“You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Steve Jobs (1955 – ) Source: Commencement address by Steve Jobs at Stanford: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

Everyone has intuitive experiences but few know how to use intuition effectively because we tend to talk about intuition as a single ability where, in fact, there are several levels of intuitive abilities.  They are not the same and not useful in the same ways.  For example, the most common intuitive experience is the common “gut feeling”.  A gut feeling is an intuitive reaction to something either positively or negatively.  When we experience a gut feeling it is an indicator that we are on the right track or that something is wrong.

Can You Trust Your Gut?

I suggest that we listen to our gut feeling and use it as an indicator but not a decision maker!  So many times I hear from my clients, “It didn’t feel right. I don’t know why I didn’t listen to myself!”   When something does not feel right it means it is time to step back and take a look at what we are not aware.  What am I not seeing?  What piece of information do I need to find?

Deciding

When I experience a negative gut feeling I don’t decide for or against anything.  For me it is a time to find the missing information.  First I look at the facts and the results to make sure I am not missing something.    Next I meditate. I do this so that I can gain perspective, clear my mind, find neutrality and open my intuition to “see” in my mind’s eye what is really going on.

Levels of Intuition

Intuition occurs on several levels: consciousness, subconscious an unconscious and supra-conscious levels of awareness.  Gut Feeling is the most basic level of conscious intuition.   Most use this conscious level of intuition.  It takes more experience to access the levels that offer more insightful levels of understanding.  It is my experience that those who only access the conscious levels can make incorrect decisions by not sorting intuition from logical or emotional reactions.

Intuitive processes happen very quickly and automatically so it is important to be conscious and aware of the level of intuition you are using so that you do not misinterpret your perception.

Making It Work

Effective use of intuition takes development and understanding of this ability so that emotions, logic, fear, desire don’t interfere.  Any reaction, i.e. anxiety, anger, love, etc. can interfere with clear access to your intuition.  It is interesting to note that these same emotions interfere with rational thought as well.

Meditate for Clear Seeing

For those who want to grow in their understanding of intuition and to use it to grow your success I recommend learning to meditate as a way to quiet the body and clear the mind. In particular I recommend an intuitive meditation designed specifically to open your clear seeing and clear knowing abilities.

Blogs in Intuitive Decision Making

The next three weekly blogs will be on using intuition in decision-making.

Best wishes on your success.