10 Ways to Tap Into Your Intuition: A Complete Guide

This is your complete, one-stop guide on how to tap into your intuition: 

You know that juicy, magical feeling of being so in flow, where you're manifesting magical experiences and opportunities left and right and can feel the force of the universe giving you the momentum you need?

This is what tapping into your intuition opens the door to. There's always more expansion, freedom and peace available and our intuition is always guiding us to it.

"Every moment that you are in alignment with your Inner Being changes every vibration that is hindering you." - Abraham Hicks

                     What is intuition?

Intuition (also known as higher self, inner wisdom, inner guidance system, inner being, inner voice, etc) is an expanded intelligence that allows us to access an entirely new realm of possibility. 

It’s a direct experience of knowingness - knowing what you know without knowing how you know it. It’s the feeling you receive that feels like a nudge or ping of inspiration/clarity. It’s the whisper that calls you towards something that just feels right without logical explanation. It’s the signs and images you see that something in you has resonance with and understands a deeper meaning of.

Everyone has this incredibly wise inner guidance system but most just aren't aware of it because we live in a world that places all importance in logic and what we can perceive with our 5 senses. For most people, their awareness is fully concentrated in their mind so most of the time, they are completely lost and consumed in the mental chatter. But there’s SO much more.

We all have this deeper source of wisdom and intelligence within us that we can learn how to tune into more. It's just a shift in where your awareness is. It’s kind of like changing the radio station; you are just tuning in and listening for a different channel of information besides the constant stream of mental chatter.

Intuition is connected to the greater intelligence of all of life, where magical surprises, far greater than the mind could predict or control, unfold. And it’s where your deepest experience of peace, purpose and alignment is found.

                     Why Follow Your Intuition?

If we truly want to innovate, if we truly want to create an impact, if we truly want to experience peace and living aligned with our purpose, intuition is key. 

Logic is based on the past and what we “know” and if we only rely on this, we tend to recreate the same old same old. I don't know about you but I didn't come here to live a predictable, same old same old life. I came here to expand beyond what my mind thinks is possible. I came here to experience. To live fully. To fulfill my soul's calling.

Our intuition “sees” things that the mind and logic can’t. And when we trust it, unexpected helpful occurrences and synchronicities happen much more frequently. Life smooths out and feels like it's flowing in your favor, people become helpful, circumstances more cooperative and you manifest aligned experiences, opportunities and people into your life with so much more ease (law of attraction).

But most importantly, you FEEL more fulfilled, more joyful and more aligned on a day to day and even moment to moment basis.

Often, there’s a misconception that if you follow your intuition, everything will fall apart and it’s much safer and better to trust logic. We can take the known, logical, familiar path and recreate what’s been. Or we can follow the intuitive path that unfolds beneath our feet one step at a time. We don’t know where this path will lead and there are no guarantees that logic seems to give us the illusion of, but this is the path that will lead us to create and innovate in entirely new ways.

This is why many of the most impactful creators in the world attribute their success and innovation to their 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.” - Albert Einstein

“You have to trust in something, he said. Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” - Steve Jobs

                     The 4 Most Common Ways Your Intuition Will Communicate With You

Most people perceive or feel their intuition in their heart or gut but it’s most important to tune into the place inside YOU where you feel most connected and can sense a peaceful, loving energy. In working with hundreds of clients' intuitions, I’ve found there are 4 main ways intuition will communicate with us. 

1. Words 

You might “hear” words within you. This will feel different than normal thoughts. Normal thoughts from the mind (conditioned thoughts) feel like they are coming from the head area most of the time.

Words from your intuition usually won’t feel like they came from your head; it will be in the body. Most of my clients hear them coming from the heart or gut region. For myself, I experience them as coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, like they just flash into my experience. 

2. Frequency/feeling/knowing/vibration

You might experience a realization or clarity that comes over you, like a knowing or feeling that comes into your body. You “just know” without necessarily knowing how you know. 

3. Images/signs

You might receive or “see” an image that often comes with an intuitive understanding of what the image means. Or you might see signs that you feel a connection with and understand a deeper meaning behind.

4. Nudge/pull/ping

You might feel a “nudge”, “pull” or “ping” that can feel like a gravitational, magnetic pull towards something. 

                     How To Tap Into Your Intuition: 10 Ways To Strengthen Your Intuition

1. Practice acting on intuitive guidance 

You can practice with small choices like what to eat for dinner, what color to choose for your nails or which work task to do first. As you practice, you build more and more evidence for your mind to trust. 

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

2. Listen and create space 

Create space to listen for your intuition and open yourself to receive intuitive guidance by spending time in more stillness or alone. Pay attention to sudden flashes of clarity or inspiration, signs in your body, etc.

This isn’t about trying hard to listen and making clarity or guidance come (this creates resistance which makes it even harder). It’s more about getting into a relaxed, open state and just seeing what comes through.

There’s no need to force or push; just listen and allow and see what wants to come through.

3. Get out of your head and into your body 

Any embodiment practices that help you get out of your head and into your body (into presence) will help you tap more into your intuition. When you quiet your mind, resistance goes down and your frequency naturally rises. From there, intuitive impulses flow a lot more freely.

