The word “intuition” is derived from a dead language no one speaks anymore. Ancient Latin is at the base of many of today’s languages, and the old Latin word “intuir” is at the root of today’s “intuition”. The centuries-old intuir means “knowledge from within”. Up until rather recently on the timeline of human history, people avoided talking about intuition for several reasons.
If you were speaking of intuition, you could have been labeled a heretic, sorcerer, witch or consort with the devil up until the early 20th century in many societies. Even today only the bravest scientists and medical professionals talk openly and candidly about intuition.
Scientists and doctors usually have to see something existing before they can get on board an idea, and this means many mental health and wellness professionals simply avoid in-depth conversations about the origins or effectiveness of using gut feelings to drive our behavior.
Speaking of “gut feelings”, that is just one of several terms that refer to the same “thing” that intuition is. Instinct, intuitiveness, perception, gut reaction and even ESP are routinely used to try and convey the idea that there is a non-identifiable and ethereal force that can guide our thoughts, and accordingly our behaviors, in the right direction, if we just understand how to harness it.
You may know someone who you say, “has a nose for” understanding the right course of action, with little to no concrete data available. Sometimes you notice that a person has a “feeling” about an activity, event, situation or experience, and that someone seems so absolutely confident of the course of action that should be taken, in the face of little or no confirming data, that you feel you must behave in the way they recommend.
Sometimes this works out incredibly well for everyone. The premonition or clairvoyance that person had was right on the money. Their actions followed their intuition, and a successful result was achieved while simultaneously that individual appeared to be a soothsayer or mind reader.
Other times, as I am sure you have encountered, “going with your gut feeling” doesn’t turn out so well. You are certain your instinct will lead to a favorable outcome, but the exact opposite happens. Your played a hunch, it didn’t turn out good for you, so you become fearful of trusting your inner voice in the future.
In this report on using intuition to lead a full, happy and fulfilling life, you will learn that sometimes you have to go against convention to create your dream reality. Sometimes, and often the majority of the time, the way the crowd is thinking is based on fallible, incorrect information that nonetheless seems logical and reasonable.
Trust your intuition in these situations, when your gut reaction tells you to go against the wisdom of the masses, and you can often realize incredible success and fulfillment.
You will also discover the true definition of intuition, as well as find out how much of your behavior is influenced by others, rather than your own feelings, emotions and innate knowledge.
Sometimes it is good to heed the advice of others that have previous knowledge or experience, but many times, you need to tune into your true feelings before taking action. This means you have to develop a strong will, belief in your own instincts, and the courage to act when you don’t have all of the information you need.
Finally, a large section of this report will deal with tips, techniques and best practices for moving from a rational, thinking mind into more of a state of just existing, and letting your instinct and intuition give you advice and guide your actions. Let’s get started showing you how to create more happiness, fulfillment and success in all areas of your life by defining exactly what intuition is.
What is Intuition, and is It Real?
Intuition is defined as:
“Noun – A natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence: a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without fully understanding why: something that is known or understood without proof or evidence.”
That definition comes to us from Merriam-Webster, a dictionary publishing company that has been telling the world what words mean since they published the first Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary way back in 1843.
Think of intuition or insight as the ability everyone has at one point or another to immediately appraise and understand a situation, without having to consciously think about it or use reasoning and logic. Analytical, logical, straightforward thinkers have a really hard time trusting their intuition.
When they do have hunches they follow, even when their perception was right on the money, they will not be caught dead telling anyone they acted in accordance with their instinctive thoughts.
Other New Age thinkers and people with open minds are willing to accept that we know very little about the human brain. Things happen every day which are unexplainable. You may have had some events or situations in your life where conscious thinking and logic did not give you the explanations or answers you were looking for.
While scientists understand human beings have subconscious and unconscious thoughts, they believe in identifying only those things they can prove.
This flies in the face of instinct, which never asks you for proof or certainty before influencing your opinions and behaviors.
