I was on the phone with a client this week when she asked, “How do I know it’s my intuition talking and not my ego? It’s so hard to tell sometimes.”

A fantastic question. It IS hard to tell sometimes, and with enough practice and some specific tools (I share below), you’ll know how to tell the difference. 

And once you tell the difference, the next step is trusting in it, or having faith, so the fears and doubts don’t take over.

So why bother? Why bother listening to and trusting in your intuition? What does it matter anyway? Well, I can speak from my own experience why.

When I don’t listen to it, I experience disharmony, not only in my mind, but in my heart and body too. I begin to have an inner conflict that feels like there’s a battle going on inside. It’s relentless. And it doesn’t just end there, I get really intense anxiety where I can’t focus on anything else.

Sometimes I really wish I could ignore it. There are great opportunities that come along and I think – “Ya, great, I’ll do that!” But intuition gives me the NO. I don’t always understand why in the moment, but I usually do later on. Or I have a sense of why (and I’m just not trusting it).

Intuition comes through in different ways. It could be a thought, and often times it’s the body. We’ll talk about both here.

With thoughts, here are words that intuition does NOT use to communicate with you (these are words of the ego):
Should/shouldn’t
suppose to
what if I can’t (or any variation of this that has fear at it’s roots)
Maybe it is….or perhaps….
I have to or I need to

Intuition speaks through a subtle or deeper knowing. There’s no questions, no fears, no judgments behind intuition. It’s usually just one, two or three words such as “do less” or “open your heart” or “meditate.”

There’s no fanfare behind intuition. There’s usually no fireworks that go off or a big neon sign that says, “THIS WAY.” Your soul doesn’t need it. It’s knowing is what speaks volumes in the heart.

With the body, it’s an experience. It’s a feeling experience of the body. When you close your eyes, you’ll have an emotional feeling in your body.

Notice the heart space, the chest. Notice if it’s tight or relaxed. Notice if it’s anxious or open. All is okay and is human. The way to begin or check in is to notice what’s there without judgement. Simply notice.

Then imagine something that your wanting to make a decision about or that you feel conflicted over. Bring it into your minds eye.

Now imagine what it would be like to say YES to that decision and notice what you feel in your body. If there is a tightness for the yes, then intuition is guiding you in the opposite direction.

And vice versa. In some ways it’s that simple, and in some ways it’s that difficult.

When I’m working with someone, I guide them into listening to their intuition through many angles to see how intuition is speaking through them (because it’s not the same for everyone). From there, they learn to listen to and trust more from that place.

It’s a practice – a practice every day. Practice deciding what toothpaste to buy based on your intuition. When you’re at the store, narrow it down to two choices, close your eyes and feel into which one is speaking to you more (which one do you have an opening or a lighter feeling in your chest to?).

Meditation is one of the keys to creating space and awareness of these differences of thoughts in the mind and feelings in the body.

And I can’t say enough how important it is that you listen to your intuition. Not only you need, but this world needs it. It’s how we connect to Spirit, it’s how we share our best and most loving self. It’s how we follow our true calling.

Ego will be there to put the breaks on because ego wants to protect you. But protection at the level that it usually operates at is filled with brick walls and enclosures that the heart and soul cannot navigate through. 

Let yourself take a chance and see what happens. I believe in you and KNOW that your intuition is there, no matter what or how small it may feel or seem. It’s calling to you in every moment.

Categories: Heart Centered Living, Inner Wisdom & Intuition, Stress & Anxiety, Uncategorized