Ann Logsdon, EdS, Guest Writer
Waking Times 

Developing intuition doesn’t require years of practice or complex meditative routines. These easy strategies tell how to improve intuition.

Developing intuition, according to most books on the topic, requires daily meditation, probably involves yoga, includes a vegan diet, and works best in a remote setting like Tibet.

People with jobs, family obligations, and lawns to mow often have no time to develop intuition by perching cross-legged on a pillow in their living rooms and definitely cannot find silence if they have children in the house.

Fortunately, it is possible to develop intuition in easy ways without changing anything in one’s daily routine.

Intuition is the awareness of cognitive messages, auditory information, visual images, and physical sensations that provide meaningful information about past, present, or future realities. Some consider intuition a form of extrasensory perception (ESP).

Everyone has a sense of intuition, but it is drowned out by daily demands on time, energy, and senses. Meditation is just one way of focusing attention on intuition by limiting distraction and allowing the mind to become more aware of the self and of intuitive information. For those who have no time or cannot sufficiently eliminate distraction in their lives to meditate, the strategies below offer an alternative way to develop and strengthen intuition through meditation:

Turning Everyday Tasks into Opportunities for Meditation

Identify repetitive tasks in a typical day’s schedule, and use them for time to meditate. Time in the shower, mowing the lawn, doing dishes by hand, folding laundry, cleaning, gardening or other tasks that do not require conscious thought are opportunities that can be used to meditate.

Meditation during everyday tasks is easy, but it requires practice. Begin by clearing the mind and focusing on breathing. Some find it helpful to gaze at the tasks before them with a soft focus, viewing the task as a whole without attempting to notice any detail. When thoughts come, note them and refocus on breathing.
In time, the ability to meditate for an extended time without thought during everyday tasks will improve. With regular meditation, the mind can be cleared at will at other times, which is an important foundational skill in developing intuition.
Becoming Mindful of the Self

The ability to notice the subtle signals of intuition requires mindfulness of the self. Intuition can come in many forms, and being mindful of thoughts, physical sensations, and emotional reactions is an important part of recognizing and attending to those subtle signals. Periodic meditation, even if only for a few minutes at a time, enables one to become more aware of these senses.

Once the skill of moving into a meditative state at will is achieved, begin focusing on physical sensations. Notice sensations such as whether the feet are cold or if there is a warm sensation in the hands. With practice a few times a day, one learns to be more aware of the normal state and concentrate on feelings often tuned out by the noise and activity in life. Being fully aware of one’s own feelings makes it much easier to recognize the new sensations sudden intuitive thought brings.

Noticing Intuitive Stimuli

Through continued practice of meditation and mindfulness of the self, the process becomes more automatic. Once the ability to meditate and to be aware of one’s own sensation of self, begin to notice changes during different situations and when being with various people.

Conducting intuitive experiments is a good way to strengthen awareness of self and the ability to notice intuitive stimuli:
Experimenting With Intuition in a New Place

Before walking into a building, stop to mentally scan the self for sensations for a few seconds. Mentally affirming that intuitive insight is wanted can help. Statements like, “I am open to intuitive information that is important for me to know,” can help. Enter the room, and focus on any changes in the body. Is there a sensation of warmth, cold, heaviness, well-being, or unease? Mentally note those feelings.

Mentally thanking the self for any information or sensations received can reaffirm and reward the self for a job well done and can encourage more development of intuitive awareness.
Intuition Experiments With a New Person

In a public place such as a store, mentally scan the self for sensations. Walk around the store, while passing by others or waiting in a checkout line, notice any changes in body sensations. Is there a feeling of comfort, the sensation of a wall between people, or does the skin crawl? Mentally note those feelings.

The most difficult part of noticing intuitive messages is in recognizing that the harder one tries, the harder it becomes. Intuition is subtle. Concentrating too hard can cause missed signals or may invite conscious thought.

Conscious thought can affect the accuracy of the information one perceives. In a word, relax and let it come. If it is there, it will come. If not, don’t try to force it. With practice and over time, intuitive sensations will become stronger and may include feelings, words, or physical sensations. Some will experience all of those sensations. Others will experience only some.

To encourage further development of intuition, it is important to reward the self for noticing intuitive information.

About the Author

Ann Logsdon, EdS is a school psychologist specializing in helping parents and teachers support students with a range of educational and developmental disabilities. Ann has over eighteen years in special education. As a former director of special education for preschool through high school and a school psychologist, Ann has provided diagnostic assessments and assisted with program development for individual students and for school-wide initiatives. She worked as a state level special education and equity consultant and investigated special education complaints. Currently, Ann is an administrator for disability services at Kentucky State University. Please visithttp://learningdisabilities.about.com to learn more about Ann’s work.

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