What Is Intuition?
An overview
Generally different people at different times have defined intuition to be as follows: -
There are many answers to the question 'what is intuition?'
The first group of answers uses other similar, related but also vague terms such as hunches, sixth sense, the inner voice, the gut feeling, instincts and insight.
•But how do you listen to your inner voice or your gut feeling?
•What if you don't hear anything?
•What if it gives you ambiguous information?
•What if it's flat out wrong?
The second group points at an answer by describing what it is not. It is not a conscious process. Nor is it a step-by-step procedure that can be justified using logic. Or it is said to be the opposite of analytical and rational thought.
And the third group will answer 'what is intuition?' by saying how it works or what the results of it are. It's a process of being open to information, or a way to process lot of information very quickly. Or it's a feeling that things are right, or a finely tuned psychic ability. Or it's the ability to make decisions so that your life works out well.
Oftentimes, people will give seemingly contradictory explanations when asked 'what is intuition?'. Some say it's natural, others say it's a learnt skill. It has been described as something you are born with, but also as requiring a lot of education and experience before it can be applied. It's a spiritual thing. Or it's related to a high level of practice and skill.
What You Consistently Say to Yourself and Others Can Help or Hinder the Flow of Intuition.
Have you ever paid attention to your inner and outer conversations? How many times during the course of a day do you say, “I don’t know?” or “I don’t want to know.” You may be stating the absolute truth, yet when said repeatedly it sends the message to your Inner Self that you don’t know, and translates to... “I won’t know.” The subconscious doesn’t differentiate, when you say you don’t know it takes it literally and responds accordingly. Of course you want to be truthful, so it’s in your best interest to find another way to say it. For example: “That doesn’t ring a bell”, “Ask Peter”, “Why don’t you check it up?” or “Go see Dan, He heads that operation”. These statements or questions prevent you from saying “I don’t know” and directs the individual to another source.
It’s helpful to fortify yourself with affirmations, (statements of potential truths) to negate the effects of past ineffectual speech. Declaring, “I am a magnet for helpful, quality information”, sends that message to your Inner Self. Repeat it 3 times in a row, a few times a day for good success.
Another example of how words affect us is what happens when we want to make amends, through something we’ve done or have neglected to do. Generally, most people will say, “I’m sorry.” and will say it several more times to indicate they truly mean it. It is better all around to say, “I apologize.”
When you say, “I apologize” you are taking an empowered action. When you say, “I’m sorry”, you are in a passive state, a stuck point. The word sorry connotes a less than optimal state of being. Say both phrases to sense the differences. Being sorry gives you no place to go. Being apologetic has you taking responsibility and moving forward. It’s subtle yet powerful.
Make Space in Your Life for the Things You Do Want By Releasing What You Don’t Want.
What is intuition really?
Let's take it out of the realm of magic and hocus-pocus.
If we accept that it is a way of accessing or processing or using information, then we also know that we do this through our five senses.
So why do people refer to a sixth sense when they are asked what is intuition? Perhaps because they are not aware of all the information that is actually present in the five senses.
Even people who are psychic, clairvoyant, clairaudient or clairsentient, process the information in the visual, auditory or kinesthetic (feeling) systems. (Taste and smell are underutilised by most people). They may not know where the information comes from, and they receive it through the five senses. We can't even begin to consider a sixth sense or what it might be.
Phrases such as 'gut feeling', ' my heart is telling me...', 'it doesn't ring true for me...', 'I saw the whole thing in a flash...' are commonly heard and indicate how the person is processing information. What may not be present for the individual is simply the awareness of how they are doing what they're doing.
The suggests that increasing your awareness of how you process information in your system will give you greater access to your own intuition. This means that it's a skill learnable by anyone. And some of the technology available today allows us to do this easily and quickly.
Did you know that clutter, be it physical, emotional, or mental, wreaks havoc with your intuition?
It can stop the intuitive flow and leave you confused and tired. The wisdom of Feng Shui tells us that in order to attract opportunities we need to release items from our space that no longer serve us.
This does not mean to throw everything away, just the things you look at and say, “This does nothing for me” or, “This is no longer suitable for me”. The sooner you can release those items the better it is for you.
Start in the way that is comfortable for you. Create three piles: one for things to throw out; one for things to give away or sell; one pile for things, which you are not sure.
As soon as possible get rid of the things to throw out. You’ll immediately feel good. Next get the giveaway or sell items out of your space.
Review the pile with the things you are not sure. Find an appropriate place for the things you decided to keep and release the items for which you no longer have an appreciation. Are some items gifts? If feasible offer them first to those who gave them.