The Science Behind Intuition
Did you know that many survivors of Radical Remission Cancer openly talk about using intuition to speed up their healing process? In a lot of these cases, their doctors are dumbfounded by the fact that a pervasive and well-formed cancer goes into remission. The doctor can’t understand why this happened, because they have no concrete causes to point to.
The patient who saw his or her cancer go into remission decided to trust a gut feeling about treatment and healing, because the prognosis was that there was no possible cure. Trusting 100% in their instinct as to how they could possibly return to health was backed up by actions dictated by their instinctual beliefs.
Some scientists believe the power of the human mind to create physiological changes is how these cancer survivors were able to send their cancer into remission when traditional medicine had no answer.
The Right and Left Brain Systems
The right part of your brain is where your instinct is founded. This is the automatic, subconscious, instinctual, fast way of thinking and operating. The left part of your brain is analytical and conscious. This is where your logic is housed.
This is a much slower way of thinking, so behaviors that arise from the left part of your brain are going to take longer to put into play.
Scientists have identified intuition as a part of your right brain system. Since the world you live in today is far removed from that which the first humans experienced, this is why following your instinct often looks like crazy and unsafe behavior.
The instinctual model of your brain is close to identical to that of your earliest ancestors, so when you act on gut instinct, your behavior may not look intelligent given your modern environment and situation.
The science behind instinct has to do with how fast your right brain works. Studies have proven your instinctual, subconscious mind is laser-fast in many cases, arriving at the correct course of action long before your analytical, logical, “let me think about this first” left brain reaches the same conclusion.
One study asked test subjects to choose whether a picture was located behind one curtain or another.
Images of curtains were used, as this was a test conducted via computer. Subtle physical movements and sensory behaviors such as eye movement were recorded. In the cases where the correct curtain was chosen, body language and other physical actions predicted the correct curtain choice as many as 3 seconds before a conscious choice was made.
Measuring Intuition and Confirming Its Existence
Joel Pearson is an Associate Professor of Psychology with the University of New South Wales in Australia. He was the leading author of a study that once and for all answered the question, “Does instinct exist?”
Through a series of experiments, instinct and intuition was actually measured for the first time. Using subliminal and visual imagery, intuition was measured as an identifiable and measurable “thing”.
Remarkably, what Pearson and his fellow researchers found was that the more you consciously try to access your subconscious instinct, the better you get at making the right instinctual choices. Through these tests and follow-up experiments, Pearson’s research team confirmed the existence of intuition.
Even so, the measurements were based on results and recording unconscious physical behaviors, body language and things like sweaty palms and eye movement.
They didn’t identify a physical thing they could point to as intuition, but rather an ethereal, hard-to-identify influence of emotions, thought and behavior.
How Much of Your Life is Influenced by Others?
Do you ever look to someone else for guidance? You probably do this consciously from time to time. Did you know that many of your actions are probably dictated by outer influences of others, and this happens subconsciously? You were probably taught the wrong and right ways to do certain things by your parents. In this way, hopefully, you benefit from the healthy influence of others. Sometimes though, you should ignore what society is telling you.
The Intuition-Killing Influence of Society
It is hard to act against influence that is constantly in-your-face. There are so many electronic media messages we receive every day. Without even realizing it, this constant barrage of input attacks your senses and cannot be ignored. Your 5 senses exist to turn sensory input into data that your brain can process, then your brain acts upon that data to create the right set of behaviors that hopefully lead to your survival.
When you are constantly assaulted with sensory input so that your brain often never gets a rest from trying to process this data, you subconsciously begin to automatically adopt behaviors and priorities those messages are delivering. This means that all of the marketing messages you receive visually and audibly are programming you to agree with society.
This is the logical side of your brain telling you what to do. You are automatically and unconsciously programming yourself to ignore intuition and instinct, and rather to “go with the herd”.
The great thinkers and achievers in human history have often disagreed with society, sometimes at the cost of their lives. In many cases, after these people have passed on, their ideas and teachings became commonplace and practiced by just about everyone.
