Intuition – a gift to help us in these challenging times.
As we all adjust again in our individual ways to the further restrictions, I thought that it might be helpful to write a little about a very special and valuable gift we have within us, which can really help in these challenging and uncertain times.
That gift is Intuition (also known as Inner Wisdom). Many will be aware of the term, many more will be conscious of using it in their lives, and this short piece may inspire you to use it even more.
Firstly what is Intuition? It is an inner ‘knowing’. It is a knowing that something is right for you, even though that may not appear ‘sensible’ to other people in your life. Intuition can arise as a ‘feeling’ that is gentle, and can become quite strong. It can relate to people, places and things, such as decisions you need to make in your life. Intuition can be a thought which pops into your mind, and you recognise it as an answer to something you’ve been wondering about. It can be a feeling about not going somewhere even though you’ve arranged it. Then again, perhaps something ‘on paper’ sounds the best solution, and your inner feeling is to choose something else. Not listening to our intuitive nudges can have an effect too, and I’m sure some of you will have had experience of that. Things may not work out well or you may feel somewhat unsettled in that instance.
It is always useful to check the intuitive feeling with your reasoning abilities, as it probably wouldn’t really be intuition if for example you felt not to pay the bills this month because Christmas is coming!
A slightly flippant remark there, but just to be clear that it is really intuition and not ’wishful thinking’.
So, how do you know and how can you be certain that what you are feeling is Intuition? Firstly, by practice – it is like a muscle which becomes stronger with use. Secondly, the best time to check inwardly with yourself is when you are most peaceful. This is important, as it is much more likely that you will receive the inner wisdom whilst in a peaceful state. When the mind is in a state of agitation, stress or confusion, then it isn’t possible to access this great helper – our Intuition. The inner wisdom has no space in which to give you any answers.
I’m sure many reading this will be aware of how and when they are connecting with their own inner Wisdom, and for those who aren’t aware of using it, you can start with small things – for instance, what to eat for breakfast. If you tend to eat similar food each day, maybe ask yourself what does my body need today? See if you get a feeling about something different to usual? Or, thinking about a list of jobs/tasks to be done – instead of going ahead on ‘automatic’, how about asking yourself inwardly what is the best thing to do first? It might turn out to be something you’d usually do later, and by doing it now, and following a similar inward checking with all the other tasks, the day can flow really beautifully.
By doing the above, people often find that they can be in the right place at the right time – just happen to meet the very person they needed to speak to, or the phone rings just at the most convenient moment to have a helpful conversation.
In these Covid times, using our Intuition can make a big difference to our days. Our Intuition knows what is most beneficial for us, and even within the restrictions when we are not free to go where and when we choose, we can still make great use of this wonderful tool to help our days run more smoothly and contentedly. It can really help us to feel and know that we do have some control over our own lives.
Other examples could relate to families and children – listening to our intuition as to what to do and when. Checking in with yourself as to what activities could be good to do with children? Working at home or at other venues – Intuition can again be used very helpfully here. You have a list of tasks to do, some of them may be quite familiar to you. You can still check in to see what order might be best today – you can also be helped by doing this to find more creative and enjoyable ways to approach tasks. This then can lead to feelings of greater fulfilment.
Intuition and fear – If this is my Intuition speaking, why do I feel fearful? You may feel it is right for you to do something – maybe that involves stretching yourself out of your comfort zone a bit? But you may, naturally, feel a bit of fear or apprehension about it. It could still be your inner wisdom of course, and again you may need to find a way of releasing the fear, through meditation or some other way that you know will bring you inner peace. Then you will be able to forge ahead. An Affirmation is also a very helpful tool here and it needs to be something that you can say with conviction such as “I know this is right for me and I can do this”.
Some may say wouldn’t it be great if I had time to stop between tasks during the day and check in with myself? Well, the answer I would offer is that intuition could help you to know what really does need to be done today, thus saving you time and resulting in less tiredness at the end of the day. As mentioned earlier, instead of going on ‘automatic’, there is more choice of time and how to spend it wisely. You could also find that there will be time for yourself, within the day when listening to Intuition.
Certainly, to start becoming more aware now of Intuition, to have the interest to try it in your days, would be a great help as it gets closer to Christmas this year. (More about managing and making the most of Christmas next time!)
The best way to approach Intuition really is to practise it, enjoying the exercise, in small ways if you haven’t consciously been using it up until now. Then as the intuitive ‘muscle’ grows, you’ll feel more confident about bigger areas. Indeed, with bigger decisions it is often very helpful to go one step at a time. Then when the next step comes along you see what the feeling around that is – it may lead you on to the next step on that journey, or point you in a different direction altogether, which you might never have thought of but happens to be just right for you! The main thing is to make a start!
Perhaps someone is thinking where does Intuition come from? Well, we are mind, body and spirit, and the inner wisdom is linked with our deeper spiritual connection. It is not the same as ‘instinct’, which animals are mainly led by, and it isn’t related to the psychic. Intuition is a very unique and individual guide to each person in their particular life and circumstances. Practised, and used regularly it can greatly enhance the feeling of harmony in our days, going with the flow of our lives, not struggling through so much.
It is fun and uplifting to work with your own Intuition – explore this gift we humans have been given, and enjoy seeing the difference it can make in your life.
Bernadette McPhillips
www.healinghelps.ie
bernadette@healinghelps.ie
087 132 8579
