If you are struggling to make a decision about something or you find yourself unsure about a situation and a friend or family member suggests to you that you should follow your intuition, do you wonder what that really means? How exactly do I tap into my intuition, and how do I know if I am following it? Is my intuition trustworthy?

Let's look into some of these questions, and try to sort out some answers. 

What is our intuition?

 I think the best way to explain the concept of intuition is to say that our intuition is a kind of "inner knowing." It's also been referred to as a 'sixth sense'.

Whatever you choose to call it, it's an immediate 'feeling" that you experience in your body regarding a potential action that you're thinking of taking, something you want to express, someone you've just met, or what might feel right or wrong to you in a certain situation.

The scientific community has tried to explain intuition as your subconscious mind talking to you, but really, intuition first comes to you through that beautiful organ - your heart.

Your heart is a very sensitive organ in your body and it is very in tune with your soul and your own energy field (your aura). Your heart works in collaboration with your soul and your personal energy and it picks up whispers from your soul and then translates them into feelings and sensations that then can be deciphered by your mind. When you express to someone that you have 'a bad feeling about this', or 'this just feels right', that is your intuition talking to you.

Your intuition can come to you as a whisper, and sometimes it can knock you over, depending on how attuned you are to it's presence, or how long you've been ignoring its signs. When we pay attention and recognize it, your intuition becomes a very important tool that you can use to guide you throughout your life.  It can be a touchstone of sorts, a way to check in with your heart and spirit, and a way to really feel whole and certain of the direction that your life is going, and of the choices that you're making.

How do I know if it's my intuition that's talking to me?

It's easy to get confused between your intuition coming from your heart and  thoughts coming from your mind. To tell the difference between them, you must first recognize that intuition is a non-verbal heart phenomenon. Your intuition doesn't come to you as thoughts that ruminate around your mind over and over, keeping you awake in a repeating cycle of fear and anxiety.

Intuition is very different. It's a feeling that comes from your heart, and since your heart is non-verbal, it comes to you as a 'sense', a 'knowing', a 'heartfelt feeling'.

Only when this knowing is deciphered by the mind and the ego does it become verbal in the form of thoughts. We must exercise caution at this point because if your intuition has been nudging you to make a necessary change in your life that will take you into unknown territory, your mind and your ego may introduce the concept of fear and this is when we have to be diligent and make sure that we are listening to our intuition, and not the ruminations of a fearful mind. 

Why does my intuition seem to be weak or not there at all?

For some of us, we're out of practice listening to our intuition, and it may seem weak or non-existent. But rest assured, your intuition is always talking to you, you just may not be listening. It's possible that you may have been taught to suppress  your inner voice by other people and even by yourself.  Perhaps you've been taught not to trust your feelings, or to make a decision based on facts alone, no matter how strong your heart may be talking to you. If this is the case, just know that your intuition never leaves you. It's always there to guide you and you can learn to tap back into it, become more aware of it, and benefit from it's guidance.

How do I tap into my intuition?

So now that we know what our intuition is, and how we can recognize it, the question becomes, how can I learn to feel it in my heart?

First of all, it cannot compete with the noise in your mind and the churning thoughts.  It's very important to slow down and get quiet so that you can really lean into your heart, and hear it's whispers. It will be much easier to connect with your heart and your soul if your mind is quiet and your thoughts are on pause. This can be in meditation or simply sitting in a quiet place. 

Take a few deep breaths, come into the present, be available, and in an emotionally neutral way, ask a question, and then sit quietly and wait for an answer. You cannot be emotionally attached to an answer because this will activate your rational mind and your ego. You're connecting to your heart, not your mind.

Pay attention to your heartbeat. Allow it to slow down and breathe deeply. Feel into your heart and you will connect to your intuition. The answers will come to you. It will feel like a light has turned on in your heart, and your heartbeat may speed up momentarily, or flutter. You will know when the answer comes to you because it will feel right, honest, safe, and authentic. 

When your heart is leading the way in a decision, you will recognize the sensation. It will feel full of love and light. This feeling is often referred to as a 'divine download', or 'an AHA moment'. When an intuitive nudge comes to you, sit with it for awhile. Let it flow through your body. Feel the inner wisdom and knowing. You will feel like it is your heart communicating with you, and it will feel right and authentic.

When you move through your life with the guidance of your intuition, it's a very grounded feeling. You'll feel like you are making decisions based not upon what others think and demand, but what feels right to you alone. You'll feel safe, and you will build trust in yourself and in your inner voice.

As Oprah Winfrey says, "Your life whispers to you all the time if you're paying attention from the moment you open your eyes in the morning until the moment you go to bed at night it's just speaking to you. And really hearing those whispers is one of the most integral pieces of the puzzle I believe that is needed to put together the bigger picture of your best life."

Tap into your intuition, and listen to your heart. It is always guiding you.

With love. XO