How to Hone Your Intuition.

If you’ve never given your intuitive ability much thought, you’re missing out.

All of us have an inner guide—but not all of us even recognize that voice anymore. So here are five practical ways to get back in touch with your inner sage.

1. Build confidence. Following your inner guidance comes hand in hand with liking yourself. You have to first learn to respect and value your insights—and this isn’t that different from valuing yourself as a person. Begin to see the positives in your personality, as well as the happiness that already exists in your life; then let these strengths lead you to be—and live as—a more confident person.

2. Trust—and follow. Sometimes my hunches seem silly or irrational. Just yesterday my daughter threw a grape in one direction of our family room, and when I couldn’t find it, I finally looked where my third eye had seen it rather than where my other two did—and it was right there, underneath my husband’s leather chair, all the way across the room and in the opposite direction of her toss. Sometimes, though, your flashes of insight might not come to such fruition, and that’s okay—but learn to give them a shot (puns not intended). For example, are there two ways to drive to your yoga studio and for an inexplicable reason, you strongly want to go only one way? Try it. Who knows, maybe there will end up being some temporary tree trimming, complete with roadblocks on that other route (not speaking from personal experience or anything). Trust your hunches—and then follow them through.

3. Practice yoga. Yoga teaches us to connect with ourselves on a deeper level. A consistent yoga practice puts you in tune with your body, your breath, and just maybe, your seat of intuition.

4. Cleanse your third-eye chakra. There are several ways to cleanse this chakra, so let me share a few of my favorites. One that’s simple and always works, within a range, is to lie down and place a chunk of amethyst or purple fluoride on your forehead, about a finger’s width above your eyebrows and in the center. Another is to come into child’s pose and feel the press of your forehead on your mat and send calming breath into this area. Yet another is to imagine a deep, rich indigo filling up this entire space, as well as the base of your skull (remember, we all have backbodies—and so do chakras).

5. Meditate. I’ve written so many blogs on meditation techniques—because there are countless ways to meditate, yet even the most basic meditations will help you. When you meditate you get in touch with the real, authentic you—and it’s this same you who provides your intuition. Additionally, a consistent meditation practice will teach you to calm down and check in with yourself without all that mental static getting in the way. Try this easy meditation out for starters. Sit comfortably and begin to scan your body, starting with your stable base and slowly working your way up to the crown of your head. As you scan, simply feel the sensations that arise in your physical body. If you feel tension, disease or discomfort, then begin imagining a soothing stream of water washing away these impurities and strains; leaving behind only relaxation and suppleness.

We’re all born with the ability to follow our gut, but over time we learn to override our intuition in favor of our more practiced rational thinking. This isn’t entirely bad. We have brains for a reason, and life requires a clear, thoughtful consciousness in order to be successful.

Still, learning to listen to that voice inside of yourself serves you too.

Some of the best moments of my life have come from following the wisdom of my higher self, and some of the worst have come from going against it.

I hope these tips help you begin to tap into the power that lies right beneath the surface of your conscious self; to the power that’s intrinsically connected to the “you” that isn’t seen with the naked eye.

It’s this less tangible you who is special and unique, and I guarantee that this inner self has some insights to share with the rest of you—wisdom that will hopefully make your life easier, healthier and happier.

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Ed: Kate Bartolotta