Intuition is the ability to know or sense something without the use of reason, logic or experience. It is a perceptive insight or an impression; an original, independent source of knowledge.

When you know how to tap into your intuition, you can develop insight into your health and wellbeing, access your inner wisdom when making decisions, and discover creative and innovative solutions to difficult problems.

Intuition is not about being clairvoyant or having extrasensory or paranormal powers. It is a natural part of being human and something that we are all born with. We all have intuition, but most of us don’t know how to access it.

Here’s what Albert Einstein said about intuition: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

Here’s what Dr. Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine, said about intuition: “It’s always with excitement that I wake up in the morning wondering what my intuitor will toss up to me like gifts from the sea.”

If we are all born with this gift, then why is it some of us are better at listening to this source of knowledge while others are not? It is because some people have developed the skill to listen to their intuitive mind, while for others, that skill has not yet been cultivated. With practice, it is possible for all of us to develop our intuitive skills.

Cultivating One’s Intuition
The first step in cultivating one’s intuition is to decide that this is something you want to develop. For most of us, it takes practice to begin to listen to that still, small voice inside.

This means training yourself to listen carefully to the messages and signals you may receive from the intuitive mind.

In order to listen carefully, most of us need to slow down. One of the best ways to slow down is to begin to pay attention to your breathing as you inhale and exhale. As we follow our breath, the body becomes quiet and so, too, does the mind. Then we can begin to invite intuition in and listen for its messages.

One practice that can help develop your intuitive skills is called the “Circle and the Dot” exercise (this exercise can be found on the website www.lifesciencefoundation.org). In this exercise, the dot symbolizes the essence of you while the circle is that which is beyond the individual – such as, the room, the planet, the solar system, the universe or the spiritual world. Here is the exercise:

• First, quiet the mind and body by focusing the attention on the breath. Take a few minutes to do this; just follow your breathing and observing your body as you inhale and exhale.
• Next, inhale and begin to experience your existence as a concentrated dot. Gently hold that position and your breath as long as you are relaxed and comfortable.
• On the exhale, allow one’s identity to expand out to the boundaries of the circle – to whatever place is comfortable. This can begin as expanding to the edge of your skin and then into the room and out as far as you wish.
• Gently hold that expanded state and your breath as long as you are relaxed and comfortable.
• Then begin the cycle again, of inhale, hold, exhale and hold. Repeat as often as is comfortable.

Before doing this exercise, use your imagination to place any questions, intentions or curiosities within the circle and then let them go and forget about them. Allow intuition to take care of the process. If you try to find immediate answers, it is only likely to limit the intuitive process. It is important, therefore, to relax and trust the process. For most of us, it is also important to practice in order to consciously develop our intuition.

When working to develop your intuition, having curiosity and an open willingness to learn are the best attitudes. Allow yourself to consider that your intuition is a natural and innate part of who you are and that its gifts will come to you with patience and practice. Be prepared to discover new things about yourself and the world. Don’t be surprised if you find that your heart also expands and your compassion grows as your circle of perception widens.