Developing Intuition
Trusting Our Internal Guide

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." - Albert Einstein

Has there ever been a time you felt a certain way and didn't know why, but it caused you to take a different direction than the one you originally wanted to take? And afterward you found that the direction you took was the right one?

Have you ever had a feeling that something was a little 'off' about a situation?

Have you ever gotten a bad 'vibe' from someone?

Have you ever been impressed to do something?

Have you experienced something that just 'felt' right?

Has there been any instance in your life that seemed like you knew the outcome before it happened?

It isn't just your imagination. This phenomenon is called intuition.

What is intuition? It is the part of us that knows what's going on even though we aren't completely conscious of it. Call it your background noise, if you will. It's an extremely important part of our lives, yet it is used very little.

Developing intuition means we must become more aware of what's going on around us. Cultivating this will greatly enhance our overall living.

Our society is dominated by left-brain education. Our reading, writing, arithmetic, etc. all come from this analytical and logical side. The intellectual and spiritual side, which is associated with art, music, creativity, etc. comes from our right-brain.

Education based on left-brain attributes is pushed because it solves problems based on logic, which is real and tangible. On the other hand, the right-brain solves problems based on feelings and emotions. Therefore, it isn't as 'socially acceptable' for someone to talk about a situation being resolved based on a pure 'gut feeling' if there is hard evidence to prove otherwise.

Logic and science are everywhere. If you can prove something scientifically, it must be true right? The amazing thing about intuition is it is totally scientifically sound, yet, try to prove something based on how you 'feel' about it. Not exactly easy. We tend to ignore this most valuable and limitless aspect of ourselves.

Intuition exists because of the subconscious in our creative right-brain. It is part of an elaborate inner computer-like system. Over our lifetime, the brain is constantly collecting data. Every bit of that data goes into a complex filing system in the brain. It is from this filing system that your intuitive (subconscious) mind collects when it needs to find something.

When you can't find the answer using the logical, conscious side of the brain, the subconscious immediately steps in and goes to work to find the solution. When it has found what it is looking for it will tell you, by way of your intuition.

This is why it is essential for us to listen and be aware of what our inner self may be trying to communicate to us. The brain is very receptive to its surroundings and it will try and figure out a way to solve any problem or task at hand. Intuition can come in many forms, including dreams, thoughts, instinct, hunches, etc. Developing intuition in our lives will allow more success in overcoming many of the challenges we face.

Have you ever wondered how a "gifted" person can do the amazing things he/she does? It has a lot to do with intuition. The brain can read signals and memorize at lightening speed. When someone repeatedly does something, they no longer have to use the conscious brain to accomplish the task, but rather, they rely on what their brain already knows, thus accessing their intuitive mind.

Let's consider a few examples:

• A grandmaster of chess memorizes thousands upon thousands of different moves to be able to play as fast as possible. Since he cannot possibly consider each move analytically, he must then rely on developing intuition in his mind, and then trusting that.
• One who can quickly solve a Rubik's cube relies on the sequence of turns their brain has memorized and they trust their intuitive mind to make the right move.
• A professional pianist relies on developing intuition to remember difficult and long pieces of music. Their success of playing the piece without a mistake again lies with their ability to trust the intuitive response that their brain already knows. If at any point they begin to think analytically about what note is next, they risk making a mistake. However, if they intuitively trust their brain to tell their fingers what to do, they give a flawless performance.

  The subconscious brain always knows what to do in any given situation.

This inner voice is very keen and can help keep you from making many mistakes. When developing intuition, we are often nudged to take a certain path or to make a certain choice, but we don't trust ourselves. We second guess our decisions and most of the time, that nudge is ignored and our logic takes center stage. Go out on a limb for a change and learn to trust that inner guide. You might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Is Developing Intuition "Inspiration"?

There are many circumstances where people have developed incredible inventions based on experiences where they "saw" or "heard" in their mind how to do or build something.

When the brain has been accumulating information on a certain subject for an extended period of time, it begins to sort through and organize what it knows. The simple act of relaxing and allowing the intuitive mind to work can conjure up ideas related to all the input that has been going into the brain for years. At some point the brain makes sense of the information and inspiration is born. Steps can then be taken to develop the inspiration into becoming a reality.

How do we relax and allow this phenomenon of developing intuition to happen? Exercises like meditation, and even sitting in silence for a period of time help us develop a sense of calm in which we can learn to listen as our minds open up. Part of developing intuition is learning how to listen. If we cannot hear our intuitive mind, we will never be inspired.

How Do We Learn To Listen?

First, you need to realize that this inner voice is quiet, small and familiar. It doesn't shout from the rooftops, or hit you over the head. You only notice it when you are still and receptive. Think of it as an 'aha' moment, a moment when you just get it.

In our high-stress society, our minds hardly get a chance to relax. Most of us are bombarded with so much information that it is sometimes a challenge to mentally shut down long enough to fall asleep at night.

It is important to learn that our minds need to be taken care of as much as our bodies. Letting your mind soar with possiblities and just imagining for awhile is one of the best ways of caring for it.

Doing this will help you discover a whole new world. Things you have never taken the time to see or experience will open to become some of the most powerful and wonderful experiences of your life. Perhaps they will be things that cannot be explained. Yet when you experience their beauty and magnificence and begin to believe in what they are, you'll learn to trust with your heart instead of using your head so much. The ability to figure out our dreams and aspirations can be as simple as trusting what is deep within us.

When developing intuition, we must learn to view things from many angles. Even things we consider to be a coincidence may in fact be a message our intuitive mind is trying to relay to us. Look for the meaning in these occurrences. It is said there is no such thing as coincidence.

Ultimately, it our own responsibility to recognize when we are being inspired. Act on your instinct and do not ignore what you know to be true deep inside. When something feels right (or wrong), act on what you feel to be true.

It may take some time to develop this trust in ourselves. We are all so used to over-thinking things. Just take it as it comes. Try evaluating a situation before you respond to it. Don't over-analyze, but just see how you feel. Usually, your first instinct is the right one.

Using your intuition when dealing with big problems can be a little intimidating, especially when there is a lot on the line. Try to break through that fear and really trust your gut. You'll be amazed at how things turn out. Usually it's not the way you would have handled it had you used your logical side.

Intuition And The Law of Attraction

Developing intuition is an important part of the Law of Attraction process. Here is an example of how it works:

Say you want to attract a new car. First, you specifically narrow down what model and color you want. Next comes using your creative visualization to visualize your desired outcome. Then you create the environment necessary to support your want. Now comes the part where action kicks in based on what you intuitively feel is right. Once you feel that nudge or gut feeling to take a certain direction, or to make a certain choice, you act on it. Don't second guess or doubt yourself. Just do it.

This will help you achieve your desired outcome. Never ignore what you intuitively feel when you are trying to attract something. Ignoring will just make it difficult to attract what you want. Remember, your subconscious knows what path to take. Developing intuition means you just have to be willing to trust yourself and follow where you're lead.

The Background Of Our Soul

We've all been in a situation where we seemed stuck at a crossroads. That moment where it seems you have nowhere to turn and no one to turn to. Many times, at the moment it seems darkest and most confusing, suddenly it is as if someone turned the light on and we know exactly what to do. That is your intuition beckoning you.

We put so many limitations on ourselves and what we think we can or can't do. This is ridiculous. The only person that stops us from doing anything is ourself.

We have a gift within us. People who are said to have the greatest minds of all time are only great because they chose to acknowledge the power within themselves. It's time to stop underestimating this power. We are only limited by what we refuse to acknowledge.

Developing intuition is a key to unlocking the background of our soul. Who knows what greatness lies therein!

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