Your intuition, sometimes referred to as your inner guidance, is a mechanism of inner or instinctive knowing which neither requires, nor employs logical thought processes.
It is an
alternative source of knowledge, level
of awareness,
or as some refer to it, an inner voice. We all possess this mechanism
to varying degrees, as well as the capacity to develop it further.
Why is developing your intuition important?
Many great thinkers, from Immanuel Kant to Carl Jung, have emphasized the importance of intuition and the great impact it had on their personal and professional lives. They defined it as 'a priori' knowledge, and as being an essential and indispensable tool for us as humans.
According to Jung, intuition is one of four major functions of the human mind along with sensation, thinking, and feeling. By balancing all of these functions within ourselves, we have the ability to maximize our potential. He wrote:
Quiet your mind and listen. Take time each
day to experience silence. Practice calming your mind by using whatever
breathing or meditative technique you prefer. Let go of the inclination
to think, or analyze, and try to know everything. Be open and listen.
Let your thoughts roam and be open to the ideas and solutions that come
to you. When you listen to your intuition it connects you with a
greater knowledge. It usually communicates through symbols, feelings
and emotions.
Learn to trust your hunches and gut feelings. If
something doesn't feel right chances are it isn't. What may
be right for one person could be totally wrong for you. How many times
have you had that feeling in your stomach compelling you to do, or not
do, something for no apparent reason? Listening to it probably helped
you avoid a traffic accident or led you to be at the right place and
time for getting that great job, or meeting that special person. Your
intuition is your inner guide, so learn to trust it. At first, trusting
it may be a bit scary, but allow it the opportunity to develop.
Pay attention and be aware. In order to increase
your intuitive abilities you must pay attention to what is going on
around you. The more data and information you absorb from your
environment, the more your subconscious mind has to work with when you
have to make an important decision. Since your intuition uses the
information gathered by the conscious mind, the more you have
available, the better the solution. Likewise, knowledge and
understanding gleaned from experience contribute to the quality of
insight provided by your
intuition. Remember, the
subconscious mind communicates information to the conscious mind
through your intuition.
Employ your subconscious while you sleep. Before you go to bed at night, reflect upon questions and issues for which you couldn't find solutions during the day. Think about and explore different possibilities. This will trigger your imagination and put your subconscious to work at furnishing you with creative solutions while you sleep. Be sure to have a pen and paper handy, so when you wake up during the night with some great ideas, you can write them down.
Journal. When you take time to write or
journal, you tap into thoughts, feelings and ideas you're not typically
conscious of. This is an excellent way to release inner messages,
insights or hidden knowledge about a situation or problem that
requires attention.
Developing your intuition is like learning any new skill.
The more you practice, the better you get at it. As with any new
exercise or routine you're not used to, start off slowly and gradually
build your "intuitive muscles."
Enjoy
these Quotes on Intuition
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