Practical intuition in action

Practical intuition in action

Studies show that our
bodies already know when
something emotionally charged
is coming our way.

by Doreen Virtue — 

Our intuition is an inner voice that speaks with an essence of love. As we connect to that loving energy, we feel supported. We feel relaxed and safe knowing that everything happening at this moment has a greater purpose.

Begin with those small calls to action, the ones that say, “Today reach out to your friend — because who knows what that friend is going through at this moment?” Understand that those gut feelings and the sense of urgency behind them may very well be lifesaving for that dear loved one of yours.

Ignoring your intuitive guidance is like a mail carrier receiving a parcel and refusing to deliver it. If you keep it to yourself, no one is going to benefit from it. However, if you choose to share that message — to have the courage and the confidence to speak what you feel — it may change the lives of your loved ones by allowing them to feel happier and more free, while also inspiring them to begin to trust their own gut feelings.

As you listen to your inner guidance, it may tell you something simple, such as to switch lanes while you are driving. It may become more complex, such as you need to leave that relationship or you need to change careers.

Your intuition can work like an internal lie detector. When you meet someone, you can immediately tell if you like him or her, or whether something about what he or she is saying rings untrue. You get a sense of somebody’s energy the instant you make a connection, and your internal lie detector either says, yes, this is a wonderful person, or it tells you to get as far away as you possibly can.

Sometimes you pick up on different energies when you are in somebody’s home. Do you feel uplifted, or do you get a sense that the person is just trying to impress you? Is the energy stagnant with negativity? You will know.

Trust the messages you receive when you meet someone or enter a new environment. Do so especially if you are going to see practitioners or healers, because if you go into a space feeling uncertain or afraid, it is a sign to step back.

Science and intuition

A recent study stated that medical doctors can achieve better outcomes in their patients’ care by calling upon their intuition when making decisions.

At one time, intuition was considered an old wives’ tale. Now, researchers have solid scientific evidence for the process of intuition. Dozens of studies support the value of intuition in decision-making and finding creative solutions to problems.

A recent study stated that medical doctors can achieve better outcomes in their patients’ care by calling upon their intuition when making decisions. The researchers concluded, “Intuitive and analytical decision processes may have complementary effects in achieving the desired outcomes of patient decision support” (de Vries, et al. 2013). A related study found that farmers use intuition more than analytics.

Many studies have focused on our physical reactions to various situations, measuring blood pressure, brain waves, perspiration and heart rate in response to stimuli, such as looking at emotionally charged photos or video clips. In some intriguing experiments, the participants’ hearts and other systems were shown to react to a photo or video even before they were shown the stimulus.

Most of these experiments are double-blind, which means that neither the participants nor the researchers know which type of image the person being studied will see. Studies show that our bodies already know when something emotionally charged is coming our way.

Perhaps you have had this experience yourself when you woke up feeling excited or happy for no known reason. Or, similarly, you felt a sense of dread on a day when something unforeseen and unpleasant later occurred.

Research has demonstrated that our palms begin to sweat when we are around something harsh or dangerous several minutes before our conscious minds can register the threat. This makes sense, as the hands have a high number of sensory neuronal connections to the nervous system. Scientists believe that if we could learn to pay attention to the subtle signals in the palms, including perspiration, it would enable us to be consciously aware of — and avoid — danger.

Similar studies found that heart rate and blood pressure increase when others direct negative thoughts our way, and that these functions relax and decrease when people think positive thoughts about us. It turns out that sending love is a measurable energy.

Intuition works with the body’s systems

Researchers have pinpointed the brain’s right hemisphere, which is associated with emotions and the arts, as the center of our intuition. Additionally, the autonomic nervous system, also called our “ancient brain,” appears to be hardwired to instinctively react to potential danger in a way that could be called intuitive. The brain’s limbic system — our feeling center — can sense danger detected by the autonomic nervous system before it is physically apparent. In this way, our intuition (if we listen to it) keeps us safe.

In the face of stress, the nervous and endocrine systems work closely together to bring about harmony and balance. These two systems are linked by the hypothalamus, a structure in the brain’s limbic system. The endocrine system is made up of many glands, but the most important to know with regard to stress and intuition are the pituitary and adrenal glands. Let us look at how all these systems work together.

When your nervous system recognizes a stressor, it sends a message to the hypothalamus, which then releases hormones to deliver the message to the pituitary gland. Next, the pituitary gland sends out hormones influencing the adrenal glands. In turn, this causes your adrenals to release a hormone to reduce the effects of the stress. This pattern continues until your body is satisfied that you have enough stress-relieving hormones available. Your body then relaxes, and the nervous system calms.

However, if stress continues for extended periods of time, the biological exchange of neuromessages and hormones may become unbalanced. If the hypothalamus, pituitary or adrenal glands become depleted, it creates a strain along the cascade, which causes changes in your stress response, energy levels and hormones.

By supporting your endocrine and nervous systems nutritionally, you will help keep your intuition clear and sharp. And, conversely, listening to your intuition is a big factor in reducing your stress levels, as it will guide you to avoid stress-producing situations in the first place. Your intuition may also lead you to a stress-management program that is custom-tailored to your interests, schedule and budget.

Doreen Virtue is a motivational speaker and founder of Angel Therapy, a therapy based on the premise that communicating with angels is the key to healing. Virtue has written more than 50 books, including Nutrition for Intuition with Robert Reeves, N.D. hayhouse.com or angeltherapy.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 35, Number 1, February/March 2016.