Clutter is not just physical. It’s possible to carry around outdated ideas and opinions that no longer serve you. The grudges you harbor are another
form of clutter. Have you done everything to bring about your heart’s desires yet nothing happens? It’s time to take an inner inventory and let go of petty thinking and grudges. You may think that these reminders prevent similar experiences, but this is not the case. Your intentions, awareness, and connection to your Inner Self prevent and/or lessen the intensity such experiences.
As you are able, think about the people that you need to forgive. Forgive because it opens the way for the things you want. Forgive because it’s good for you.
Is it possible that you have a limiting, unsupportive belief that you need to release? Perhaps it’s a viewpoint that unwittingly sabotages your best efforts.
For example, the belief that this is a dog- eat- dog world and you can’t trust
people, will prove itself to you over and over again. Why is that? Because that’s what you’ve programmed into your internal computer, your subconscious.
You’d want to change this belief to; “It’s wonderful how helpful and trustworthy people are” or, “Everyone I meet is so helpful to me” Repeat this with sincerity aloud and silently, to realize this as your new belief.
You’d also want to that think of instances when people have encouraged you, and engage visualizations to support your belief. The outcome of this process is that the vibration of your new belief emanating from you attracts trustworthy, helpful people.
Gratefully, you’ll release other limiting beliefs that you accepted as truth.
Remember That Your Inner Self is Always Present and Available.
That’s true, your Inner Self, also called your Higher Self is available even when you are not.
You think you are not getting the answers to the questions you are asking about your life yet how often do you put time aside to listen? There are very easy ways to listen that don’t take a whole lot of time, such as the following; Find a place free from disturbances.
Imagine that you are a vessel and that you are bringing in the universal energy(white light) through the top of your head.
As you breathe, notice that the energy makes its way through you filling your cells, leaving you relaxed and refreshed.
Breathe and release your breath easily and effortlessly. Notice that the white light has moved all the way through and comes out the soles of your feet and into the earth. Now you are relaxed and receptive.
Thank your Higher Self for all that it does and ask a question that has been on your mind. It can be as simple as, “What is the best course of action for my career now ” or, if you are want a relationship ask, “What do I need to do now to attract the right relationship?” Then notice the impressions, ideas, words, or symbols that come to you. All you have to do is follow through to materialize your success.
Accessing and utilizing the power of intuition means developing an awareness of what is happening in the body as well as the mind, and this aspect is vital for using your intuition for making excellent decisions.
Below are what some well-known people had to say about intuition:
Albert Einstein (Theoretical physicist who is widely considered one of the greatest physicists of all time. Best known for the theory of relativity, Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect and "for his services to Theoretical Physics".):
«The only real valuable thing is intuition.»
«There is no logical way to the discovery of these elemental laws. There is only the way of intuition, which is helped by a feeling for the order lying behind the appearance.»
John Naisbitt (Former executive with IBM and Eastman Kodak, American writer in the area of futures studies. Author of several international best sellers like "Megatrends" and "Re-inventing the Corporation".):
«Intuition becomes increasingly valuable in the new information society precisely because there is so much data.»
Alexis Carrel (French surgeon, biologist and eugenicist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine):
«All great men are gifted with intuition. They know without reasoning or analysis, what they need to know.»
«Intuition comes very close to clairvoyance; it appears to be the extrasensory perception of reality.»
Henry Reed (British poet):
«Intuition is the very force or activity of the soul in its experience through whatever has been the experience of the soul itself.»
«It is as if the intuitive sense acting through the soul is what makes the raw events into food for the soul.»
Immanuel Kant (German philosopher):
«Intuition and concepts constitute... the elements of all our knowledge, so that neither concepts without an intuition in some way corresponding to them, nor intuition without concepts, can yield knowledge.»
George Crumb (American composer of modern and avant garde music):
«In general, I feel that the more rationalistic approaches to pitch-organization, including specifically serial technique, have given way, largely, to a more intuitive approach.»
Robert Graves (English poet, scholar, and novelist):
«Intuition is the supra-logic that cuts out all the routine processes of thought and leaps straight from the problem to the answer.»
Lao Tzu (ancient Chinese philosopher):
«The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.»
Anne Wilson Schaef (writer and lecturer):
«Trusting our intuition often saves us from disaster.»
Andie MacDowell (American screen actress):
«I think women have an innate ability to be intuitive with people that they truly love, but they have to trust that inner voice, and I think it is there. I think we are more intuitive than men.»