Just because society or your friends and family tell you to do something a particular way does not mean that is the best way for you.
This does not mean you should immediately start ignoring societal and familial influence. A smart person will always surround his or herself with people that have sound opinions. This just means you shouldn’t automatically believe that what your leaders and marketers tell you is correct, simply because they say so.
What you need to do is learn specific steps for accessing and recognizing your intuitive nature, so let’s take a look at exactly how you can do that.
How to Access What You Really ant Using Your Intuition
This is the section of this report that can really make a difference in your life. The following tips give you concrete, actionable ways to identify what you really want, and then to trust your gut instinct as a way to achieve a desired set of results.
Practice “Using” Your Instinct
Earlier in this report you discovered the research psychology professor Pearson conducted about identifying and measuring intuition. This is groundbreaking knowledge. Like television and radio waves, intuition is not visible to the naked human eye.
However, you benefit from TV and radio waves all of the time. Pearson showed that intuition existed and can even be measured, even though it is invisible to you.
If you recall, his research also showed that the more you follow your gut instinct, the better it becomes at leading you down the right path. While it is smart to ignore that constantly chattering inner voice that never seems to stop, when you get a hunch or feeling about something, let that instinct drive you.
You are going to make the wrong choice from time to time, guided by your intuition. However, the more you follow your intuitiveness, the sharper and more successful it becomes at creating a positive outcome.
You probably understand that if you want to improve your memory, performing exercises proven to boost memory are a good idea. In other words, if you have a muscle you have to use it to make it stronger. This is true with your instinct, so start trusting your gut feeling more in your life
Take a Deep Breath
There is a reason why breathing in a particular way is such an important part of mindfulness and meditation. When you close your eyes and take a quiet moment to breathe deeply, the human mind seems to tune out conscious and logic to some degree.
This gives you access to your instinctive nature. As you take a deep breath with your eyes closed, think about someone you love or some extremely pleasurable memory.
After you enter this positive mental state, consciously awaken the gut feeling or instinct you had on a particular matter. This can help give intuition a voice, as well as assist you in choosing between instinct or logic as the answer to a choice or decision you have to make.
Remove Yourself from Physical and Environmental Influences
American author William S Burroughs was famously quoted as saying, “Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” The easiest way to relax when attempting to make a decision is to get out of the decision-making process.
In other words, if your physical, auditory, visual, sensory and emotional environment is screaming, “Make a decision”, it is going to be tough to come to the correct conclusion.
Find a quiet place. Go where no one is giving you advice. If you are reading an email from a client that is urging you to respond quickly, turn off your computer and go outside. Take a walk. Get away from the input that is begging your decision.
Remove yourself from the thought process entirely. Don’t think about the problem. Often times when you do this, as soon as you go back to the input or environment that reminds you of the decision you have to make, the answer is instinctively crystal-clear.
Write Down Your Intuitive Thoughts and Your Logical Responses
If your gut reaction is to do one thing and then suddenly your reasoning, logical mind screams at you to stop and do the opposite, write both of these ideas down on a piece of paper. You can look at the words and emotions your instinct and intuition have created.
Do this the same thing with your logical response that tells you to take exactly the opposite course of action. Sometimes you will be able to compare these two thought processes and find that there is some common ground that leads to a simple choice.
Keep an Intuition Journal
Journaling is such a good idea for improving so many areas of your life. This is because human beings can’t be trusted to automatically recall the way they felt and the behaviors they took regarding every single thought and situation that occurred in their lives.
If you record your thoughts and feelings about intuition and instinct, you will be amazed when you look back a week, a month or a year, and realize that what you thought you remembered about how good or bad your intuition may be incorrect.
This also reveals patterns where your intuition might be really good in one area but not so reliable in another, such as personal relationships versus business matters. Your intuition can awaken at any time during the day, so make sure your Intuition Journal is available and ready for you to use at a moment’s notice.
