Intuition is an essential part of the whole experience of living. Although it will not help predict the future or how people will behave, using intuition as a guide makes life more rewarding. It helps you follow what seems to be the right path, even when social convention or common sense appears to tell differently. Sylvia Clare

I’ve written previously about the importance of intuition. Sadly, our natural intuitive capacity is usually ‘educated’ out of us. Learning to open up to your intuition facilitates personal and spiritual development, creating the ability to tap into an infinite supply of wisdom. Your intuition can guide you to your highest potential; it is a direct line to your essence.

In order to access your intuition it is necessary to tune into your body; intuition is not located in your head, no matter how sophisticated a computer the brain is. Over-thinking smothers your intuition; it’s possible to be too much ‘in your head’, caught up in runaway thoughts that are driving you to distraction.

There are various methods of ensuring that energy is flowing freely around the head and the body – dancing, walking and having a massage are three. One of my favourite ways, however, to reconnect my mind and senses is to listen to this (free) Yoga Nidra audio which promotes deep relaxation. Regularly taking time to link body and mind supports the development of intuitive capability, as I have found to my benefit.

My intuition has become a trusted ally; it often appears as an unmistakable drive to take action. For example, after a recommendation on Facebook (thanks, Jen Andersson!), I knew I had to take part in the Sark e Media 30 Day Blogging Challenge, even though I hadn’t posted on my blog since April 2015 (and I struggled to post once a week when I started it, let alone once a day). It has turned out to be a fortuitous decision for a number of reasons, not least that I’ve surpassed my expectations about whether or not I would meet the challenge.

You have to practice patience when fine-tuning your intuitive capacity. It takes time for intuition to become clear if you’re not accustomed to paying it attention, especially when you have a strong inner critic, aka the neurotic ego, shouting it down. It’s best to start small – trusting your gut feeling on less important matters, such as the route to take on a particular journey (I’ve avoided traffic jams through listening to my intuition and ended up in them when I haven’t! Don’t ask me how it works, I can’t tell you. I just know that it does). Then, when you’re accustomed to how your intuition shows up for you, you can try using it to help you make more significant decisions.

A meditation to help you tune into your intuition is this: sitting or lying down in a comfortable position, close your eyes. Breathe slowly and deeply for a few moments, until you start to feel relaxed. Feel your body releasing tension with each exhale. Then, with each inhale, let your awareness travel deep inside your body. Imagine your awareness moving ever deeper until it comes to rest in a place just behind your navel. Know that you have come to a place where you can connect with your own infallible truth and understanding. Spend some time breathing into this area, familiarising yourself with the tranquillity there.

As you relax, notice any sensations, thoughts, feelings or images that come to you, either in general or in response to a specific question you might have. Just notice what appears, without trying to interpret anything. Don’t fret if not much happens for the first few times you practice this meditation; regular use will improve your communication with your intuition. It also helps to check-in with yourself frequently throughout the day to hone your ability to hear what your intuition wants you to know.

Acting step-by-step on intuitive prompts, I’ve found, leads to feelings of greater vitality and accomplishment. I couldn’t agree more with with Sylvia Clare’s assertion:

Intuition means exactly what it sounds like, in-tuition! An inner tutor, or teaching and learning mechanism, that takes us forward daily. It is a resource that, where recognised, has infinite potential… Open your thoughts to the probability that you are more intuitive than you realise.

How far do you want to go?