Now’s the time to SLOW DOWN and TUNE IN to your intuition

Inspiration · Spiritual Living

Calling all lazy girls! Discover how rest is best for your intuition, instead of forcing your third eye into action.

Words: Priya Kantaria

As we emerge from hibernation and months of lockdown, many of us still want to hide under the duvet covers or laze the day away. But it’s okay, because it turns out that restful states are super important for developing your intuition. So now you can be a lazy girl and a soul sister at the same time!

Tune in by tuning out

Psychic guru and author Barbara Ford-Hammond (barbaraford-hammond.com) says: “I liken the intuition to tuning in on a radio. Back in the day you would physically turn a dial and you’d end up between stations. Likewise, if everything’s too busy there’s no gaps, so by using any kind of relaxation, be that mediation, self-hypnosis, mindfulness, zenning – everything becomes clearer if you can allow the gaps and the space between the busy-ness”. When we’re too busy our ears are full of external noise and we can’t hear the soft words spoken by our hearts. She continues, “We need to slow down our brain and calm our central nervous system, and that then allows us to tune into ourselves and to allow our deeper thoughts to become clearer to us.”

One of the first lessons when developing psychic intuition is the art of inner peace. The key is making calm your normal state, where you will be better able to tune into your feelings and surroundings. Being rested is critical to feeling a sense of calm. “Sleep – that is, good quality sleep,” says Barbara, “is so important. We can often dream and awaken with ideas or we can go to sleep with a problem and awaken with a solution. The thing about sleep is if we don’t get enough calmness during the day then we can’t have good sleep at night! So it’s very important if you want to become more aware of your intuition, or if you want to tune into yourself better, to get the calmness and the quietness and the inner still.”

Relax into an alpha state of being

Spiritual practice and the science of intuition are both on our side. When we relax or meditate we are said to be in an ‘alpha’ brain state, where the brain is at its most creative. The brain spends most of its time during the day working at a ‘beta state’, where it’s working at a higher frequency and it is busy, active and thinking. When we sleep, we sink down to a theta state, where you’re dreaming, which can be achieved in some states of meditation, and the delta state, where you are in a deep sleep below the dream-level. Dr David Hamilton (drdavidhamilton.com) says, “In our normal waking state, when we’re alert, beta brain waves dominate. But when we’re in that semi-sleep stage, just dropping off, alpha waves dominate. These are most conducive to intuition.” It’s an early night for us, then…

NOW TRY SOMETHING NEW

One of the easiest ways to tap into your intuition is through restful yoga, by sitting either cross-legged in Sukhasana (Easy Seated pose, pictured) or in Padmasana (Lotus pose). Both of these poses are incredibly grounding and allow you to hold your body in one position for long periods of time.

1 While seated on the ground, move your legs gently into position, either cross-legged or if your hips are open enough, crossed-legged with your feet up on your thighs in a Lotus pose.

2. Once you are in the pose, close your eyes, turn your attention inwards and breathe deeply.

3 Try to feel your mind and body connect and by doing so you should find that the steadiness of your body helps your mind to also become steady.

4 You may want to focus on your third eye (keeping your eyes closed), as this is believed to awaken your intuition. It is at this point that you will start to deeply connect with your body’s built-in wisdom.

From yoga teacher, Sarah Highfield (yogagise.com)

Let your tarot cards guide you to rest

Tarot reader Tarotbella (tarotbella.etsy.com) says, “When we are stressed, the first ability that is sacrificed to the brain’s hunger for panic is creativity. Ironically, at the time, we need new ideas and thinking to get us out of whatever situation is causing this pressure, but our capacity for creativity is lost. Accelerating our way back to calm and composure is vital and deep rest, relaxation, grounding and centring are all proven ways to do this.”

She says, “You can forge a more personal and emotional connection with your cards by using them not only for readings but as spiritual talismans (or ‘cheerleaders’) in your daily life. When coping with fatigue or stress and trying to bring more conscious and deep relaxation into your life, simply choose one of the below cards, whichever resonates most, and pop it on your mirror, desk or in your notebook or phone wallet. Keep it with you, keep it close to you, like a crystal, and pause to reflect upon its meaning and energy as you go about your day.”

Four of Swords

The tarot’s ‘sick note’ card, telling you it’s OK to withdraw from the action and physically rest, or even just take a mental vacation.

The High Priestess

Your intuition is brewing important new insights for you today, so seek solitude and mental quiet time to give these new ideas space to come forth.

Ten of Wands

The tarot is telling you to audit and streamline your commitments, duties, tasks and schedule – you’re doing too much. Ditch, delegate and delay anything that isn’t urgent, important or uniquely your role.

The Empress

A ‘pass’ from the Universe to invest in your favourite self-care and soothing, rejuvenating rituals and regimes. Chill and indulge, you deserve it!

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