Intuition, mindfulness, some current faves

Yesterday was one of those slow days. I usually get up around 6:30am to get some work done in the mornings before everyone gets up. I might answer emails, work on class materials, follow-up with clients. Yesterday however I overslept about an hour, and since then I have just been slowly moving around getting only the basics done.

All weekend has felt like that actually, like a snail. Here in Portland, we've had much colder, cloudier weather, where all I want to do is snuggle under a blanket, drink tea, and read books. I recently decided to dive into a book I've heard a lot about, but never had the opportunity to read. It's called "Women who Run with the Wolves; Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype". The title is pretty self-explanatory, and so far I am loving it.

I also got to listen to one of my favorite radio shows: On Being. The latest episode is an interview with psychologist Ellen Langer, and her work on mindfulness/mindlessness. I found this interview so fascinating, because she talks about various studies she has done on mindfulness and how our perception of things influence our bodies and life, but from a purely non-spiritual perspective. You can listen to it here: https://www.onbeing.org/programs/ellen-langer-science-of-mindlessness-and-mindfulness-nov2017/

Langer describes mindfulness as the practice of actively noticing new things. This practice puts you in the present, engages you, and is literally enlivening. This practice is different from meditation, in that meditation focuses on eventually bringing mindfulness into your daily life, while noticing new things is the direct practice of mindfulness in your daily life.

I am currently putting together an online course on developing your intuitive abilities for your daily life. This concept of mindfulness is a huge part of actually utilizing your already working intuition. (Believe it or not, we are all intuitive beings, with well-functioning psychic abilities. It's just that most of us are unaware of it, don't pay attention to it, or sabotage it). Your intuition is always on, but becoming more mindful of it and how it expresses itself within you is key to utilizing it.

So how do we do that? Well, meditation is one way to practice mindfulness. Once you begin practicing it every day, you create a habit of it, so that it's easier for your brain to naturally slip into that mindfulness state in your day to day life. Another way is to practice mindfulness in the way that Langer describes in the podcast above. Make a practice of noticing new things. New things around you, in your thoughts, in your senses. Become more present to what you are actually thinking about or feeling, and you will begin to notice the energy you are already picking up on. You notice a thought of your cousin pop up out of the blue? That's probably your intuition bring to your attention something going on with your cousin.

There's of course a lot more to developing your intuition into a reliable resource in your daily life, and I am excited to share my class with you all. In the meantime, stay warm and I hope you all have a lovely rest of your week!

Warmly,
Thea