- Image via Wikipedia
A lot of people say they’re not intuitive.
That’s not true. Everyone is intuitive.
It’s just a matter of your desire to develop your intuition – and then priming the pump with practice.
How many times have you heard: Follow your gut instincts! Using your intuition helps you find answers, solve problems, receive guidance and become more creative. It’s an extremely practical skill to have. I rarely hear anyone saying: Ignore your gut instincts!
At one time I lived about 100 miles from a previous boyfriend. We’d get together on the weekends. When it was my turn to visit him I had my choice of two major highways I could take. As I approached the point where the two split off I’d ask myself which highway had the least traffic, and then take that one. I can’t tell you how many times I later heard on the traffic report while still driving – that the other highway had a huge back up due to one thing or another.
Here are 25 easy, fast, and fun ways to pump up the volume on your intuition:
1. Create an intention to remember your dreams, and record them. Before going to bed go over a problem you’re having in your mind and ask for guidance. Be patient. It may take a few nights to either remember a dream if you’re not in the habit, or to get the answer.
2. Meditate. Everyone says this, why? Meditation helps quiet the mind. You want to slow down the mind chatter to expand the quiet spaces between thoughts. The longer the quiet is between thoughts the more easily intuitive guidance can get through and be heard. (For a guide to meditation read this post.)
3. Go for quiet walks in nature. Quiet reflection in nature helps create the same longer quiet space between thoughts as meditation. Did you get idea about the best way to deal with a situation in you life?
4. Start guessing who’s on the telephone. Pause for a second before answering, and don’t look at the caller I.D. Ask yourself who it is. See what pops into your mind.
5. Try to envision what a friend will be wearing before you meet them. Take a moment before leaving the house, or getting out of the car and ask what they’re wearing. What comes to mind?
6. Ask a friend to concentrate on one interesting object in their home – see if you can visualize it. You can do this while on the phone with a friend, or by picking a specific time when you’re both concentrating on this task. Give your friend your impressions.
7. Take a relaxing bath, or shower, and ask your intuition to give you the solution to a problem you’ve been pondering. Let your mind wander. What ideas bubble up?
8. Think of a challenge you’re dealing with - then close your eyes and see yourself plucking a thick book off a shelf in a library. Open it to any page. What is written on the page? Is it your answer?
9. You need a yes or no answer. Tell yourself that some time in the next 48 hours you’ll know the answer to be yes if you find a penny. Did you find a penny?
10. When driving in your car with the radio playing see if you can guess the next song the DJ plays.
11. Tune in to your feelings when faced with decisions. Notice if you’re feeling excited, energized, or drawn toward doing one thing over another. Feelings of fear, dread and procrastination are signals not to proceed with something.
12. When at the grocery store, or bank – stop for a moment and ask yourself which line will move the fastest. Then get on that line. Were you right?
13. If you have a bird feeder – ask yourself which bird you’ll see first this morning at the feeder.
14. When meeting someone for the first time become aware of your “first impressions.” As you get to know them determine if you were right.
1 5. Try some inspired writing. Go somewhere quiet and meditate for a short time. Then ask for guidance concerning a problem you’re trying to sort out. Pick up a pen and start writing. Try not to “think” too much about what’s being written. You may feel funny at first, but after warming up you may find yourself writing and writing. Was this the guidance you needed?
16. Before you get to a busy intersection try to see if you know if the light will be red or green.
17. Prior to meeting friends at a restaurant test yourself to see if you know what your friends will order for dinner.
18. When going to the grocery store, busy coffee shop or deli you frequent ask yourself who you’ll see there today. Who pops into your mind?
19. Focus on any past successes with intuition. Remember how it felt when it came through. Knowing how it works for you will enable you to identify it in the future.
20. Ask a friend to concentrate on someone they know – whom you don’t. Try to see what impressions you pick up. Share with your friend. Did you see what they looked like? Did you get gut feelings about their personality, or emotional state? Were you right?
21. Take a deck of regular playing cards. Turn them over face down. Hold one in your hand. Do you get an impression as to whether it’s a black card or a red card. Take it further – what suit is it? What number is on the card? Did you have any hits?
22. Before leaving your house see if you get an impression about the traffic. Are certain roads snarled? Has there been an accident? A lane closure. Then turn on the traffic report to see how accurate you were.
23. Is anyone you know having a baby? See what your intuition says the sex of the baby will be. You may have to wait 9 months to see if you’re right!
24. When going to some one’s home for the first time – see if you get an impression about whether they have pets. Are they dog people, cat lovers, both? No pets?
25. Try this exercise with acquaintances. Have everyone exchange keys rings. See if you get an impression about what their house looks like. The kind of car they drive. Or anything else that comes to mind that is triggered by one of the keys. Do you see a safety deposit box? Their office building? A hand carved antique box with love letters inside?
You don’t have try all of these. Just pick the ones that appeal to you. You may be quite amazed by your results. But, don’t worry if you’re wrong – only Carnac the Magnificent was right all the time! Fear and “stage fright” shut off your intuition. Intuition is the opposite of rational thought. The two cannot occupy the mind at the same time. It’s spontaneous, playful and random and operates independently of the intellect. So, give some of these exercises a try and have fun. Once you get over the fear of being wrong your intuition will soar and roar loud enough to be heard!
Are you beginning to “feel” the difference between thoughts that arise from the intellect and those that result from intuition? What are the differences?
If you enjoyed this article please share it on Facebook, or Tweet on Twitter. Thank you!
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
Wow, lots of great tips here, Angela.
Isn’t it funny how often you just know who is on the other end of the phone line when the phone rings? This has happened to me too many times. Often, when you’re thinking of someone, they are thinking of you, too.
