Intuitive wisdom

Facing a tough decision? Not sure which path to take? So often, the answer comes from a quiet voice within. But how do we get in touch with our intuition – and how do we know that what we are hearing is not anxiety or fear? Anita Chaudhuri asks the experts

Does the following scenario sound familiar? You develop a hunch about something, perhaps a potential romantic partner, or a job opportunity that seems like a bit of a stretch. When you confide in friends and family, some react with scepticism, perhaps even an eye roll. But then, to everyone’s surprise, perhaps even yours, things turn out just the way you imagined.

Listening to that inner wise voice within can yield powerful results. And, while it might sound woo-woo to the uninitiated, many influential entrepreneurs and artists cite it as key to their success, including Steven Spielberg, David Lynch and Oprah Winfrey. Apple founder Steve Jobs went as far as to say: ‘Intuition is a powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion.’

So, what exactly is intuition? Often referred to as a gut feeling or sixth sense, recent research published in Psychological Science defined it as a brain process that allows people to make decisions without employing the rational mind. Experiments conducted by the University of New South Wales revealed that we can use unconscious information in the brain and body to guide us through life, enable better and faster decisions and become more confident about our choices. The research also indicated that intuitive skills get better when practised over time.

‘Learning to develop your intuition puts you back in charge of your life instead of feeling at the mercy of others,’ says Sonia Choquette, author of Ask Your Guides (Hay House, £12.99). ‘The more intuitive insight you have, the better decisions and choices you can make about your life – it’s empowering. It also helps you reconnect with parts of your authentic self that got railroaded by the opinions of other people.’

Choquette believes the easiest way to activate your intuition is via your imagination. ‘Every morning, say out loud all the things in life that you love:

“I love a cup of strong coffee in the morning, I love my dog, I love silk pyjamas, I love flowers, I love laughing with my kids.” It’s important to say them out loud because you get them out of your head and into reality.’

Specificity is key here. The more detailed you make your daily love list, the more engaged you will become. By reminding yourself of what you love most in your life, you are giving yourself permission to have more of it.

I can attest to this, because I started doing this exercise at one of Choquette’s workshops several years ago. It was what inspired me to buy my first camera, paint my living room sunflower yellow and find my dream co-working space. What is the

While it might sound woo-woo to the uninitiated, many artists and entrepreneurs cite intuition as key to their success