How to Use Your Own Intuitive Perception

Intuition is experienced by people in many different ways.

Our logical minds often stop us from listening to our gut instincts. Although we may intend to listen to our intuitive perception, it is not always easy to tell whether that nagging feeling is true intuition or just fear. Employing a few mind-quietening techniques, intuitive exercises and instruction will go a long way toward developing a strong intuitive perception that you can rely upon to point you in the right direction in your day-to-day life.

Instructions

1. Identify your intuitive perception. Use such techniques as a regular meditation practice to quiet your conscious mind. Medical intuitive Marla Mitchell says that meditation increases awareness of the present moment, which is a necessary route to finding your intuition. To begin to tap into your intuition, Mitchell recommends picturing a stoplight with a red and green light during meditation. Ask yes-no questions you know the answer to and see whether the light turns red or green accordingly. As you gain confidence in this window into your inner perception, ask it yes-no questions you do not know the answer to.

2. Perform exercises to further test and gain trust in your intuitive perception. Intuitive David Stevens recommends this exercise. Write three solutions to an issue you are grappling with on three different index cards. Turn the cards over and hold your hand over each one. Make note of which card you are drawn to most strongly. As the situation manifests itself, review the exercise to see whether the card you were most drawn to in fact held the best solution to the problem.

3. Follow your intuitive instincts in real life situations and track the results. Make adjustments if things go wrong. According to writer Anne Hill, "It is known as leadership when accurate intuitions lead to effective, prescient moves; it is known as folly when our hunches are so far off the mark that we take ineffective or inappropriate actions." Hill asserts that it is often our emotional reactions that cloud our true intuition, and those reactions lead us astray. Hill recommends analyzing past choices and confirm they were indeed driven by intuition and not by fear, which can have a negative result.

4. Take classes on developing personal intuition. Some people will benefit from a group environment where they are surrounded by others with the same objective. Guidance from an experienced intuitive can help with any questions about the process. Perhaps best of all, in a class where everyone is just beginning to tap into their intuitive perception, there is no fear of failure.

References

• Gaiam Life; 4 Ways to Tap Into Your Intuition; Karen Horan
• Huffington Post; How to Develop Your Intuition in Business and in Life; Anne Hill; March 23, 2011