Intuition - it's a popular concept, but a little gray around the edges. What is it exactly? Can it be defined in purely reductionistic terms - in other words, is it simply the body's subtle, instinctual cues, organized to help us survive? Or is it a connection to some mystical, higher Mind?

Well, let me tell you one thing - the "mind" will never know. This is because the mind cannot know the mystical, which is defined (by Merriam-Webster anyway), as a "reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence." Certainly we have many subtle senses within the physical body which inform us. However, I would suggest that intuition involves an integration between mind and heart. This integration is known more than it is thought about, and the best way to connect to this knowingness is through the body.

Intuition Explored - Being in the Flow

Intuition has been called a "gut feeling." This is because it is felt in the body. It can sometimes feel undeniable. At other times, intuition is more a matter of "following the heart." The sense is that the body and mind are informed by intuition, not the other way around. Regardless of how it shows up for different people at different times, this would suggest another form of knowingness is in operation.

Intuition is available to everyone. Whether we notice it or not, this higher knowingness is in constant operation in our lives. When we DO notice it, usually the event jumps out at us as an "amazing coincidence." For example, that time you were thinking of your old friend, decide to call her, only to find out she was just thinking of calling you...Or you needed help, and just the right person arrived, saying they weren't sure why... Such events are often due to what could be called "being in the flow" of life on a level higher than the thinking mind. We tap into this "flow" through our intuition.

The Science of Intuition

All this talk of connecting to a "higher knowingness" does sound a bit mystical, and for many, that's the beauty of it! However, there is a science behind the experience. This science involves studying how the mind (brain) and emotion (heart) may communicate most effectively. A new branch of science called "neurocardiology" studies this physical link between the brain and the heart. Neurocardiologists have discovered that the heart, like the brain, can learn, remember, feel and sense on it's own. The heart's complex nervous system actually qualifies the heart as a distinct "little brain" in it's own right. The heart literally has it's own intelligence.

Connecting Mind to Heart

And so, though intuition is primarily known through the body, the mind is still there - it can't be ignored. We all need our brains. However, it is common, when seeking answers within, to hear your own wants and desires, which is totally understandable. What could be more natural? However, sometimes what we want stems from a feeling of lack.

So, to determine which is the voice of your fears and which is the voice of your intuition, sit with the question. Let the mind relax. Forget emptying the mind; it's not gonna happen! Just make peace with it. Take a deep breath. Allow your focus to drop into the heart, like a shimmering pearl dropping into the depths of the sea.

In this still place of the heart, the truth of who you are is made apparent to you. This is the first and only place to start. From this place of authentic stillness, true receptivity is activated. That's when the heart of intuition can speak.

So what is Intuition, anyway? It is simply being who you naturally are. Relaxed, heart-centered, and ready to receive exactly what you need in the moment.

See also, "The Science of Bridging Heart and Mind: A Simple Exercise."

The Science of Bridging Heart and Mind: A Simple Exercise