In the ever-expanding world of wellness, intuitive healers are coming out of the mystical shadows and into the mainstream. Who are they? Use your subconscious mind to figure it out. JK! These alternative practitioners access all five senses to help people unlock their inner instincts. Not buying it? Fair enough. But consider that even hardened scientists accept that your subconscious mind can pick up on cues faster than your conscious mind.
And one 2016 study found that using those instincts — aka non-conscious emotional information — can help you make better, more confident decisions. But in our data- driven world, “we’ve been trained to give outside powers a say in our lives,” says Jill Willard, author of Intuitive Being. “Intuition reminds us that we hold the power. It can steer us to what’s right for us.”
Use these techniques to tune in to your gut.
Pay Attention to Pangs
When your gut has reservations about something, it may express them physically, says hypnotherapist Alexandra Janelli, founder of Modrn Sanctuary, a New York City wellness studio. "Your body cues might be giving you an answer your brain doesn't want to hear," says Janelli, who reveals that her leg muscles often tense when her intuition is trying to weigh in on a person or situation.
Occupy A Quiet Space
Create a Do Not Enter zone around yourself by going to the library, booking a massage, or taking a mellow yoga class. Tuning out can help you focus on what's happening internally, says Deborah Flanagan, a Reiki teacher and hypnosis practitioner in New York City.
Visualize A Third Eye
In Hinduism, the third eye — located in the center of your forehead, between your eyebrows — functions as a window between the intuitive part of your brain and the outside world, says Willard. Try to imagine yours, then close your real eyes (this may sound silly; just go with it) and imagine that "higher" eye opening. Breathe in and out for five to eight counts. According to Willard, this exercise can help information flow more freely from your intuition.
See The Signs
When you notice happy coincidences — say, that the address of that apartment you want to rent is the same as your mom's birthday — it could be your intuition giving its blessing. But "While 'meant to be' signs are valuable, also pay attention to known factors," says Judith Orloff, MD, author of The Empath's Survival Guide. If living in that apartment double your commute, keep looking.
This article was originally published as "Feel Your Way" in the August 2017 issue of Cosmopolitan. Click here to subscribe to the digital edition.
