LISTENING TO YOUR INTUITION

My elderly neighbor marvelled at the splendor of fall colors, pointing out leaves of trees and bushes that were turning red. I smiled at the glee she displayed and asked her, "Would you like to go to the park, by the river? It should be lovely this time of year." She said that she would.

As we drove down the hill and turned in to the park, I could see how deserted it was; not a human or animal in sight. We pulled into the parking lot on the far end, got out, locked our purses in the car's trunk and walked towards the river. I noticed that the bushes had grown considerably since the last time I'd visited. The "beach", once quite open, was now blocked, its only access being a narrow path between overgrown brush. I looked towards the path and saw a truck backed in against the bushes. It had a topper covering its box, with the backend open. Someone must be out for a stroll, I thought, but felt a sudden unease. Taking a closer look at the vehicle, I noticed an out-of-province license plate and when I looked up I saw a man, sitting inside staring at us.

"Perhaps it's unwise for us to go down that narrow path," I said, hoping to lead my friend another direction, without startling her. "Let's walk over this way." She nodded. But a change of direction didn't abate my unease. Within moments, I said, "I think we should leave." She surprised me by agreeing.

We retrieved our purses, and as we climbed into the car, my neighbour said, "Well that's odd. Look there are three trucks coming in, one following the other. What's the sudden attraction at this time of year?"

As we drove up the hill, she said, "I'm really glad we're leaving. I felt such pressure in my chest as we came in here. I didn't want to say anything but something didn't feel right."

I squeezed her hand. "I felt uneasy too," I confessed. "I don't know why but I sense it's a good thing we don't stay."

"When you get that feeling, don't say no, just go!" she said, nodding firmly.

Later I thought of what we had both experienced. If it had been my experience alone, I may have attributed it to an overactive imagination and dismissed it. But we had both felt the unease; the need to remove ourselves from what made us uncomfortable. It would be fruitless to guess what was taking place in the park. All would be pure conjecture. We did both, however, listen to our intuition.

So what exactly is intuition? Where does it come from? And is there a way that it can be enhanced?

The dictionary defines intuition as: the power of knowing or understanding something immediately without reasoning or being taught.

Intuition is an ability that we are all born with but many of us do not listen to. Some people have good intuition because, like a muscle, they have "exercised" it. And like a muscle, there are certain exercises that will enhance it.

l/ When the phone rings, try to guess who's calling before you answer it. Go with the first name that pops into your head.

2/ When you're waiting for the elevator, try to guess which door will open first.

3/ Place cards from a deck of playing cards face down on a table. Try to guess what they are.

Be aware of any sensations in your body as you look at each elevator door or card. Do you feel anything...a tingling perhaps, when your eyes light on one, that you don't feel looking at the others?

4/ When in a shopping mall, watch the facial expressions and body language of your fellow shoppers. Are they enjoying their day? Or are they tired, crabby and rushed? Be aware of how your surroundings make you feel. Are you filled with energy in some areas but do you feel drained in others? How, in your body, is that sensed?

Take a few minutes each day to build your intuition muscle and soon you will discover a whole new sense that has lain dormant within you. You'll be on the road to endless discoveries.

Enjoy!