Everyone has intuition.

Some people call it “having a sixth sense”. Well, by now, I’m pretty sure that there may actually be eight or even nine senses at this point; however, we can generally agree that humans have intuition.

Intuition is often described as a gut feeling, or an inner knowing that supersedes conscious reasoning or material logic. It's the sense that guides us when faced with decisions, leading us away from the expected course of action and shifts our trajectory entirely.

Intuition may have originally developed as a hyper-sensitivity response to danger when our ancient ancestors lived nomadic lives when sabertooth tigers were a real danger to our survival. I believe intuition comes from the heart and mind working together to sense micro-shifts in our environment and energy, then put it all together in a way that can guide and help us. I believe that intuition is one of the way our soul communicates with us through our heart. Some research suggests that intuition is a result of our brain processing vast amounts of information at the level of our subconscious, and that our experiences, knowledge, and emotions, weave together to reveal an insight that is not directly obvious to our conscious minds. By understanding this, we can deepen our sense of trust in the guidance we receive from our subconscious.

In the world of Astrology, the Moon represents the power and force of intuition. The Moon elementally connects to water as well as ruling the sign of Cancer, the crab. The Moon’s movements literally affect the bodies of water on our planet, raising and lowering the tides, and I argue that on a very subtle level she affects each living being on this planet, including humans since our bodies are mostly made of water. As a force, water and emotions connect to the energy of magnetism, which again reinforces the theme of drawing in and pushing out similar to the Moon. This planet reflects instinctive reasoning, bypassing the cool logic of the rational mind. In astrology, the Moon reflects the tendency of our responses and feelings, describing our nature. As an exercise, it is useful to know not only the sign of your natal moon but which house the moon occupies in your natal chart. By considering where the Moon is located in your natal chart, by house and sign, can give you insight in realizing where you are already naturally expressing your intuition. [I recommend astro.com if you don’t have a copy of your natal astrology chart. You can get a free one on their website.]

I truly believe that everyone is intuitive, but some of us have just spent so long shutting our intuition down that we’ve forgotten how to listen to it. We have become deaf to our own inner wisdom, but we can change that. Intuition is easy, like sitting down after a long day, a slow surrender and release of all those muscles. It’s like floating on a river. Accessing our intuition is very much like tuning the dial on a radio. When we relax and shift into heart-centered consciousness, we can turn that dial to connect with the forces of Love and Wisdom that naturally exist in the quantum field. In the greater field of the Universe, we can always tune into knowledge and guidance that can truly help us. Intuition is rooted in a growth mindset, which acknowledges that everything we experience, be it success or disappointment, can be used to help teach us and make us better. Intuition cannot arise when we are full of fear or anxiety. Everyday, when you work with your intuition, it is a constant choice between choosing to work and live from fear or from Love. Intuition is a gentle magnetic pull, like the tides that draw us in, and intuition leads us towards what is healing, what is authentically good and for our highest good for each of us.

There are a variety of practical ways we can learn to start working with our intuition, and below are just a few that I personally enjoy.

Stream of emotion journaling—try writing down all your feelings in a journal, give yourself an opportunity to just let loose on the pages and express every single thought or feeling. In this space, release all your fears, pent up aggression or frustration. Just let it out, clear out the heaviness, and then see what comes afterwards. When your done, just re-read what you’ve written and be kind to yourself as you read it. What themes are coming up? What is repeating itself? What is longing for release or greater expression? If you don’t feel comfortable writing, you can record yourself speaking in a stream of consciousness manner on your phone, which you can equally review for recurring themes thoughts and ideas. The point of this practice is give yourself space to release any pent up thoughts or emotions and then, give yourself opportunity to learn from that release by offering you a different perspective. Intuition can show up in this practice by revealing connections you may not otherwise recognized.

A walking meditation—this is a fun one to do if you can’t easily get out into nature. While you walk, pay attention to your body, feel your feet connecting to the ground with every step, feel the wind on your face, and sense the rise and fall of your shoulders as you breathe. A walking meditation is kind of like hyper focusing on the sensory experience of movement to the point that all thought stops. I’ve often experienced a sense of time being distorted because my attention has shifted from being everywhere else to finally coming into the present-now moment. I often experience hits of insight during or after these walks, and when we move our bodies, we literally shift the energy that may be stuck, which helps us more readily connect and align with our intuition.

Build a daily practice—this one was the most impactful for me. I started back in 2015, and I haven’t stopped. My practice has evolved, but it has always been a consistent time where I can dedicate all of me, to me. It’s a portion of time where I don’t look at my phone or check emails. I let all of that go and just enjoy being with myself. A daily practice can look like a combination of exercise, yoga, breathwork, tarot or oracle card pulls, energy work, mantra, or even screaming into a pillow! Whatever you do as part of your daily practice, make sure it’s consistent and something that fills you with joy or peace. When we are joyous or peaceful, we can more easily lean in and trust our intuition.

Intuition is a subtle and powerful thread, and by working with our intuition, we can find the courage to make different and better choices that lead us to wonderfully unexpected places. It guides us through labyrinthine life experiences like complex interpersonal relationships or difficult decisions we need to make about our work. When we embrace our intuitive nature, we begin to understand that we possess a unique source of wisdom, which illuminates our path while enriching our journey through life's unpredictable terrain. Pause, take a breath and listen, and start trusting the whispers of your soul’s wisdom.