3 Easy Ways To Expand Your Intuition

“Know thyself.” – Ancient Greek aphorism

Logic and intuition, opposites that form opinion based off of knowing, or feeling. Intuition is defined as: “the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.” While logic is defined as: “reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.” Although logic may discount intuition because it mostly operates on feeling as the compass, making sense of your feelings can lend to sharpening your logic. While intuition tends to get associated with mysticism, and discounted as random by skeptics – it is something we should not ignore, because it is a force that flows through every single one of us.

If you’ve ever walked into a room and felt the energy of the people in it, had a dream that manifested itself in your reality, experienced deja vu, or just knew something was wrong – it doesn’t necessarily mean there is anything mystical about these experiences. If all time is happening at once, perhaps what is happening is just a remembering of an encounter, or experience that has already happened.

Below, I’ve created some intuition “hacks” to assist in allowing time to become more malleable, as you harness the energy of your thoughts by flexing your intuitive muscles.

1. Create Your Own Oracle Deck

Oracle decks differ from tarot decks, in that the major/minor arcana of tarot have their own very specific definitions, while oracle decks are a bit more malleable. In that you give the images meaning by how the images speak to you.

Oracle cards are where I got my start in exploring the esoteric, and the deck I use (given to me by my grandmother) is compiled of 33 cards which tell a story based off of how you read them. A skeptical friend of mine wanted to test the validity of the mystery of the oracle, so he decided to write out the word meanings of each of the cards on hot pink index cards to see what would happen if we read the index cards, in conjunction with grandma’s deck. To our surprise, almost every time we read the index cards, with the oracle cards – the messages would be close to identical (save for one card/or the order).

It seemed the more we read, the more the cards would fall very similar – so we decided to take the experiment to the next level by adding more cards that we would create, or have our friends create.

Through our experience we came to find that nearly every time a person would create a card, that would be the card they would pull in their reading (no matter how many times the deck was shuffled or cut). While it is unclear what is really happening, this type of experiment proved to be a really important exercise in expanding your intuition, and understanding what thoughts you may be projecting. The more you practice, the more you can fine tune your thoughts, as you see them outside of yourself.

A great way to create your own oracle deck is to get your own set of index cards – before creating your cards, get out a notebook, and set a timer on your cell phone for 5 minutes…in the 5 minute time frame, write out a list of nouns and verbs that resonate most with you. After the 5 minutes is up, take a look at your list and pick the words that feel best, then write them out on your index cards. Have fun with them, draw/design each card as you wish, then begin using them in the way you feel works for you. There is no right or wrong way, but the way I have found to be most accurate is to pick a number you vibe with, then shuffle the deck that amount of times, and then pick 4 cards – and see how the story reveals itself.

2. Hand to Hand Reading

Another way to open yourself up to receive more intuitive insight is by practicing hand to hand reading. Find a partner to work with and take turns “reading” one another. The reader acts as the receiver, while the readee is the one who “delivers” information – so the reader must face both hands out, palm up, while the readee places their hands on top of the reader’s hands.

While your hands are connected, see what feelings present themselves in your body, and don’t be afraid to blurt what comes to mind (usually your first intuition is right, even if it may be strange). For example, perhaps you get a feeling in your solar plexus and an image of a mirror comes to your mind – this could represent that the readee may be feeling insecurity, and their ego is presenting itself in the reflections of their experiences. All sensations in the body should be noted, and all images that come to your consciousness, make sure to say out loud…do not be afraid of what is coming to your mind – more often than not, you’ll find that what you receive is strangely accurate and while the images may not make sense to you – they may make sense to the person you are reading. Take turns reading one another, and afterwards analyze your notes – the more you practice, the more you’ll be able to receive. Before you know it the symbols will become stronger, the sensations will become more clear, and you may find that these symbols and sensations begin to present themselves without having to “dial in” – thus you may be able to navigate interactions with people in a more present way.

3. Zener Cards

For those of you who have seen Ghostbusters, the image of these cards may be familiar because of the opening scene with Bill Murray. However, while Murray’s character may have had some salacious intentions with his “experiment” with the cards – Zener cards are actually a really powerful tool in stretching your mind, and allowing your extra sensory perceptions to become engaged.

To use the Zener cards, you may find a friend to partner with and have them draw up cards one by one with the back facing you – or you can pull the cards yourself. Do NOT rush this process. As the card is pulled, close your eyes and allow your mind’s eye to receive the image of what is behind the card. Try not to overthink, but allow the first intuition to come through. This is a difficult process, and will take a lot of time and patience to master. Keep a running count of how many you get right – and compare as you spend more time with the cards and in time you will see your results improve, and your intuition will strengthen.

There’s an old phrase that goes something along the lines of “energy goes where attention flows“, and if we look at our intuition as a muscle – the more you put energy into it, and flex it – the stronger it will get. We all have the ability to have abs, but to get a “six pack” it requires hard work and dedication –  through my experience (and my own practice), I’ve come to find that we all have the ability to tap into our “sixth sense”, but unless you give it the proper energy and attention – it won’t be activated to its fullest ability, and will remain “out of shape”.