Recently, a friend asked me what I liked about Facebook. My reply was the amazing connections that can happen to people you would not have otherwise met. Tracey Locke is a great example of one of those people. I had tears in my eyes when I read her blog on angels and I knew that our connection was special and very synchronistic. Tracey is a guest contributor for my blog because she truly speaks my language! Tracey is a writer with over 20 years of experience. She has initiated a project called, Be More Childlike. It is a one year experiment in consciously trying to be all the things that come naturally to her children. Optimistic, Enthusiastic, Curious, Faithful, Intuitive, Playful, Imaginative. Please enjoy and comment on Tracey’s wonderful post on Intuition.
Developing Childlike Intuition
Last week, I was wondering around this big abandoned mansion taking pictures. There was a large fenced off area in the back with overgrown weeds. When I looked from the top of the fence, I could tell it was a drained pond. My 4-year old daughter asked me to pick her up because she couldn’t see the pond. I looked down and realized she couldn’t see anything except weeds and fence. So how did she know it was a pond? She said she just knew.
I have lots of stories like that when my son was around her age. One time, a stranger commented about our dog and said you’ll never guess what kind of pet I have. He told her with confidence she had a tortoise. I didn’t even know he knew the word tortoise. The stranger was astonished. When my son was 3, he used to talk in his sleep. I remember him blurting out words that I had just been dreaming about, almost like our unconscious minds were plugged into the same story. So what is that all about?
Laura Day, author of the New York Times bestseller Practical Intuition says we are all born with innate intuition. It is the sense that helpless infants must depend on most. According to Day, babies don’t know language, reason or logic yet. They can’t distinguish the difference between themselves and their environment, so in a primal way they become one with the emotions and thoughts of the people or events around them. The ability to read minds or know things beyond their comprehension stays with children until they are taught not to trust “it” anymore.
I am currently reading Day’s more recent book, How to Rule The World From Your Couch. The book distinguishes between different forms of intuition including telepathy, remote viewing, precognition and healing. One fundamental form is called “information gathering” or those flashes of knowledge that seem to come to you when your communing in nature, meditating or just waking up. Day describes the ability of babies to become one with those around them as “mediumship”. This may sound like hocus-pocus to some, but Day suggests if you can reconnect with those skills, there are a host of practical applications for adults. Wouldn’t it be beneficial to view a past experience with clarity, research ideas more comprehensively and perceive the world in an objective way? Mediumship or becoming one with someone else’s perspective can help you understand your competitors and determine how to sell a product from your consumer’s point of view.
Haven’t you ever known a mother who just knew something was wrong and stepped in at the right moment or someone who didn’t take the reassuring word of their doctor because they felt something was amiss? Have you ever worked with one of those amazing sales people who seemed to be able to read people? I have often thought when watching Tiger Woods make some of those impossible shots earlier in his career that he seemed to have a mental connection with the ball. The good news is that we all have the ability if we consciously develop it. With practice, we can even rely on it again just as surely as our sight or sense of smell. Here are some of the exercises I am trying out based on Day’s suggestions:
Information Gathering/Problem Solving
- Be specific about the question.
- Think about it. Than let it go.
- Breathe deeply and meditate.
- Write down everything that comes to your awareness during meditation.
- Practice! Be intentional about developing this skill by carving out space and time to regularly focus your attention and intentions.
Mediumship
- Practice conscious role playing by becoming someone or something else.
- What is that person’s routine? Where do they spend their time? With who? What do they eat? What are their dreams? Their hang ups? Let go of yourself and completely immerse yourself in someone else’s perspective.
- Write everything down that came to your mind while role playing.
Enjoy getting back in touch with your intuition and please share any experiences that you have had. In gratitude to Tracey for this guest blog post. Join Tracey for daily blog discussions as she tries to answer the question “Will being more childlike make you a better adult?” at: