further, i suggest reading intuitive being by jill willard.

how to act on your intuition

• take a moment to differentiate between intuition and ego. intuition will never fight your ego. your ego will find a million different reasons to say yes or no. your intuition will just tell you the answer. my intuition speaks a split second before my ego, so i tend to trust the first gut feeling i have.

• take your intuition has the highest truth. when you start on the journey of acting from intuition, it can be scary. many of your decisions will feel baseless, like you’re leaping off a cliff. have trust that your intuition and the universe will always catch you.

• don’t be afraid of mistakes. that being said, you’re human! sometimes you will mistake ego for intuition, or forget to check your emotions, or life gets busy and you function from survival mode. mistakes are going to happen, and it’s okay! mistakes are learning experiences and will help you grow.

• accept that others will not understand, and do it anyways. your life is your own, and you get to do with it what you choose. do not live for the happiness of others. similar to making mistakes, not everyone is going to like you or understand you’re journey. accept that, send them love, and go on your merry way.

that’s it! go forth and conquer the world with your new intuitive superpower! if you have any questions, i’ll be happy to answer them in the comments.

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