So often people ask me about the development of intuition. People often get themselves twisted within about how sensitive they either are or are not. I have been coaching people on this for a good many years, and then today I found something that someone shared on social media and it really put it in a nutshell. I thought that I would share this with you so that you can have some kind of quick reference to which you can refer. I will be expanding a bit on each point as I go, so some of this is from the share on social media and most of it is from teachings that I have been given throughout my life.
There is a difference between what we “know” and what we FEAR that we “know”. For example, someone who is fearful of you cheating on them in a relationship will often project that fear as “intuition” and accuse you of cheating when you have been faithful. It becomes quite an abusive cycle. So the thing to remember is that there is a difference between what we “know” and what we “fear”. I will be comparing these two things, intuition and fear, throughout this blog.
When we have intuition working, we will experience a sense of calm and knowing. There is a peacefulness within us that happens, even if our intuition is telling us something that we really would prefer to not have happen. When we are coming from a fear base, we will instead experience a feeling of urgency, like the world will fall apart if we don’t do something about this NOW and the rest of the world must be CRAZY if it can’t see this.
When we experience intuitive processes we feel confident and trusting in ourselves, but also in the world around us for the most part. When we are in a fear based process we feel complete insecurity and that nothing and no one in the world can be trusted…EVER. This can lead to experiences of paranoia and anxiety.
When we have an intuition we will feel things in our hearts but also we can get subtle indicators of truth, such as”holy showers”, which are goosebumps. These physical sensations let us know that it is safe to proceed. We can also experience the hair standing up on the back of our necks when we are about to enter a “danger zone”. The danger zone is not a negative message, like what fear would give us. It is simply a truth that we are now in danger. When we come from a fear base we will feel extreme twangs in the gut that become very uncomfortable. This is because the fear is triggering anxiety and thus the adrenals kick into overdrive.
When we come from an intuitive perspective we become objective and have no attachment to the outcome, allowing things and people to flow freely through our lives. When we are coming from a place of fear we are actually driven by attachment. So when someone hears that a loved one is moving away, and comes from an intuitive place, that person knows that their loved one is on the next adventure and that it is all meant to be. When coming from a fear base a person will fear the journey that their loved one is embarking upon, will try to hold onto them for dear life, will have anxiety attacks about whether or not they will be alright or will get murdered by some serial killer and left dead in a ditch and will try to convince the person that their choice is the worst one that they can possibly make. They may even go into power trip behaviours such as “forbidding” them to move.
When we are in a state of intuitive knowing we experience an inner voice of guidance. This, in shamanic terms, is the “inner wisdom voice”. It will never lead us astray and we instinctually know to trust it. When we are in a position of fear we are constantly reacting to a “red alert” alarm that goes off in our heads and in our guts and that drives us around the bend as we desperately try to take control of the situation at hand but cannot do so because the situation also involves the free will of everyone around us.
Intuition is led by the true Self (with a capital S). This is the Higher Consciousness awareness that we can all access if we allow ourselves to do so. When we are being led by our fears we are coming from a place of Ego that (although we do need it to have a sense of self {lower case s}) keeps us on guard from everyone and everything around us.
Intuition is more of a cognitive process. We experience it and understand what it is saying to us and that we can just chill and allow things to flow as they need to. It is a response mechanism. Fear is expressed through a behavioural process. It is far more reactionary than is intuition.
Intuition accesses our Higher Intelligence, whereas fear has no forethought for the results or impacts of the behaviors that we exibit. So with intuition there is a self-control that happens. We know that not everything we “know” on an intuitive level needs to be blurted out. Whereas when we come from a place of fear we feel we MUST SPEAK UP about what we are perceiving, regardless of timing or appropriateness of the situation. I remember once meeting a new friend for coffee and, as we were at the counter placing our order she just blurted out, “You wife was RAPED when she was younger.” She said it loudly enough that not only did the staff hear it but so did several of the patrons who were at tables around us. I knew immediately that this person was coming from a fear base and that she did not “pick up” on anything. I also knew that, in our rape culture, that is a pretty easy thing to shout out and call “intuition” when the likelihood of it being accurate is exponentially high. But to diffuse the situation, I just looked at her and calmly said, “Not to my knowledge”. She then said, “Well, I KNOW.” and I replied, “No, you just think you know. Until this is actually brought forth by the person in question, it is just your fear speaking.” Needless to say, this friendship lasted about as long as the coffee date.
