It seems most of us have entered into weird emotional space this week, so I’ve put aside the more “intellectual” thoughts I had planned for this post. Instead, I compiled a few fun ways to tap into intuition. I invite you to dive into a creative exploration of your heart.
Scrying: This is one of my favorite intuitive forms; however it’s also tricky. You have to be able to relax your mind but be alert at the same time. You have to want an answer to a question but not be desperate to get an answer.
Scrying is basically using your imagination to see images on a reflective surface. You can do it with almost anything. It’s what you do when you look for shapes in the clouds, so it may help to think of the sky as your first scrying object.
What you’ll need: Something dark and reflective. Below is a picture of some of the things I use for scrying: a mirror, a sphere of jet, and a dark bowl of water.
What you do: Get into a comfortable position in a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Ground yourself. Arrange your scrying object so that you can see the reflective surface without it reflecting back too many objects (a darkened room with a candle may help). Definitely try to arrange it so you don’t see your face. Trust me, that will terrify you once you get into the “zone.”
Relax your eyes, allowing the world to unfocus slightly. Ask your question to yourself, trying to keep it simple if it’s your first time but avoiding ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions (we’ll have another exercise for those later).
Once your eyes are relaxed, relax your mind. Let it contemplate the scrying object. As images appear, take note of them without breaking concentration–speaking to a voice recorder can be helpful here or writing down what you see if you can do that without losing your focus.
When you are done, bring your focus back and ground yourself again. Take some time to consider whatever images you saw and what they might symbolize to you.
Alternatives: If you’re finding it hard to see, try using a little food coloring, coffee with milk, or tea. The swirls on the surface will form shapes that can be interpreted more like clouds.
Pendulum: Here is the yes/no version of scrying. If you have a pendulum, you probably know how to use it. If you don’t, they look like this:
What you’ll need: A pendulum. You can make your own by putting a ring or something symmetrically balanced on a long chain.
What you do: Sit in a comfortable place, with your elbow supported/balanced by a table but your hand free. Hold the top of the chain so your pendulum dangles straight down. Try to keep it still.
To find what “yes” is, ask it to show you yes and take note of the movement that follows. For me, yes is a clockwise circle. Then ask for a demonstration of no. It will usually be opposite of yes.
Next, ground yourself and ask yourself your yes/no question. It can help to start with questions you know the answer to before moving into questions that you don’t know.
The pendulum is a great way to sort through your conflicted emotions…but don’t expect it to make decisions about the future for you. It clarifies. It doesn’t predict.
Dreaming: Dreaming is an incredibly powerful way to tap into your intuition. I’m working towards strengthening my ability to be conscious during my dreams, but you don’t even have to be good at lucid dreaming to use dreaming for intuition.
What you’ll need: Sleep, a pillow, a notebook, maybe some essential oils or crystals
What you do: The most important part of using dreaming is to prime your brain before bed. You can make a dream pillow with herbs tied up in a little satchel to encourage dreams, or you can put a little essential oil on your pillow. I’ve been using lavender the last few nights and have been having some incredibly insightful dreams (which I’ve helped to interpret with scrying the next morning).
Crystals can also help here. Unakite is a great one for dreams. When I place it under my pillow, my dreams become more vivid and often carry some deep meanings.
Dreams tend to bring up your subconscious anyway, so you don’t need to work too hard to get them to reveal interesting aspects of yourself. However, if you have a specific purpose in mind for a dream, you can try writing it down on a piece of paper and placing it under your pillow.
It’s really important to keep a dream journal if you’re trying to use your dreams for guidance. A little notebook and a pencil on your bedside table are easy to grab and jot down key ideas when you wake. You can go back later and fill in the details and analyze more thoroughly…preferably after coffee.
Inkblots: They’re not just for psychology!
What you’ll need: Paper. Pencil, ink, or paint.
What you do: If using a writing instrument, close your eyes and begin moving the instrument over the paper. Don’t think about what you’re doing; just do. Open your eyes and outline the images that stand out to you.
If you’re using paint, apply it to the paper without any particular picture in mind. You can keep your eyes open, but don’t censor yourself. Just let the brush or fingers wander. When you feel it’s “done,” let it dry, returning to it later to draw in the images you see with a pen or crayon.
If you’re using ink, drop some onto a piece of paper and fold the paper in half. Unfold and allow your mind to interpret what the splotch looks like.
As always, see if you can determine what each image symbolizes to you.
Why intuition?
Intuition is an underappreciated and underutilized aspect of the human mind. We are all operating from motivations that we consciously know and from motivations that are unknown and unconscious. By tapping into our intuition, we bring to light the unconscious, freeing ourselves to use the unconscious to empower ourselves for change and growth.
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