TWO WAYS OF THINKING

The problem with talking about intuition stems from the fact that we have to rely on the verbal, logical, and conscious part of our brains to describe and categorize intuition, which is nonverbal, nonlinear, and unconscious. Although intuition is a valid part of our intelligence, a part of our capacity to grasp reality, it is often discounted by the logical, cause-and-effect part of our brain because it doesn't make sense. Intuition thinks in terms of metaphor, feelings, pictures, and the spatial whole and doesn't fit neatly into the cause-and-effect model. Moreover, research shows that the brain processes verbal and nonverbal knowledge in different ways and is not always comfortable combining the two. However, according to psychologist Guy Claxton of the University of Bristol, it's not as if intuition happens in one place and logical thought happens somewhere else. Rather, it's that intuition and logical thought are different modes of functioning of the brain as a whole. It's much like the analogy of a picture is worth a thousand words where the thousand words are the linear mind or all the facts. According to Patricia Sun, Director and founder of the Institute of Communication and Understanding, "a picture can tell you more than all the words in the universe can tell you. It tells you about relationship and position and shape and color and form and feeling and emotion and history, and many, many things in one glance of a picture." In other words, we function through partial information, and intuition gives us an overview, a whole sense of things.

ARE YOU STIFLING YOUR INTUITION?

Why do so many of us stay in dead-end relationships -- with other people or in our careers? Desire. We want so badly for things to work out that we either misinterpret or ignore the signals we are receiving about the situation. Therefore, the biggest obstacle to developing intuition is self-deception. Not only do you need to be able to differentiate between emotional reactions and accurate perceptions, but you also need to be aware of your desires and fears. Moreover, while intuition sometimes offers a better solution than logic and reason, we tend to shy why from doing what our instincts are telling us to do because we are afraid of the outcome. We're afraid of being wrong, especially when we don't know why this could be the correct solution. We're afraid to trust ourselves. Instead of constantly doubting ourselves, we need to learn how to act from a foundation of love and trust within ourselves. Because of the dominant linear brain, the moment we have an intuitive feeling, we immediately put it down. "That's crazy. You can't do that." What it must come down to is trusting your gut feeling about things as often as you can. How can you do this when there are so many conflicting voices inside you? You have to learn to recognize these different voices, and find, and listen to your true inner voice. For example, there's the voice of the judge who tells you what you should do and the voice of the inner critic who tells you what you cannot do. In other words, if our linear mind is too critical, too judgmental, we stifle our intuition, our true inner voice.

INTUITIVE TECHNIQUES

Not surprisingly, you learn the most about intuition in silence. Take a few deep breaths, relax your body, relax your mind, and ask yourself, "What's my gut feeling right now?" "How do I really feel right now? What do I really want?" and act on it. You have to be willing to act on your intuition, to trust the feelings that you have because intuition means trusting your own integrity - trusting your gut, trusting your heart. And, if you're wrong, learn from it. Experts suggest using a journal to keep track of intuitions to see how many of them are accurate, and where you tend to fall into patterns of wishful thinking or excessive worry. It is also suggested that you pay attention to your dreams as they can enhance your intuitive abilities as well.

According to Shakti Gawain, author of Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life, "the more you listen to your intuition and trust it and follow it, the stronger it becomes, so that you can really begin to feel the difference between your intuition and all the other voices that are going on inside of you." However, it is important to remember that intuition is not a substitute for reason. Rather, it is the part of your intellect that allows you to see the whole picture. Intuition acts like a bridge between your logical reasoning and the sum total of your experience-based knowledge.

FINDING YOUR INNER BALANCE

Being intuitive is trusting yourself to find your inner balance. According to Patricia Sun, "if you trust your intuition, it will sometimes take you to the limits you need to go in order to be able to find your balance. If, for example, you are more of a listener your intuition will start moving you in the direction of being more expressive, more assertive, because you need to have that ability as well. It will feel very extreme because it is not what you are used to." However, your intuition will not tell you to do things that are truly wrong for yourself or other people. In other words, if you really trust your intuition and act on it, there is harmony. There is an inner guidance that directs us every step of the way. We must learn to listen to our intuition and trust this inner guidance if we are to find our true inner balance.

Edel Jarboe is the founder of Self Help for Her.com, an online self-help magazine helping you create a better life. She also publishes a free weekly newsletter, which features advice on goal setting, stress management, coping with difficult people, overcoming obstacles: SUBSCRIBE HERE and receive a FREE stress report.