Tag: intuition

What Are Those Gut Feelings Telling You?

by Mershon Niesner

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein

We’re often told to “trust our intuition” but what exactly is intuition or “that gut feeling”? Are gut feelings really a thing? 

Yep, those gut feelings are real! Scientists call this little brain in your gut the enteric nervous system (ENS). And it’s not so little. The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. Trust it!

Affirmation: I will pay attention to my intuitive mind as well as my rational mind.

Coaching questions: Do you listen to your intuition and trust what it’s telling you? Can you think of a particular time when you did this? What was the outcome? 

Photo by Edz Norton on Unsplash

Trusting Your Gut

by Mershon Niesner

Intuition is seeing with the soul. Dean Koontz, American author

We frequently say, “My gut is telling me…”  we don’t call our intuitive feelings “ear feelings” or “hand feelings” because they really do originate in our gut or our enteric nervous system (ENS) which is in our intestinal tract. According to Michael Gershon, MD in his book The Second Brain, the ENS functions very much like an independent cerebellum. Lined with nerve cells, it can react to stimuli without direction from our head-based brain.

Get to know how your intuition speaks to you and test it by trusting your intuitive feelings in low-risk circumstances. Be aware that intuition can be hijacked by prejudice, social conditioning, and excessive sensory stimulation (I’m thinking social media). Nevertheless, we have this powerful tool at our disposal and it is to our benefit to use it whenever possible. 

Affirmation: I trust my intuition.

Coaching question: How does your intuition speak to you? What can you do to trust going towards your warm, intuitive feelings more frequently?