Intuition and the universe

One of the things that can fail us when our mental or emotional health is suffering is that we can struggle to access our intuition. It isn’t surprising that this can happen. After all, if we are finding it difficult to access our feelings, for instance, our intuition will suffer, because to follow our intuition we need to know how we feel about things.

When we aren’t in touch with our intuition and instincts, we may not even realise it for a while. We may find ourselves unable to make decisions or end up making bad or inauthentic ones. We may not feel like ourselves or feel lacklustre and lacking in passion for the things that we usually love. It can be a dark, confusing, and perhaps lonely place. It can be lonely because, if we aren’t connecting with ourselves, it is likely we are finding it difficult to connect with others.

On the other end of the spectrum, when we are in tune with our intuition everything can flow, and it can feel like we are flying. This is telling us we are on the right track and the universe seems to agree, giving us signs to keep up the good work like the perfect song we hear at the perfect moment, a new connection with someone who just 'gets' us, a joyful coincidence or simply a sighting of a favourite bird, flower, or animal at an opportune moment.

We may not always notice or reflect on these things, but it can be so life-affirming to do so, so if this is where you are at the moment, drink it in and enjoy it. Being in 'the zone' like this can be a sign that you have made good, authentic decisions and that you have been in contact with and are listening to your inner voice.

If you don’t feel in touch with your intuition, on the other hand, try not to despair. There are some things that you can do to help you feel more connected.

• If you haven’t connected with nature for a while, go for some walks, do some gardening, or visit somewhere you find beautiful. Connecting with nature can help us see the bigger picture, helping us feel more relaxed and more in touch with ourselves.
• See if you can trace backwards to what went wrong. Have you made a decision that wasn’t right for you, or denied yourself something you needed?
• See if you can get more in touch with your body by meditating or using other relaxation techniques. Ask yourself what your body is trying to tell you. Activities like yoga, stretching, and pilates may also help.
• Spend time with people whose values and beliefs are like yours. This may help you get back in touch with the real you.
• If you haven’t been spending time doing the things you love recently, make sure you do. Read your favourite author, eat your favourite food, and sing in the shower, if that’s something you like.
• If your intuition and inner voice seems to be buried by lots of complication emotions, thoughts, and general confusion, counselling can help you to unravel what is going on for you and feel more at one with yourself.

The main thing to remember is that there is no shame in spending time to reconnect with yourself. Often, we go about our busy day to day lives ticking off lists of tasks and perhaps even doing things the way we think others want us to do them. By getting in touch with ourselves again, it means we are more present for our friends and family and that we will make better decisions for ourselves that we are unlikely to regret, leading to better mental health and relationships.

It is understandable that the pressures and concerns of life can mean that we go off-track, but there are ways that we can get back on it again. When you do don’t forget to look and listen out for those beautiful signs, you are in sync, like the songs and the coincidences. They are to be treasured and are signs that you have chosen well.