An Exercise for Intuition

Photo by FORREST CAVALE on Unsplash

One of my yoga teachers was fond of saying intuition is the art of remembering the future. That sounds kind of cool, I guess.

I'm of the mindset that intuition is just really good pattern recognition. Subtle patterns that other people may not see but you do. Or your subconscious does. 

In yogic philosophy, intuition is associated with your "mind's eye" or "third eye".

With your eyes open, picture a triangle.  You can still see your computer screen but you can also "see" the triangle.

It's your mind's eye / third eye that you use to picture the triangle. It's also your mind's eye / third eye that picks up on patterns.

An exercise to help tap into your intuition and pattern recognition

1. Start in a comfortable, seated position.  Try to minimize any distractions in your immediate line of sight. 

2. Soften your eyes - not closed but not wide open.

3. On an inhale, slowly look up at the space just between your eyes (in between your eyebrows); they'll be gently crossing. Try to keep your eyes soft, though.   Hold at the top of your breath for a second or two.

4. On an exhale, slowly look down at the tip of your nose, again keeping your eyes soft.  At the bottom of the exhale hold for a second or two.

5. Repeat for 1 to 2 minutes. 

This made me a little dizzy the first time I tried it. Going slow helps.