Let’s talk about intuition. Body wisdom. Inner Knowing. Gut Feelings. We’ve heard all these terms before but what do they really mean? To me, all these terms are about tuning into my body’s subtle, or not so subtle nudges & trusting them.

I think we can all think back on a time when we knew that we were making the wrong choice. We’ll say, “I had a bad feeling about it,” “It didn’t feel right,” “I knew better but I didn’t trust myself.” The body might be communicating to us through a pit in our stomach, a tightness in our chest, or shortness of breath.  Sometimes the body’s signals are subtle. Other times it’s like being hit by a truck – a sudden feeling of dread – our bodies telling us loud and clear N-O! We feel our sympathetic nervous system kick in, that fight-flight-freeze feeling like we are in life-threatening danger. Every time we ignore our body’s “No,” we are abandoning ourselves, and we suffer. Our inner child greatly suffers.

Glennon Doyle says in Untamed, “Confidence is loyalty to the self.” If confidence is loyalty to the self, self-betrayal, then, is the opposite of that. This breeds distrust in the self, a feeling of disembodiment, & disconnect. That’s what we do when we ignore our inner knowing.

So if that’s what our body’s “No” is, what does “Yes” feel like?

To me, it’s a relaxed feeling.  “Yes” is expansive, light, & exciting.

I’ve noticed I’m honoring my intuition and listening to my body’s “yes” when I make a decision and don’t feel the need to ask 100 people what they think. When I’m listening to my intuition, I just know. I don’t need to ask anyone outside of myself.

Interestingly, our truth or intuition might not make “sense.” In fact, it can be in complete opposite to the “logical choice.” Trust yourself anyway! Strengthen those muscles by honoring all your body’s signals.

But how?

Do you ignore your body when it’s hungry? Thirsty? When you need to go to the bathroom? When it’s telling you it doesn’t feel safe with someone? When you’re tired, do you let yourself rest or do you reach for another cup of coffee? (We’ve ALL been there & these questions aren’t about self-judgment but rather about getting curious about our patterns with self-compassion).

Practice accepting your body’s wisdom in small ways & it will be easier when it comes time to make those bigger decisions. Be curious and open like a scientist. What happens when you start to listen to your body? The more we listen, the better we get at noticing its subtle changes.

We’ve become disembodied as a society. I’m passionate about helping people get back into their bodies instead of living “from the neck up,” trapped in our minds & thoughts. Let’s get back in touch with our cravings, urges & signals & see what happens.

Can you think of a time you were rewarded for listening to your intuition despite it not making sense? Was there a time you ignored it & really felt the consequences? What does your yes feel like? Your no? Please share below!

Article contributed by Olivia Roberson, RYT500, Yoga Therapist in training with Inner Peace Yoga Therapy. Olivia Roberson is the owner of Lighthouse Yoga, and she helps women establish self-care practices & self-trust so they can reclaim their power, pleasure, & passion without burning out or thinking there is something wrong with them. Olivia believes we are whole & worthy. She loves to share the power of reconnecting to our bodies, which hold an immense amount of wisdom.

@olivia.k.roberson 
lighthouseyoga.org