Spend time in nature, meditate (if you’re looking for meditations, you can try Ritual Queen free for 14 days here), workout, dance, practice breathwork, etc.

4. Release emotion trapped in the body (what Eckhart Tolle calls the “pain-body” in The Power of Now):

The pain-body is the remnants of energy left behind by strong negative emotions that weren’t fully felt or released, so they got “trapped” in the body. As you release the pain-body, your vibrational frequency naturally elevates and your reality also naturally elevates to match this new vibration (law of attraction).

The more you release, the lighter you feel and the more access you have to your intuition. And the easier it is to trust. The trust and guidance is always there; it’s just sometimes blocked by emotions/stories.

Sometimes it’s not about doing anything to get to more trust but about letting go of what is blocking the trust. 

If you want to learn how to do this, you can book a session with me here.

5. Ask your intuition questions 

You can communicate directly with your intuition through journaling or talking to it. I like to use the voice memo app on my phone and record the conversation so I can listen back to it.

Here are some ideas of questions you can ask (but you can ask ANYTHING you want guidance on):

  • Inner voice, what do you want me to know today?
  • Inner voice, is this action coming from reaction or is it clear, clean insight about what to do at this moment?
  • Inner voice, what do you think/feel/know about this?
  • Inner voice, if it was up to you, what would you do next?
  • Inner voice, what have you been trying to tell me that my mind has been resisting?
  • Inner voice, what do I need to know to move forward?

6. Inner voice sessions

These sessions are the most powerful, effective way I’ve found to tap into your intuition, heal your energy and create more alignment in your life.

This session will help you tap into your intuition and release emotion trapped in the body (what Eckhart Tolle calls the pain-body). Learn more and book a session here.

7. “Hand it over” to your intuition 

If you find yourself mentally spinning over and obsessing over something and you don’t seem to be any closer to clarity, this is when this practice is SUPER helpful.

You can set an intention (feel free to do this now) that you are open and willing to receive intuitive guidance and just remain open over the next few minutes, hours, days, weeks. 

I like to say to myself or out loud “I am handing this over to you inner voice. It’s no longer mine to worry about or figure out. I am giving it over to you.”

The most important thing is that you want to really FEEL yourself and allow yourself to energetically let go as you say these words. 

The most aligned guidance comes every single time I do this.

2 months before our wedding, I started freaking out that we didn’t have a honeymoon planned. I spent like 8 hours 2 days in a row researching, obsessing and trying to figure it out without getting ANY closer to having a plan. I was only becoming more stressed, more frustrated and more confused.

I did this practice of handing it over to my inner voice. I set the intention that I would welcome a recommendation from a friend whose travel advice I really trusted. That was my ideal outcome.

Within a couple days, I had a ping to ask one of my friends about her honeymoon. She shared the PERFECT place in Cabo, which was somewhere we were really interested in. We checked it out and immediately knew it was where we wanted to go. It unfolded perfectly, in divine timing.

8. Draw A Tarot Card or Oracle Card

I do not suggest “relying” on Tarot or Oracle cards to guide you but they can be a fun, supportive tool. I like to set an intention before drawing a card (it’s usually something like show me what I need to know right now) and then intuitively choose the card that I am drawn to. For me, the card I pull is almost always confirmation of what I was already intuitively sensing. 

It’s less about reading into the meaning of the card and more so intuitively feeling into the meaning of the card for YOU in THIS moment.

What stands out? What does it spark within you? What do you intuitively feel it means for you?

This is my absolute favorite oracle deck: Cosmic Dancer Oracle Cards.

I also love The Mirror of The Soul Book that goes with the Thoth Tarot Deck.

9. Use A Pendulum

I also don’t suggest “relying” on a pendulum but again, it can be a tool. You can learn how to use one here.

10. Intuitively Interpret Your Dreams

Your intuition can communicate with you through your dreams. Again, this isn’t something I would heavily read into but more so be open and aware of when a dream feels like it has deeper guidance and meaning for you. Trust your intuitive interpretations of what it means for you.

How To Tap Into Your Intuition Summary

  1. Practice acting on intuitive guidance: practice with small choices to build trust.
  2. Listen and create space: Create space to listen by spending time in more stillness or alone. 
  3. Get out of your head and into your body: Spend time in nature, meditate, workout, dance, practice breathwork, etc.
  4. Release emotion trapped in the body (the pain-body): The more you release, the more access you have to your intuition. 
  5. Ask your intuition questions: Journal or use a voice memo recording.
  6. Inner voice sessions: This session will help you tap into your intuition and release emotion trapped in the body.
  7. “Hand it over” to your intuition: “I am handing this over to you inner voice. It’s no longer mine to worry about or figure out.”
  8. Draw A Tarot Card or Oracle Card: What do you intuitively feel it means for you?
  9. Use A Pendulum: learn how to use one here.
  10. Intuitively Interpret Your Dreams: Trust your interpretations of what it means for you.

                     Physical Signs Of Intuition

The physical signs of intuition can be different for everyone. It’s important to learn how YOUR intuition communicates with you and trust that. From working with hundreds of clients on this, there are some common themes in how intuition shows up for most people. 

