Intuition is the innate ability in everyone to perceive truth directly — not by logic, but by a simple knowing from within. To do this, we must go into a superconscious state of calm feeling (see The 3 Levels of Consciousness for more info.).
When we are in the superconscious state, we can effortlessly perceive the essence of any problem and the appropriate solution. Far from cutting us off from needs of others, superconscious awareness reflects the realities of all. Everything we do, then, is in harmony with life, and in some way benefits all.
This exercise will help you to find a solution to a problem intuitively:
Concentrate at the point where your eyebrows meet. Now ask for guidance from the superconsciousness. You can send out a strong thought like, “What should I do?”
Once you have sent out the thought, focus on your heart and listen for the answer. Be completely impartial, and try to feel a yes or no answer. If the answer isn’t clear, try posing alternate solutions, and see if one feels right in your heart. Remember, the answer doesn’t come on a mental level, you have to feel it. Sometimes it won’t seem to work, but suddenly days later it will come to you.
How do you know if it is really coming from your intuition and not your subconscious? One way is to see how you feel when receiving the answer. If you feel calmness, clarity, and calm inner joy then it probably comes from intuition. If you feel excited, restless, or nervous though, then you are probably getting the answer from subconscious desires.
If possible, try this multiple times before making a decision to see if you get the same answer, which will help you to be more accurate. The more you practice with small things and see which feelings correspond with good outcomes, the more reliable it will be.
Another way to recognize intuition is to act it out and watch your reactions as you go. If you’re doing the right thing, your inner feeling will gradually come stronger and clearer as you act. If you have no guidance at all, sometimes it is better just to start anyway, because often any action is better than none at all. But take small steps. You’ll find by doing a little, the energy starts to flow. As this happens, the guidance gradually comes into focus.
Different people can sometimes be guided in conflicting ways because their needs vary. Don’t assume that if you’re guided to do something that it’s necessarily right for everybody. Be open to the fact that a different course may be needed for someone else.
If, however, what you’re doing is producing disharmony, then you should question your intuition. When considering others’ reactions, remember, too, that some people’s opinions are worth more than others. Watch most closely the reactions of those with clear, impartial minds. You may have the whole world on your side, but if someone whose wisdom you trust doesn’t support what you’re doing, then you should re-examine your guidance.
Ultimately, the best way to get in the habit of receiving reliable intuition is to meditate. As I said earlier, we must be in the superconscious state to be able to perceive inner guidance, and meditation is the practice of entering that state and remaining there as long as possible. It will also help you to constantly feel the joy that comes when we perceive an answer, because that joy isn’t coming from the answer itself, it’s coming from your direct contact with your inner Self.
This post is based on Intuition for Starters by Swami Kriyananda
