We’ve all experienced that inexplicable feeling when something just isn’t right, and we don’t know why. Or a good feeling that something big is going to happen today. That gut feeling we get defies logic and reason, and yet, is an important tool for keeping us safe and steering us in the right direction.
The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that we each have the ability to receive all the spiritual messages that we need in order to excel in every area of our lives. These messages come from our soul, not as facts or logic, but as intuition. Intuition is an ability that everyone has but needs to be developed, like a muscle that needs to be trained in order to become stronger.
Here are 4 steps to start developing a stronger intuition:
1. Define your intentions and your desired direction in life. Intuition can actually guide us in different directions depending on our intentions. Our intentions are like a compass that points us towards a certain destination, and our intuition supports us in reaching that goal. Unless we have a clear sense of the direction we want our lives to go, the messages we receive will be confusing at best.
The Light of the Creator is always flowing into our lives, always trying to help us, and we can direct that assistance by setting our intentions. Some people decide that they want to live selfish lives, concerned only with what is best for them. Their intuition will naturally lead them towards their selfish goals. They may even achieve them! But ultimately, they will not find lasting fulfillment because their intentions were coming from a selfish place.
Constantly look inside and ask yourself, “What is my true desired direction in life?” We each have a purpose that we came into the world to accomplish. Fulfilling this purpose requires us to focus our energy on developing a desire to share and pushing against our selfish desires. We aren’t meant to be perfect, but focusing on that intention will help us gain the clarity of intuition we need in our lives.
2. Use feelings and facts together when making decisions. For some reason, our society places little value on decisions based on intuition, with a much larger focus on logic and reason. This leads many of us to ignore the messages we receive from our souls. We need logic, of course, but we also need an equal, if not more than equal, amount of intuition to guide our decisions.
No matter how logical we try to be, our “rationale” decisions are often based on falsehoods and misunderstandings. Even having all the information in the world will often not lead you to the right decision. Intuition, when partnered with facts and reason, is much more likely to send you in the proper direction.
Start by taking your feelings seriously. Know that not everything you feel is intuition – sometimes it’s fear, anxiety, or stress talking – but it’s a starting point to tap into your instincts. Together, feelings and facts are a powerful combination.
3. Find where your ego has created blind spots. Whether we realize it or not, we all have preconceptions, ulterior motives, and things we just don’t want to see or believe. Sometimes we are so blind to what is in front of us because we have our own agenda. This prevents us from hearing the messages that our soul is sending us.
The ego will always tell us that we should ignore our intuition because of what logic tells us. This can lead us to ignore red flags and gut instincts. We convince ourselves not to see and feel what we see and feel. We might be afraid that, if we see the truth, we will have to admit that we are wrong or make a change in our lives that is painful or hard to do.
Ask yourself, “What areas of my life are led by my motivation to see things a certain way?” Don’t be afraid to see the truth about your life and who you really are. Be open to seeing things differently than how you once saw them.
4. Deepen your relationship with yourself and with the Creator. The soul is like the body. When the body is fed, it feels healthy and alive. Likewise, the soul needs to be fed to be awakened. We feed our souls by deepening our spiritual studies, working to transform ourselves, and fighting against our ego.
Many people feel lost in life with no sense of direction. One of the main reasons for this is because they are not actively working to awaken their souls. The soul is meant to direct us in ways we can’t even imagine. When you’re lost, you are easily led by anything that comes in front of you, positive or negative. The only surefire way to know what you can trust is by getting in touch with yourself and the Creator.
Developing intuition is an important tool every one of us needs to better ourselves, grow, and find the answers that we need. We receive messages and answers all the time, but we need to be able to hear them. Developing intuition is like developing a muscle - some people might have natural abilities, but everyone can train it to become even stronger. When we put in the spiritual work to live a life of purpose, our intuition strengthens, helping us make the right choices and receive the answers we seek.