I also believe in listening to my gut on certain situations. I think the more often you do this, the more you trust yourself and your intuition.
Karen
Karen recently posted..Do You Recognize These Common Excuses
Hi Karen,
Thank you. This was my first attempt at a list post!
Yes, it’s amazing how we “know” who’s on the phone, isn’t it?
Exactly, I’ve found that happens so many times. I hear from someone right after I’d just been thinking of them.
I’m so glad you trust your gut! I believe you’re right: the more we trust our intuition, the more often we have positive results.
Thanks so much for visiting and commenting! Hope you had a great weekend.
This is a great list Angela. I started reading Practical Intuition by Laura Day and I did one of the exercises. I got a vivid picture in my mind about a man in a baseball cap. I knew him because we often met dog walking. I dismissed the picture because I could not see what sense it made.
Later that day the door bell rang and there was an unexpected delivery of the most beautiful flowers. They were delivered by the flower shop’s new delivery man – my friend in the baseball cap.
Marion Anderson recently posted..Overwhelm and the Learning Life Cycle
Marion,
Ah, how we doubt ourselves! Now that you have that as a frame of reference – do the exercises often. Seeing visions means that you’re clairvoyant. That’s fabulous! What a gift to have. You have to develop it.
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing that that awesome experience.
Angela,
This is so intriguing and I agree with you that all of us can have intuition or telepathy. I like the example you gave to visit your friend, which route to take and you were right always. Zenguy does that some times, when we drive to some place, always a parking space opens up for him, no matter how busy the place might be, 9 out 10 is not bad success rate.
I have often done this in my life but not with conscious effort, it simply just happened without trying. I am going to try some of this with more concious effort and see how it goes. Thank you for sharing.
Preeti @ Heart and Mind recently posted..10 Life lessons that I wished I had learned earlier – Part 2
Hi Preeti,
Getting parking spaces is very cool. Just say before arriving at your destination: I’m going to get the perfect spot! Good for Zenguy.
If you’re having success without conscious effort just imagine how great you’ll do when you actually try! I can’t wait to hear about all your successes!
Thank you for visiting and commenting!
Angela, I’m going to have to try this. Quiet walks are when I feel it most. And just before bed. Interesting that we can hone this ability. I’m going to spend some time by the water soon, so I think that will be a great place to tune in to my intuition. Thanks for this terrific post full of great ideas.
Katie recently posted..What is the World Trying to Tell You & Are You Listening
Hi Katie,
I hope you do try it. Let me know how it works out. Relaxing by the water will help you!
You’re welcome and thank you for the lovely compliment!
Hi Angela,
I love your practical tips in this list. What a great way for us to practice using our intuition on a daily basis. I think you are on to something here… a conversation like intuition can be difficult to bring back to earth. I love that anyone can sprinkle these into their day. Great job.
rob white recently posted..How to Take Command of the Mind
Hi Rob,
I’m glad you like the practicality of the tips.
To use your intuition on a daily basis, it needs to be practical, easy to incorporate into your day, and beneficial.
Thanks so much Rob and thanks for visiting and commenting.
Angela — thanks for all the pointers on how to sharpen our skills of intuition. One key that always helps me tune into my intuition is simply remembering we are all one. Namaste…
Hi Kerrie,
Welcome to my blog! I’m glad you liked all the pointers about sharpening your intuition.
You’ve hit on a key point – we are all one, sharing the breath of life, and the One Mind.
Thank you so much for visiting and adding to the conversation here.
Whoa a 100 mile drive is long! It’s good that you followed your intuition and went on the right highway or it would have taken maybe an extra hour. I’m getting into meditation now. I try to do at least 10 minutes of it every morning. I’m beginning to feel the difference between the thoughts from my intellect to the those from my body which I think is my intuition speaking. Intuition is a lot faster and just feels more “right”. That’s the best way i can put it. Thanks Angela.
Hi Hulbert,
I’m so glad you’re starting to meditate. It works fast!
Now your able to tell the difference between your intuition at work and you own thoughts.
That’s excellent!
I’m so glad you stopped by!
These are wonderful suggestions for helping tune in to your intuition. In my own experience, meditation is the most important. When your mind is cluttered it is difficult to find, let alone, understand your intuition. Starting the day with meditation helps to open up channels of communicaiton. After a while intuition becomes easy to recognize and take advantage of.
Hi Rosemarie,
I agree with you about meditation.
I believe it tops the charts when it comes to ways of sharpening your intuition.
Thank you so much for commenting and the “virtual” visit.
In one period of my life I research about intuition. Intuition is quite impressive topic. And powerful too
These are great tips… Intuition helped me in different events. Big and small… Except for the lines at banks and supermarkets (12.) I noticed that most people make lines near the entrance. If the line is further from the entrance, there will be fewer people on it.
Marko,
I’m glad you think intuition is an impressive topic – so do I!
Glad you liked the tips too!
The further from the entrance the shorter the line…sounds interesting. I’ll check the next time I go shopping.
Thank you so much for visiting and commenting.
Great tips Angela! There are times I feel my intuition is on & strong and other times I simply can’t connect to it. I like these tips as a guide – a variety – for ‘practicing’ connection with intuition.
* I feel like I no longer complain about the 50 mile distance I had with G. before I married him, 100 miles just shuts me up* …
Aileen recently posted..You are Powerful Beyond Belief
Hey Aileen,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I had fun coming up with all the neat little ways you can practice with your intuition. I thought these tips would be easy to incorporate into your day.
Nobody can be “on” every day – don’t worry. Some days your intuition just has nothing to report!
Yeah, 100 miles was a long drive! Glad I’m not doing that anymore!
Thanks so much for visiting!
Thanks for mentioning me in your post Georgia!