This morning a client asked if I had any exercises to recommend that could help her get in touch with her intuition. I was ready to share those I’ve found very effective, yet something called me first to lay a better foundation. You see, intuition is like a spiritual muscle that becomes stronger with exercise. And just like physical exercise, in order to be most effective we prepare our muscles in ways that make them perform better for us. Sometimes it’s stretching. Other examples like long distance running, we need to get some mileage under our belts before we are ready to go the distance.
Intuition is wisdom that is expressed from our inner world. The process of tuning in to it requires that we allow ourselves the opportunity to experience what it feels, sounds or looks like. We each learn in different styles and the voice of intuition appears in the form that we can connect with most naturally. I get my higher level direction in visual form which arrives as symbols of concepts that I then interpret. In the past couple of weeks these symbols have appeared as a hand reaching out and a sun rising from the horizon. I knew what they meant immediately. I also feel guidance and understandings through feelings I get which I know that I have not conjured up myself. These are commonly referred to as information that we “just know”.
Strengthening your intuition is a process of giving credibility to the wisdom and learning to trust it. Yet even before we can get this far we have to practice tuning in so that we have a sense of what we are giving credibility and trust to. You wouldn’t normally invite a guest to dinner in your home that you hadn’t met, would you? It’s the same thing with intuition. There is a process of getting to know one another before the trust is developed.
Getting to know your inner wisdom requires some quiet time for you to tune in. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy time. It can be as little as five minutes where you acknowledge that there is wisdom there and you set the intention to let it flow to you. It’s like tuning in to CNN in the evening and expecting Larry King Live to be on. You’ve built the expectation of what will show up for you. This is how you can look at your intuition. It will be there for you if you expect it to.
I have more to share with specific exercises for strengthening your intuition. I’ll let you absorb this first and visit the exercises very soon. If I can support you in this in any way, please send me your questions or comments.
Digging for Meaning 
Susan,
What an interesting concept “. . . intuition is like a spiritual muscle. . . ” Could one then apply the concept of “muscle memory” where an athlete relies on repetition and practice to reach a level best described as “automatic physical response.” ?This is a state where the athlete does not consciously think of what he or she is doing; instead their body reacts accordingly to each situation without conscious effort.
If this is the basic concept, then would it also be correct that a person’s experiences greatly influence their intuition? Again if I am correct in this assumption how would a person’s intuition remain “positive” if their worldly experiences were negative in nature regarding a specific situation.
Thank you so much for helping me to clarify in my mind how to begin listening to my inner voice’s intuitions. . .
Oscar,
You bring up an interesting analogy. While I do see intuition as being an automatic response, it does require a conscious effort in tuning in to it.
I do believe that a person’s experiences influence their intuition as there is much wisdom to be brought forth from our history. Yet unless the elements within the situation remain constant, our instincts about it can change as our inner wisdom responds to what is new in this situation as opposed to a prior experience.
I appreciate your interest and expect that more clarity will come with your practice.
Best wishes,
Susan