Conscious thinking is the surface layer of the mind. Beneath it, the unconscious brain stores knowledge, which, although it may not be consciously accessible, forms the source of our hunches and intuitions. ‘Tuning in ‘ to this knowledge involves circumventing the conscious mind and observing what emerges from the unconscious alone. Sometimes, of course, intuition should be overridden because it is irrational and, therefore, can be misleading. It can also be counter productive, urging us, for example, to flee from challenges. However, learning to interpret your inner voice can help you to sort useful, intuitive guidance from beguiling nonsense.
Test Your Gut Feelings
You may think that your feelings about future events are a good guide to how they are likely to turn out – but have you ever tested this? By checking the accuracy of your gut feelings, you can increase the value of the information they provide.
- Begin by noting any ordinarily inexplicable sensation, such as a shiver down your back, a ‘lump ‘ in the throat, or butterflies in your stomach.
- Next, identify the emotion it signifies. Anticipation? Foreboding? Irritation? Try to match the sensation with a specific emotion.
- Work out what event the feeling relates to. This will be easy in some cases but hard in others.
- Compare the outcome of the event to how you felt about it. If they match, be aware of that intuitive feeling when it next occurs because it may accurately foretell your experiences. If they do not match, make a note of this. If the feeling recurs in relation to a similar event, you will know not to trust it.
Avoiding Bad Decisions
Intuition often causes people to make incorrect decisions because they unconsciously accept the way in which a choice is put to them. If this ‘framing’ is optimistic, they are more likely to accept whatever is being offered. In one study, people presented with information framed in a positive way about a new medical drug were twice as likely to say they would take it as those receiving the same information when this had been framed more negatively. Whenever you are presented with information, to avoid being caught out unconsciously by the framing, try turning it around to see if it can be presented differently. This is an occasion when the conscious mind should overrule its hidden partner.
Getting In The Flow
‘Flow’ is the brain state in which the unconscious mind gets in with the action while the conscious mind sits back and enjoys it. It is especially good for tasks that require the integration of sensory skills with physical tasks, such as driving, dancing, painting, or sculpting.
- Flow depends on losing awareness of the self, so harness yourself to the moment. If you fantasize about the future or recall the past, you will lose flow.
- Concentrate on what you are doing, not the way you do it. When practicing a move in your favorite sport, imagine your limbs moving smoothly and accurately, but do not think about the movements you need to make.
- Relax. You can’t work at achieving flow – it comes when you forget to try.
Eye Talk
Certain thoughts and feelings produce unconscious eye signals. For example, when a person is visualizing something in their mind, their eyes will group. You can use this knowledge to get on the same wavelength as the person you are talking to. It also gives you some idea of their train of thinking and whether they are tuning in to what you are saying or into their inner thoughts.
The Pilot Inside
When you travel along a route or around a town, much of the information you take in is laid down in a way that is not linked to words. If later, you consciously try to remember the route you took, you might draw a blank. This is because conscious memory tends to rely heavily on words for recall. However, if you simply head in the general direction of the place you are seeking and go by ‘feel,’ you might find that you get there without even trying.
Recognizing Conflict
Sometimes, the conscious and unconscious minds give entirely conflicting guidance. When this happens, people often feel a sense of unease – the sense that perhaps something they are about to do is not quite right or that what seems the ‘obvious’ choice could have a hidden catch that needs you to learn to recognize the feeling of uncertainty that marks such conflicts of information, you can use it as a sign to pause, reflect, and – if possible – delay any decision until more information is available.
