Can you hear your intuition above the noise of your thoughts? Can you tell the difference between your mind's voice and your intuition's whisper? Which one guides you best through your life?
Our minds are always buzzing with verbal thoughts. We are busy calculating risks, considering alternatives, listing pros and cons when making decisions, or analysing events from the past, drawing conclusions and wondering about the "what if's". But nestled within that noise lies another, quieter voice - the voice of intuition.
Intuition is that instinctive deep-down feeling guiding us in ways words can't express.
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In a world driven by data, logic, information, science and analysis, intuition often gets overlooked. We are taught to trust what we can see and measure, applying our cognitive abilities to draw conclusions and provide strong verbal reasoning when making decisions.
Our decisions can be also understood by society if we act out of emotions: fear, excitement, love or resentment, since they can be explained verbally too. But this is not a drive of intuition either.
Thus, we are actively discouraged from listening to our intuition as a guide for decision making.
While knowledge, science and cognitive thinking are undeniably important, listening to our intuitions can be crucial, as that part of us is deeply connected to our essence and knows what life path is best for us.
Think about it, verbal communication has been around for just maybe some hundreds of millennia. We build our cognitive abilities based on this information passed on through the genes and through collection of information during our lifetime.
Intuition, on the other hand, has wisdom built within our DNA, taking roots not only from our ancestors but also from nature and creation. Language may not be developed enough to express the wisdom of this endless amount of information.
Also, the power of intuition is that it is able to tap into the energy circulating around the world. Everything is interconnected, through molecules and atoms, and energy flows all around us. Some great illustrations are an apple becoming part of us when consumed, or a tree growing from a seed. We are all one. Intuition, being so primal and ancient, is able to connect internal and external energy, feel everything, and draw non-verbal conclusions.
When you feel like you're getting signs from the universe, it's not magic or nonsense, it is your intuition gathering information through the energy all around and pointing your attention to what you need to see and acknowledge. So the signs are not accidental.
But here's the thing - our pure, wise intuition is often clouded by past experiences, fears, and biases we've picked up along the way, a lot of it in childhood. We often make decisions based on the emotions and feelings out of those fears. But as I mentioned earlier, it is not intuition. Acting from those drivers is basically acting from the pot of contaminations bestowed upon us by others.
Intuition, on the other hand, is pure. It feels true. It is a connection to the world and natural wisdom. How do you tap into that and how do you set aside the thoughts and fears that are not yours? I have found that the following helps to nurture intuition:
Quiet moments. Meditations, yoga and deep breathing. I can't emphasise enough the power of quieting the mind and tuning to the inner universe.
Listening to intuition - paying attention to those gut feelings and where they originate within the body and mind, without overanalysing. The more we listen, the stronger that voice becomes.
Taking a step back. When we're faced with tough decisions, just calming your mind, sleeping on it, taking a walk, meditating might help to gain clarity and learn what is the voice of intuition, what is the voice of fears and what is the opinion of others.
Honouring our deepest desires - what truly makes us happy, whether in the moment or in the long run. It nurtures inner-connectedness and helps us follow our own path rather than what society suggests.
Caring for ourselves: positively fuelling our body and thoughts - eating well, exercising, reading literature that inspires and leads to deep insights and to long-lasting positivity.
Creating a life vision - setting goals that align with what truly matters to us and following that direction, following a beautiful path that is true to each of us.
I've made some decisions, big or small, that may have seemed unreasonable to others or had little logic, but just felt right in my gut. They've led to beautiful things, maybe through hardships to the stars, but nevertheless giving me just what I needed on my path at different moments in time.
One of my recent experiences stands out vividly—the decision to quit my job and take a sabbatical last year. It was a decision fuelled by a blend of intuition and emotions. In the aftermath, there were moments of doubt when I wondered whether I made the right choice. Yet, upon reflection, I find clarity in the journey I've taken and appreciate the place where I have come so far.
As I've learned to better distinguish between logic, emotions, and intuition, a clearer picture has emerged. I realise that while my intuition led me on the right path, emotional influences caused some deviations along the way. Nonetheless, every twist and turn, every encounter, has contributed to my growth and understanding.
It's fascinating how the pieces of life's puzzle come together to form a beautiful narrative and everything just makes sense. It's in these moments of peace and gratitude when the power of intuition truly shines.
When we trust our intuition, magic happens. Each moment, each encounter, feels like part of a bigger plan—a plan guided by our inner wisdom.
Let's embrace our intuition, knowing that it's always there to guide us, even when logic falls short.
References. My articles are the result of my observations, conversations and reading. I would like to acknowledge some literature that helped me shape the ideas in this article:
Books: "Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho; "The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down" by Haemin Sunim; "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma.
Works and theories developed by Eric Berne (Transactional Analysis); Lynne Goldberg (Meditation Teacher).
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