Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
Today we're going to talk a little bit about intuition,
About that inner knowing that we all have,
And this meditation is based on a live session I did recently.
The Oxford Dictionary defines intuition as a noun and the ability to understand something immediately without the need for conscious reasoning.
In example sentences,
We shall allow our intuition to guide us.
In other similar words might be instinct,
Intuitiveness,
Sixth sense divination,
Clairvoyance.
Intuition is such a fascinating and layered phenomenon.
It's often described as knowing without knowing how you know.
It's a kind of inner compass that bypasses our linear reasoning.
When people trust their intuition,
They're tuning into a synthesis of experience,
Emotion,
Subtle perception,
And sometimes even unconscious pattern recognition.
Intuition isn't infallible.
It can be shaped by our biases or fear or past wounds.
I think the key is discernment.
When you learn over time and through experience to distinguish between the quiet pull of genuine insight and the reactive tug of old conditioning,
Intuitive becomes a powerful ally.
I tend to most often trust my feelings.
And you know in our meditations,
We often listen inwardly to the breath,
To the body,
To subtle shifts in our feeling.
And that's really intuition training in disguise.
It's like teaching someone to hear the difference between the wind and the trees and the rustle of deer nearby.
It's like you're listening not just to your own thoughts,
But to the space between your thoughts.
Intuition is less about knowing and more about recognizing.
Like your soul saying,
Ah,
Yes,
That.
It's like when you hear something and you just know it's right.
Not because it was clever,
But because it was true.
That's where intuition thrives,
In the quiet,
In the felt sense,
In the moment when the breath shifts and something inside says,
This is the way.
You know,
I've had that happen when going down a new river in a canoe.
Somehow I just know that I have to go down the left side and not the right.
In our group here on Insight Timer,
It was discussed about the difference between intuition and fear.
So I want to take a moment just to touch on that.
Intuition whispers where fear shouts.
Intuition tends to feel quiet and spacious and clear,
Even if it's urging us to act quickly.
It's like a gentle nudge from within that says this feels right or this doesn't sit well.
Fear,
On the other hand,
Is loud and constricting.
It often comes with urgency,
Tension,
And a need to control or escape.
Our intuition is rooted in presence,
Where fear is more tangled in projection.
When you're grounded in the moment,
Intuition can arise naturally.
It's informed by your body,
Your breath,
And your lived experience.
Fear,
On the other hand,
Often pulls us into imagined futures or past wounds.
It's a reaction to what might happen,
Not what is.
Trusting our intuition can be valuable.
It's evolutionarily grounded.
It's not mystical.
It's your brain pulling together all these subtle little cues and past experiences to help guide your decisions.
It's often morally aligned.
Studies show that people who trust their intuition may be more likely to make morally sound choices.
Close your eyes now,
And let's begin to get in touch with our breath.
It doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Standing,
Or lying down.
The only thing that truly matters when you meditate is that you're comfortable and alert.
So as we start to settle in,
Let's scan our body.
Relax your face.
Unfurl your brow and unclench your jaw.
Relax your neck and relax your shoulders.
These are places of tension in today's world,
Especially when we're humped over our phones and tablets and laptops.
Relax your arms and your hands.
Look for any tension in your chest and belly.
Relax your legs and your feet.
And as you begin to relax,
Let's focus even more on our breath.
Our breath is our anchor.
It's here for us in all moments,
And it's here for you now.
We're just breathing in and breathing out.
One breath at a time,
And that is the present moment.
Just one breath at a time,
And then the next,
And then the next.
Don't just breathe.
Notice your breath.
Notice this life-giving breath.
Notice where you feel it.
Maybe a cool sensation in your nose as the breath flows in,
Or the movement of your chest and belly as the breath flows in and flows out.
Or breath is like a river as it flows in and flows out.
Your breath is one of the few things in your entire life that you can exert some control over to make your life better.
So just breathe with me.
Breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
Just feel the breath in your body.
It's soft and steady and alive.
Let your thoughts settle like snowflakes on still water.
Take a moment and notice your chest.
Is there a tightness there,
Or a flutter,
Or warmth?
Notice your belly.
Is it holding or softening?
Let your body speak in sensation,
Not words.
Now,
If you will,
Imagine a quiet forest.
No signs,
No maps,
Just the hush of trees and the rhythm of your breath.
Somewhere within,
A whisper rises.
It doesn't shout.
It doesn't rush.
It simply knows.
Ask gently,
What do I need to hear right now?
Not from the mind,
But from the heart,
From the body,
From the place that knows without needing proof.
And if you're willing,
I'd like you to repeat the following positive affirmations,
Either silently or out loud,
And I'll say each one twice.
I can trust my inner knowing.
I can trust my inner knowing.
My feelings are a reliable guide.
My feelings are a reliable guide.
And last,
Last one.
Sometimes you just know what is right.
Sometimes you just know what is right.
We have to trust what arises,
Even if it's silence,
Even if it's a question,
Even if it's a feeling you can't name yet.
Let it be enough.
Let it be yours.
You all know how I like quotations,
So I have a couple for you today.
Albert Einstein said,
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.
And then philosopher Lao Tzu said,
The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.
Wise words.
Just sit there and breathe for a moment and think about this inner knowing that we all have,
That we all trust.
It's there for us.
If we just listen to that inner voice and we can strengthen our intuition,
The more you understand your emotional landscape,
The better you can distinguish intuition from fear.
I tend to always trust my feelings.
If something feels bad or dangerous,
I tend to be more cautious.
And at the same time,
When I feel something feels right,
I just go with that.
Now,
As we come to a close,
Open your eyes and come back into the room.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.
How good it is to be in this moment.
I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session for each and every one of you.
I'm so honored that you've invested some of your precious time here with me in this moment.
We all have to come to trust and listen to that inner voice,
That knowing when we don't know how we know,
But we know we're right.
Till next time.