So how, you are probably asking, does one develop one’s intuition? There are a few things that do help with that. First off, pay attention to your FIRST feeling that you experience about any situation. This can be challenging as we are often told to disregard our basic instincts. We are taught to ignore first impressions. But if we begin to pay attention to those impressions, we will discover that they are, most often, the most accurate. Secondly it is important to notice and acknowledge when our first impressions were correct. As we do this we begin the process of re-wiring our minds to accept the first impression as the more likely truth. This develops a trust that is always needed when dealing with intuition.
We also need to stop apologising for our intuitions and feelings. If we sense something, that is nothing for which to apologise. It is something to acknowledge and celebrate. Drop the embarrassment about having those intuitions and feelings. Just state them if it is appropriate to do so and move on. Or if it is not appropriate in terms of timing or location, shelve them for a bit, but don’t forget them. Often I have people tell me something to which my response is naturally, “I know.” When they ask how I know I just let them know that I knew because back when such and such happened there was this indicator and so intuitively I knew. Then they demand to know why I did not say anything at the time. My response is usually something to the effect of “It was none of my business.” or “Because the time was not right.” or even “Who am I to interfere with your life and your journey?”
As we walk our paths we will have both positive and negative feelings. The negative ones tell us what we have to change in our lives, and the positive ones tell us what we need to strengthen in our lives. Having intuition does not guarantee an easier journey through life. In fact it can actually complicate things at times. One of the biggest lessons when being intuitive is that of how to communicate that intuition in a tactful manner. Sometimes we think that we are being judgemental if we are feeling negative about something. Judgement is different from discernment. Judgement can carry with it disdain. But discernment carries with it clarity. If we don’t want to offend someone by telling them that something feels too negative, we can simply say, “This is not congruent with the person I am becoming.” End of story.
Everyone wants to work on their third eye chakra. Very few know how to. The third eye chakra is an important factor in intuitive development. It is the power centre that allows us to look deep within. One of the easiest things to do is to visualise white and blue energy sweeping through and cleaning your third eye chakra. This chakra is located between the eyebrows on the forehead. Another is to imagine the third eye chakra as a window to the world around you and the universe within you. As you look through the window you find that someone is using a squeegie to clean it, much like watching a gas station attendant clean your windshield.
It is also important to connect with your Soul level of consciousness and to develop an awareness of this through meditation. A lot of people say garbage like, “Try as I might, I just can’t meditate.” I call B.S. on that. EVERYONE can meditate. Not everyone is lazy enough to just cop out like that. Make the time, and find the method that works best for you. Meditation and Visualisation are not the same thing. So if someone is not a visual type of mindset, they will struggle with visualisation. Then it becomes important to go for a different method of meditation. One of the easiest ones has to do with simply turning your attention to the breath as it moves in and out of your body. Do nothing else. Just be aware of the feeling of that breath. Notice how it feels different coming into your body as opposed to exiting your body. You don’t have to slow it or change it in any way. Just be aware of it. ONE MINUTE of that of that each day will do wonders!
As we develop our true intuition, it is a natural process for our fears to relax and let go. We shift from an ego-based reality that projects all sorts of nonsense onto others to a serenity-based reality that allows others to also learn, heal and grow. We want that for ourselves, so it is important for us to also want that for others. When we allow others the space and time that they need to learn, heal and grow, we are granting them the most precious gift…that of the eventual attainment of enlightenment. It is important that we also allow this for ourselves.