Jiminy Cricket, Copyrighted by Disney Studios
The biggest key to mastering Tarot or any other divination or metaphysical tool is to trust your intuition. Intuition is your gut feeling, that little voice in your head that keeps trying to tell you something. If you have ever met someone and immediately disliked them for no apparent reason, or on the other side of the spectrum, fallen deeply in love with someone upon first sight, that is intuition. It is not reasoned, unconscious and immediate. I believe when we follow our intuition, we honor our true nature and our life’s journey. More often than not, your intuition will lead you in the right direction.
What follows is three simple practices to strengthen your intuition so that you will live a more intentional and authentic life.
Pay attention to your body’s reactions
Have you ever got chills that gave you goose pimples for no reason at all? A little fun fact; our arm and leg hairs are connected to a tiny muscle that, in the presence of danger (cold, predators, ghosts, politicians) contract, causing our hair to stand on end. While now, the effect appears comedic, in our ancient history when we were considerably hairier, this would give us the appearance of being larger and more intimidating. So, when goose pimples attack, ask yourself, where is the perceived danger?
When I was young, I would get in trouble every now and then. However, I was pretty sneaky, so whatever I was doing, if it was found out at all, would be discovered well after the initial act. Before you get too curious over what sorts of brilliant schemes I masterminded, let me set your mind at ease. I wasn’t hiding bodies or anything. I’m talking about things like doctoring my report card, which was super easy in 1977 by the way, or spending my paper-route money on french-fries and Ms. Pac Man at the mall (before setting aside the money to pay for the papers). Anyway, on those days, I would immediately feel like there was a large stone in my stomach. It could be weeks later, but the moment my crime was discovered I knew. I could be in class, and all of a sudden dread would wash over me. And sure enough, after I walked the most circuitous route in the world back home, there was trouble a’ brewing.
I’m sure you’ve all had such experiences too. It’s our natural fight or flight kicking in. When you notice those familiar feelings, your “Spidey-Sense”, and you don’t see the danger, then know that something is up, and you need to pay attention. I’ve felt this before while driving, and I immediately made a U-turn (at the next legal opportunity of, of course) and headed in the opposite direction. Did I avoid tragedy? I don’t know for sure, but nothing bad happened after that, and that’s good enough for me.
Other physical symptoms to pay attention to when they appear without apparent cause; breaking out in a cold sweat, rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, anxiety and anal leakage. (No, not anal leakage… well, maybe.)
Listen to your inner voice
In the original book, The Adventures of Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi, a more gruesome tale than the Disney version, Pinocchio keeps getting unsolicited advice from a noisy little cricket. The advice, if taken, would have save Pinocchio from many misadventures including morphing into a donkey and being hung from a tree. And that whole whale thing. Instead, fed up from his constant admonishments and advice, Pinocchio throws a hammer at the cricket and kills it. The cricket does come back as a ghost later in the story.
We all have that noisy little cricket talking to us now and then. That’s the voice of intuition telling us we should avoid that person, say no to that deal, delete that email, or not respond to that hateful post… and sometimes we listen, and sometimes we look for a hammer. However, upon serious reflection, has that voice ever steered you wrong? Have you ever immediately regretted doing something while in the act of still doing it? Your little cricket shouting “Noooooooooooooooooo!!!”
Here’s my advice. Make friends with your cricket. It’s your connection between you and your higher self. The Cricket (let’s call him Jiminy, that sounds like good cricket name), Jiminy, is in charge of reminding you what your higher self would do in that situation. Listen. Pay attention. There’s a lot of noise trying to block that little voice out, but it’s there if you stop and listen. And if you heed the advice, especially in a moment of stress or perceived danger, it just may save your skin. The more you learn to listen, and trust what you hear, the stronger that voice will shout out at just the right moment, preventing an unnecessary adversity.
Heed Signs, Omens and Synchronicity
Signs are visible indications that something is up. You may see numbers over and over like 11:11, or 711, or 777, or any combination that reappears on a regular basis. Omens are thing that portends a good or evil event, such as a crow sitting on a gravestone, or a black cat crossing your path. Or perhaps a four leafed clover, or a rainbow. Synchronicity is things that appear to be coincidences but seem to have deeper meaning. Examples may be thinking of a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile and seconds later they text you. Or you say something out loud, only to hear the radio or television repeat the exact same thing. (The later could be Alexis…). All of these things are your intuition trying to speak to you.
Signs, omens and synchronicity show up into our lives for two major reason, based upon my research into made-up and convenient numbers. The first is your intuition giving you a confirmation you are on the right path. The second is your intuition telling you to pay attention to this particular moment in time to either act on it, or file it away for later use. You’ll know which is which by the way you feel when you see the sign or experience the omen or synchronicity. Do you feel light and airy, or do you feel wary or afraid? Eventually you will be able to see a pattern. For example, when you are on the right path, you may see 11:11 everywhere. Or if you are in danger, perhaps you see a picture of a scorpion, or a raven alights nearby. When you acknowledge the sign, omen or synchronicity you are practicing strengthening your intuition, and these will show up more often in your life.
Conclusion
Intuition is a gift given to every sentient being. It allows the fish of the sea and the birds of the air to move as one to find food, a place to rest, or to avoid predators. As humans became more technologically advanced, we listened more to what was happening outside of us and lost our connection with the inside of us. As a result, we feel disconnected and isolated from spirit. By utilizing these simple practices in your daily life, your intuitive voice will grow louder and you will begin living in more alignment with your true nature.