Body intelligence and emotional intelligence are very much “low hanging fruit” areas of intelligence for us because:
- We normally either ignore them, are oblivious to them, or are mindlessly run by them.
- They both cut to where the “rubber meets the road” in terms of our basic human drivers. They are powerful motivators that are always in play, whether we are aware of them or not.
Currently, we are focusing on body intelligence, a part of which is gut instinct, which when developed leads to increased intuition, which is greatly undervalued and often misunderstood in our culture.
Steve Jobs called intuition “more powerful than intellect.” Sophy Burnham, bestselling author of The Art Of Intuition, told the Huffington Post, “It’s different from thinking, it’s different from logic or analysis…It’s a knowing without knowing.”
Intuition is not superior to reasoning or emotional awareness. It is part of a package of information our body is continually giving to us if we are willing to recognize it. Here are the ten things that people in touch with their intuition do differently, according to Burnham. Many items on this list will look familiar to you, if you have been keeping up with our blog posts.
- They listen to that inner voice, rather than dismiss it out of hand.
- They take time for solitude.
- They create. There is a strong connection between creativity and functioning intuitively.
- They practice mindfulness.
- They observe everything. Keep a journal. Notice when little odd things happen.
- They listen to their bodies. They pay attention to their gut feelings.
- They connect deeply with others. Intentionality in creating deep connection with others helps develop empathic accuracy.
- They pay attention to their dreams. This helps you tap into your unconscious thinking processes.
- They enjoy plenty of down time. Busyness, hurry, stress and burnout stifle intuition.
- They mindfully let go of negative emotions. If your emotional brain is hijacking the rest of your brain, it will not only cloud your intuition, but also rational thought.
When you look at Burnham’s list above, you can notice how all of them require presence and awareness. Clearing the mind, practicing presence, attending to breath and turning your attention inward, as you hone your inward observer is the gift that keeps on giving. The benefits just keep on stacking up. It is a fundamental practice that:
- Increases linkage between the emotional brain and the thinking brain to generate harmony and balance.
- It allows you to become aware of the input from your second brain in your gut, as well as from the rest of your body.
- It supports you in honing your intuition.
- It is self-soothing, and enables you to recover from emotional flooding.
- It promotes being whole and in integrity.
- It enhances your ability to be deeply connected to yourself and others.
- It reorients your assumptions about what it takes to grow and be healthy.
In our next blog post, we will take a deeper look at the last bullet item above. Reorienting unconscious assumptions about life is at the center of any transformational growth.
Question:
When have you noticed gut instinct or intuition playing a significant part in a decision you made?
