We humans are intuitive creatures. We have the ability to gain insight into our surroundings and experiences by listening to our inner voice. Our intuition is that quiet nudging that says, "Stop and talk with her", "Turn here", or "Something about this place does not feel right.

Our world today is filled with signs that instruct, maps that guide, how-to books, all which lead us where we want to go. Mainstream society lauds rational thinking and logical decision-making. All these tools help us on our journey. The problem comes as we give our power over to the intellectual and take ourselves out of the active process of listening. We learn to shut down our sensitivity to our "gut instinct", and in doing so, miss out on using a very powerful gift.

Cultivating your intuitive sensibilities is not difficult. Begin by paying attention when you feel indecisive, "Should I do this, or that? Take a deep breath and turn your attention away from the logical decision-making part of you, and toward the messages in your own body. Give yourself a moment or two to discover what your intuitive-self is saying to you.

A great question to ask yourself as you go through this process is, "Which choice rings true for me? Don't be discouraged if you don't feel particularly led one way or the other - it might take you a little time to get tuned in. However, as you practice this technique of quiet listening, you will find that you are tuning into your own body messages. The more you practice this tuning, the better your perceptions will be. This is a different way of knowing what is right and true. It calls us into the present - the here and now - and invites us to open ourselves to a deep pool of wisdom.

I always encourage clients to start small, and to test out their intuitive abilities in many different settings. You might notice your intuition comes to you as a passing thought. Try to notice and hear those thoughts, then act on them when you are able. It is in the action, the living into the quiet urging that we gain confidence in our intuition. As your experience with this knowing grows, you will begin to trust your intuition more and more. And as you trust your intuitive self, your intuition will strengthen.

Here is another example. This one is more difficult, but makes an important point. At a company party, someone you don't know approaches you. The two of you begin to make small talk and something inside of you says, "Something does not feel right, this person has weird energy. Perhaps this message comes to you as tightness in your belly, or an unusual tense feeling in your muscles or throat. Even a change in your breathing can tip you off that you might be in trouble. Here is the rub. We are socialized to believe that we must be polite, that we should stay and talk with people. We should "be nice. We might think it rude to make an abrupt exit. So therein lies the difficulty, the conflict between your inner voice telling you this person doesn't feel right - and your socialized, logical voice telling you, "Stay and be polite" or worse yet, "You are just being silly."

Sometimes our bodies give us very clear signals when danger is near. This is not a fearful paranoia, but an inner reading of our surroundings. Intuitive insights do not always seem logical at the time, and we can often get caught up in the conflict between logic and insight. However, the ability to hear your inner-wisdom, and act on that wisdom is truly a gift to be cultivated. Listen when your intuitive self talks to you - and act on your intuition as often as possible.

As you experiment with sharpening your intuition, you will get very tangible feedback. Over time, you will develop a very keen sense, and can "readsituations and people with ease". The more you listen to your intuition, the more messages your intuition will send.

As you test these intuitive insights, you will grow to trust this advisor within. You may even start to have insights or "hear things in very mundane situations. As you experience this fine-tuning of your intuitive nature, you can celebrate both your insights, and your synchronicity with the universe.

2006 Cynthia McKenna LPC, NCC - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.