Meditation Improves Subconscious Ability
Meditation often gives rise to thoughts of monks sitting in the lotus position, bathed in incense and chanting. The truth is you can meditate anywhere, at any time. This process simply involves living in the present moment.
You recognize your breath and the experience you are having right now, not one second from now, and not one second in the past. You don’t worry about an hour from now or tomorrow, or anything you did in the past.
You merely exist, and become conscious of your current state of being. This relaxed state of meditation has been used for centuries to provide stress-relief, healing from depression, and improved internal physiological processes that lead to physical health as well as mental well-being.
Meditation helps move you closer to an alpha state of being which recognizes and communicates with your intuitiveness and feelings, rather than your logical, reasoning, conscious thinking process.
Read and Listen
It is a simple truth that you become what you do most of the time. If you spend a good deal of your free time reading books on intuition, instinct and following your gut, you are showing your unconscious mind that this is a priority for you.
Your brain is easily programmed. It expects you to do tomorrow at 2 PM what you have been doing the last 5 or 7 or 10 days in a row at 2 PM. Because of this, around 1 PM, your mind starts to prepare for your 2 PM activity, physically and mentally.
Using this fact to become better at recognizing smart intuitive advice is simple. Read about intuition whenever you can. Listen to podcasts that talk about using intuitiveness for more health and wellness. Whatever your predominant thought is most of the time, you will unconsciously and automatically improve your knowledge and ability in that area. This is true with instinct and any other thought process you focus on.
Recognize Your “Gut Feeling” on Initial Input or Data
Your instinct is alive and well, and it serves to protect you. Especially in first meetings and other initial experiences, you will probably develop a gut feeling about something. The first time you encounter a new thing, person, experience or event, your gut instinct is working to keep you alive. While we don’t have the day-to-day threats of survival of our ancient predecessors, this process is still working.
It means the next time you encounter an instinctual feeling of intuition about something that you have experienced for the first time, go with your gut. There is a reason scientists call the human gut your “second brain”. This enteric nervous system contains neurons which process information nearly instantaneously. That process is there for a reason, and should not be ignored, especially upon initial input or experiences for the first time.
Be Open to Identifying Intuition
As you move throughout your day, be ready for those “Ah ha!” moments that you may otherwise overlook. If you constantly keep your conscious mind open to the idea that insights and intuition can arise at any time, you are much more likely to identify periods of time when you should follow your gut instinct.
Follow Your Intuitive Health Signals
Your body and mind are closely and intimately linked. We now know that you can’t experience complete health in your body without your mind being healthy as well, and the opposite is also true. To make your subconscious mind better at harnessing intuition for wellness and fulfillment, take care of your physical body.
Listen to your body. When you are tired, rest, if even for just a short period of time. When you are hungry, eat, don’t put it off. When you are thirsty, drink some water. Are you incredibly stressed out? Take a break from work or whatever is causing you anxiety and do something fun and entertaining.
Your physical body is instinctively telling you what you need to do to be happy and healthy. Start listening to your intuitive health signals and respond accordingly.
Don’t Ignore Your Dreams
We’re not talking about dreams as in goals or realities you want to accomplish. This refers to the dreams you have while you sleep. While sleep researchers and neurologists will openly tell you they are not quite sure exactly what dreams are and why we have them, following advice provided in dreams has led to some of the greatest accomplishments in human history.
Artists, writers, politicians, celebrities and athletes often wake up in the morning with an inspiration about what they need to do to achieve some great achievement.
This is because, in some unknown way, your dreams may have access to intuitive knowledge your conscious mind either ignores, or doesn’t recognize. If you have a specific area where you want to improve your life, ask yourself a couple of questions right before you go to bed.
Your subconscious mind loves questions. If you have money problems, ask yourself when you go to bed, “How can I improve my finances so I don’t have so much stress and anxiety over money?” This could result in the release of intuitive advice in your dreams you can follow when you awaken.
