Unlocking Your Intuition

To access your intuition is to have a deep understanding of yourself. It’s learning how to quiet the internal and external noise to recognize when your truth is trying to speak to you. 

But how exactly do you access intuition? 

What does it sound like?

What does it feel like? 

Janelle Mirabeau, yoga teacher at Flow Yoga Center and magnet program coordinator at Sibley Memorial Hospital, has found that yoga, meditation, journaling, cooking and getting outside are great ways to connect to and strengthen her intuition.

In particular, the body is key to connecting with intuition, because it will always communicate through feeling. 

“The more [you] listen to [your] body, the louder your intuition will become,” says Tetiana Podoliako, owner of Rawfully Delish. “It’s a special bond and trust that took me time to build.”

It is difficult to separate intuition and mindfulness. To be mindful is to be more present and aware of your current situation. Intuition, too, requires you to pay attention. So when practicing mindfulness, a side effect is strengthening intuition.

You won’t always be able to easily connect with your intuition. The relationship with your intuition is
like most relationships: It takes time to develop and understand. Intuition also shows up slightly different for each individual.

When asked what intuition sounds like, photographer Birch Thomas described it as a “yes” feeling in the body.

“The voice of my intuition is gentle and creates a release of tension or anxiety,” Thomas says, “as opposed to my ego, which can cause my thoughts to race a bit or my body to tense up.”

While your intuition won’t ever lead you down the wrong path, it can sometimes feel incongruous with your current situation, Mirabeau says.

“I don’t always agree with my intuition or inner voice, but I know my ‘voice of knowing’ when I hear or feel it,” she says. “It feels familiar and distinct.”

Intuition can inspire you to move to a different city even when you’ve just signed a new lease. It can call on you to start a business when your career is going well. For many business owners, it can be an important tool. 

Podoliako started Rawfully Delish after conceiving of the idea right before she fell asleep while visiting family in Ukraine. 

“The message was so clear that there was no doubt it needed to be realized. Now I follow my intuition in how I conduct my business and what projects or ideas to take on.”

Running a business can also activate and build intuition. Thomas believes photography taught her how to follow her intuition. 

When reflecting on how it has helped, she shares that listening to her emotions and understanding energy has helped her grow her business.  

“I can tell within a few minutes of feeling out a new opportunity if it is for me or if I should focus my energy elsewhere.”

She asks herself the question: “Does this project, client or photo give me energy or deplete it?” 

When Mirabeau is teaching a yoga class, she uses intuition as a guide. She remembers a moment when she was in the studio long before she decided to teach. 

“As I walked back and forth in the room, I heard my inner voice say I was going to teach yoga in that room someday. And now I do!”

When asked about how alcohol affects their intuition, all three agree that they rarely drink.

“My relationship with alcohol has changed since my awareness of my energy and intuition grew,” Podoliako says. “Alcohol lowers my ability to be in tune with myself.”

For those who have been intrigued by intuition, this is your sign to start following your inner knowing and listening to your truth. What messages do you need to receive? It may feel uncomfortable, but it will lead you on an incredible adventure. 

Birch Thomas Photography: photosbybirch.com // @birch

Flow Yoga Center: 1450 P St. NW, DC; flowyogacenter.com // @flowyogacenter

Rawfully Delish: rawfullydelish.com // @rawfullydelish

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Alice Hu