This month we’re talking about how to tune into your intuition. For this week’s blog, we’re going to use this for the benefit of listening to your body – or more specifically your gut.

As children, we are great at listening to our gut instinct and it is the primary driver of the decisions that we make. It is time and adulthood that allows our ego and rational side start to pipe up and get in the way. Unfortunately, not being in tune with your gut instinct can lead to poor decisions and bad judgment, which often leaves the mind saying “I knew I shouldn’t have done that!”.

Now this isn’t about “hippy insight” or the “warm and fuzzy’s”. According to research at Leeds University, intuition is the brain’s way of drawing on past experiences at a sub conscious level and unconsciously organising this data into patterns. This happens so fast that we don’t realise that the intuitive feeling is actually stemming from previous logical thinking!

Steven Spielberg put it perfectly in this clip where he articulates how the world needs EVERYONE to follow their intuition. Learning to listen to your intuition is like unlocking one of the world’s biggest libraries, and having access to ALL of the books at once.

So how do we get back to listening to that intuition and responding when it needs us to?

1.     Meditate. This is the number one BEST way to tune back into your intuition. Meditation is like listening to your intuition in a concentrated manner. If you can spend 5, 10, or 20 minutes meditating, that will significantly help with being in tune with your gut.

It doesn’t have to be a guided meditation (although that helps for beginners especially). It can be something as simple as thinking about a word or a thought that you want to ponder, and having a relaxed concentration on that for a certain period of time.

With practice, you will definitely see a huge shift in how you respond to certain situations.

2.     Practice yoga. If meditation still seems overwhelming or daunting, try yoga. Yoga is basically a moving meditation, and helps you to focus on the body rather than the mind’s thoughts.

Flow yoga is one of the best methods, as the breath is used to move the body, and the mind simply follows. It is this process of quietening the mind that is essential for learning to listen to your gut instinct.
3.     Become one with nature. You don’t have to sell up all your assets and live in the forest to feel the benefits that nature can bring. We talk about nature a LOT for your holistic wellbeing, but for your intuition, it seems to be one of the easiest ways to tune into it.

You know how we said that intuition is past experiences put into patterns? Well not only is spending time in nature a way of creating new patterns, but it’s a time in which the mind has the capacity and space to make the links and connections between other previous experiences.
4.     Immerse yourself in something creative. It doesn’t have to be ‘creative’ in the generic sense of the word like painting (although art classes are a great idea!). It can be journaling, where you spend time just allowing your thoughts to flow onto the page. Or cooking, where you let the recipe come to life on the plate. Or singing your favourite song – even if it is in the shower where no one will hear.

Creativity is something that as children we thrive with. But as we get older, it tends to fall to the wayside in favour of more ‘practical’ and ‘logical’ tasks.

Tapping back into creativity enlivens the soul and allows the body to act without thinking. Finding your ‘flow’ is one of the most energising experiences you will have!
5.     Do a digital detox. This is the one that often has people squirming at the thought. We won’t dwell on the disruption that technology can have on your own intuitive frequency, but it creates a clear disconnect between the transmission of your gut instinct.

The digital detox doesn’t have to mean throwing away EVERY piece of technology. It just means having some designated time away from EVERYTHING. Carve out some time in the day where you don’t touch any form of technology. It may be the first hour in the morning. An hour over your lunch break. An hour before bed. Or all of the above.

The longer you’re away from it, the stronger the signals from your intuition can shine through.

You’re not going to have an overnight success with tuning into your intuition. It’s definitely a process, so take small steps and allow your body to guide you on the rate of integration.

When you start to use your gut instinct, every decision you make will feel ‘right’, ‘easy’ and ‘strong’. We can’t always be perfect, but when you tune into your intuition, you’ll realise that you’re a lot smarter than you realised!