What if Your Intuition is Wrong?
What if you follow your instinct and you make the wrong decision? If you are asking yourself this, you are giving into the normal human inclination to avoid failure and risk. The better question to ask yourself here should be, “What is the worst that could happen if I follow my intuition?”
Be honest with yourself in the situation. It is normal for humans to create nightmare scenarios that never occur when thinking of the consequences of a course of action. Don’t do this. So many great achievements are waiting for you, financially, spiritually, physically and emotionally, and if you stifle your intuitive voice that is trying to lead you to the greatest dream reality you have ever experienced, your intuition will learn to be silent.
Great achievers never worry about failing, because they understand that each failure brings them closer to success. Ask yourself what success, happiness and fulfillment you could miss out on if you don’t trust your intuition, instead of being concerned about following this natural, subconscious advice.
The Benefits of Trusting Your Intuition
The following list includes just a few of the many benefits of trusting your instincts and following your intuition.
- You have learned that sometimes going against the grain is the smart and successful thing to do. This can open your eyes to insights and opportunities for happiness and success where everyone else is blinded by logic and reason.
- You can achieve world-changing results. Roger Bannister was the first human to run a sub-4 minute mile. Before he did it, most scientists, athletes and physical trainers said the human body could not physically achieve a running speed and endurance to accomplish such a feat. Roger Bannister instinctively knew he could, even though when he first started out, he wasn’t the best runner. He trusted his instincts and intuition. After Bannister accomplish this feat, several other runners did the same thing in the months that followed. Trust your instinct to achieve life-changing, groundbreaking results.
- You free yourself from a dead-end existence. When you trust your instinct you routinely go against what is commonly accepted as the “smart thing” to do. Because you are acting in a way that is alternative to common thinking, your dead-end, logical, normal, boring existence is threatened. Is that really a bad thing?
- You can quickly become a leader in your job or career. Free thinkers that follow their instincts are found in charge of the world’s largest corporations. The ability to trust your instinct is a skill greatly admired and rewarded for in business.
- You teach your children to live a full existence. No dreams should be stifled, and when you teach your children that following intuition is wrong, you effectively eliminate a great source of personal happiness and achievement. When you show your children that it is okay to follow your instincts, even if they fail, you give them the opportunity for fulfillment, health and success in many areas of their lives.
How to Have the Courage to Break the “Rules” and Act on Your Intuition
Up till this point in this report, you have learned that intuition does exist, and it is measurable. It is a real thing, even if you can’t point to it and visually identify it. You learned specific steps about how to access the things you truly desire, by moving your mental state from logic and reason to instinct and intuition.
One of the ways to access the incredible power of your intuitiveness for positive change in your life is to become an outlaw, a rule-breaker.
We live in a logical world. As mentioned earlier, our primitive ancestors did not have the technological and scientific resources we enjoy today. Because of this, we understand a lot about our world, much more than our cave-dwelling predecessors did. They operated largely on hunches and gut feelings, and you and I are here today because of that.
When they found a certain group of behaviors led to survival, they did not try to rock the boat. They did those things that helped them survive in a very dangerous and hostile world.
You don’t have daily survival as something that is a pressing concern. This means that you have probably learned to look upon the world, and act, according to logic and reason instead of emotion and instinct.
The right brain/left brain discussion earlier was given to show you that logic is the exact opposite of intuition. This means you are going to have to learn to “break the rules” as far as your typical decision-making process goes from time to time.
If not, you will never benefit from the wisdom of your intuition, which has its beginnings in the subconscious voice that allowed your ancestors to survive when survival was very hard.
This means you must consciously become a rule-breaking outlaw, and accept the unclear, possibly risky, possibly unsafe path that intuition offers. This may be difficult, especially if you are a creature of comfort. Where comfort exists, dreams die.
Begin every day telling yourself out loud that you are going to open your mind to the possibilities of intuition and instinct, and then when you get the chance, act quickly on your feelings.