  1. A light, expansive feeling in your gut or heart; a feeling of truth and deep resonance without logical explanation.
  2. Goosebumps or butterflies in your stomach.
  3. A “nudge”, “pull” or whisper calmly guiding you.
  4. A feeling or knowing that “washes over you”.

For more, listen to episode 130 of the Magnetically You Podcast: Following the subtle nudges from your intuition (iTunes link, Spotify link).

                     Signs You're Ignoring Your Intuition

  • Feeling like you’re pushing uphill
  • Physical pain/sickness/anxiety
  • Something feels off but you keep over-justifying it to yourself
  • You put others guidance above your own and seek answers from others before checking in with yourself
  • You feel disconnected, uninspired, unmotivated 
  • You feel like an imposter or like you’re living someone else’s life
  • You get in your head and second guess everything
  • You keep finding yourself in similar unwanted situations over and over (the universe is just giving you more opportunities to learn the lesson)

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment.” - Eckhart Tolle

                     How to Get Your Intuition Back

1. Set an intention that you’re open and willing to listen.

I like to do a little “open-ness” prayer that can go something like this. Really let yourself FEEL the vibration of openness and receptivity behind the words.

I am open and willing to be guided. 

I am open and willing to see things differently.

I am open to all possibilities. 

Show me a sign that I’m on the right path.

Show me a sign that all is well.

2. Create space

Spend time in stillness or meditate. Say no to things. Clear your calendar (or what you can). Take a trip or time off to just be and relax. 

If you’re looking for a good meditation, you can download my healing energy meditation for free. This is one of my favorites, ever!

“Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born.” - Nikola Tesla

Clean up what you are consuming (TV, social media, podcasts, etc) or take a break for a few days or even a few weeks. Unfollow accounts and stop consuming content that don’t uplift you or pull you away from your truth. This ALWAYS brings me closer to my truth and intuition.

"You cannot hear the still, small voice of your instinct, your intuition, what some people call God if you allow the noise of the world to drown it out” - Oprah Winfrey

3. Pay attention

Be open to and look out for nudges, signs and guidance. It’s amazing how JUST the intention to receive guidance often allows it to come through. Trust that it will.

4. LISTEN, trust and act on the nudges you receive

Start small if you need to remind yourself that it’s safe to follow your intuition into the unknown and of the magic that comes when you do.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your intuition, listen to episode 124 of The Magnetically You Podcast: What to do when you feel disconnected from your intuition (iTunes link, Spotify link).

                     How to Know If It's Fear or Intuition

It will feel different for everyone but these are some of the common ways you can tell if it’s your intuition or your mind/fear.

Fear/Mind:

  • Feels like a should or “supposed to”
  • Feels unsure/confusing
  • Frantic/urgent
  • Feels like force/push
  • Mental chatter/spinning in circles

Intuition:

  • Feels like natural next step
  • Feels like truth
  • Calm, patient
  • Feels like a gentle pull or whisper (unless you’ve been ignoring then it will get “louder”)
  • “Pops” or “flashes” into your awareness suddenly

Ultimately, only you will be able to tell if it’s fear or intuition. Sometimes you won’t know and that’s okay. We don’t need to follow our intuition perfectly, 100% of the time. Do your best and trust that it’s all unfolding as it’s meant to.

Dive deeper with episode 128 of The Magnetically You Podcast: How do I know if it’s my intuition or just my mind? (iTunes link, Spotify link).

                     What To Do When You're Unsure What Your Intuition Is Saying Or Nothing Is Coming Through

If you don’t know what your intuition is saying or there’s nothing coming through, there’s either emotional resistance blocking the knowing or it’s just not time now/yet.

For example, if you’re really anxious and afraid about quitting your job, that might be a subject that is harder to hear your intuition on. In that case, you’d want to continue releasing any heavy emotions/energies as the arise and more clarity will unfold. 

If you don’t have any heavy emotions or resistance around the subject and nothing is coming through, it may just be that there’s nothing you need to do or know. Sometimes the most aligned thing we can do is to allow ourselves to not know and not do. If the mind has resistance to that, then that would be another piece of emotional resistance you'd want to release.

Dive deeper with episode 138 of The Magnetically You Podcast: knowing when it’s aligned to wait vs take action (iTunes link, Spotify link).

                     Want To Connect Deeper With Your Intuition and Live With More Ease, Flow and Alignment?

If this resonates and you want more support, I’d be honored to work with you. 

In case you don’t know me…I’m Madison and I’m an Intuitive Life Coach. I help my clients tap into their intuition, heal energy blocks and create a more aligned, fulfilling life.

Following my intuition over the last 8 years has allowed me heal from sexual trauma, eating disorders, severe anxiety, chronic back pain, eczema, sleeping only 2 hours a night (and more) and to create a life I truly love where I’m present, aligned with my purpose and have a steady experience of peace, flow, fulfillment and magical experiences.

To get started, you can book a free alignment call here or book an inner voice session/package here.

Sending you SO much love!!! 

 

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