For some it feels like a pit in the gut or a flutter of the heart. For others the information comes to them through a neutral voice of thought in their mind, or warm hands, or goosebumps. It may even show up as a feeling of completion in the heart, a settling of the body, a feeling of simply “knowing” – or all of the above!

That is very likely your intuition speaking. Studies show that the heart responds before the brain. The “heart’s electrical field is up to 100 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity generated by the brain… and more than 5,000 times greater in strength than the field generated by the brain”. It is picking up on information we cannot perceive due to our limited 5 senses. This is why when we listen to our intuition, to our heart, the decisions we make are more informed than logic alone and lead to far better results in our experience of life.

Not sure if that is entirely true? Just ask entrepreneurs like Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson what they rely on to make decisions. It’s tough to argue with success.

Tips for improving our intuitive sense:

1) Calm down – slow down your movement and breath. Activities that slow your heart rate and invoke a state of calm help you to hear your intuitive voice. That voice is always speaking to you, but often you’re moving too fast for you to hear it. Tai chi, yoga, meditation, walking, a salt bath, breathing deeply… these are all activities that can help you stress less.

2) Cultivate breath and body awareness – get in touch with all your senses and emotions to help you discern when your intuition is speaking or if it’s something else, like fear or someone else’s opinion. Try this 10 minute meditation to get you started.

3) Start following your hunches – if you have an idea or knowing that lights you up, listen to it. Start small, like going on a walk and following a trail that feels interesting. Or cooking a new meal and adding an ingredient that peaks your curiosity. The point is to engage in those hunches and see how you feel afterward. If you feel good, chances are that hunch was actually your intuition and now you’ve identified clues to spot it in the future. More importantly, this step is about building trust in yourself and your capabilities which also improve your self-confidence and resilience.

4) Take a chance – congratulations! You’ve built some muscle around identifying your “6th sense” and now you have a basis for making more and bigger decisions in your life. What are your dreams and desires? What is your intuition saying about those? Take a chance on yourself and follow your gut one small step at a time… you may be delightfully surprised with what you discover.

With love and light,

Ainsley