Balancing Our Intuition and the Five Senses- Part 3

“No idea is conceived in our mind independent of our five senses.”

                        -    Albert Einstein

In the last chapter we looked at some suggestions to help sensors utilize their intuition.  Now let’s look at how intuitives can deepen their awareness of the five senses and utilize the information to make a decision that is best for them.

Here are some suggestions:           

Be in nature- The natural world is filled with opportunities to stimulate our senses.  Go for a walk in the park or on the beach, sit in the grass or on the sand, close your eyes, and identify what you can smell, hear, see, touch, and taste.  Be extra aware of your breath and notice how fast or slow you are breathing. Are you breathing from your upper chest or down from your diaphragm?

Embrace the ‘new’- It is easy for our five senses to become dull when we stick to what is familiar.  Visit some place you’ve never been to before, engage in a new activity/interest, cook/taste new foods while paying attention to the senses.  When we heighten our senses we will be better able to identify them.

Connect with an animal- All kinds of creatures can help to heighten our senses.  If you have access to an animal, use your five senses to deepen your connection with him/her.  Notice how it feels to hold/touch it, and how it smells. What sounds does the animal make while engaging in various activities like, eating, drinking, relaxing, playing, etc. 

Developing awareness takes time and practice.  It requires being fully present in the here and now and staying connected to our physical body. This is the true essence of mindfulness.

May we all experience balance in our lives as we deepen both our intuitive and sensing abilities.

Balancing Our Intuition and the Five Senses- Part 2

" I have a bad feeling about this.”

                                                                -Han Solo in the movie “Star Wars”

In the last chapter we defined two personality traits-  intuition and sensing.  Personality traits run on a continuum, however, we most likely have a ‘preference’, relying more on one or the other to gather information.  The more information we gather prior to making a decision will increase our chances of making the best one for us.  How can we be more balanced in our decision-making efforts, utilizing both intuition and sensing?

If our personality ‘preference’ is to rely on the information our five senses take in, we might try to develop some intuitive ability.  Here are some suggestions:

Sleep on it-  After we have gathered sensory information, we can give ourselves some time to ‘digest’ the information.  Our brain does most of its processing while we are sleeping.  Keep a notepad by the side of your bed and jot down any dream content that you remember upon waking.  A dream may reveal, through images and symbols, your feelings/expectations, connected to a particular decision.

Imagine- Find some quiet time to sit and think about your options. In your mind’s eye, see your future self acting out each option.  Pay close attention to the signs in your imagined scene that reveal emotion like facial expression and body posture. 

Know your body-  As you imagine your future self, shift the focus to your body in the here and now.  Begin with the head, neck, jaw, shoulders, and continue to work your way down noticing any areas of tightness or tension, but also any positive sensations. Try to connect any physical sensation with a specific scenario that you see in your mind’s eye.  Emotions exist within our physical bodies, therefore, the body can help us to know what feels right or wrong for us as individuals.

May we all be open to both our inner and outer selves in order to make healthy, balanced decisions in our lives.

In the next chapter, we will explore how intuitives can utilize the five

senses to make more balanced decisions.