Healers on How to Trust Your Intuition in Difficult Times
“Trust your intuition” may be the new spiritual buzz phrase of 2021, potentially even knocking “manifestation” off its perch. At the very least, it has been doing the rounds in the spiritual industry and has probably popped up on your social feed in the form of a beautifully designed IG graphic at least once a day. Over here, we’re thrilled at its mass dissemination. In a world that prides itself on logic, linear, and calculated “thinking,” a clarion call to wake up to our inner knowing, our feeling body, and our instincts is long overdue and highly needed to help balance out our modern world.However, trusting our intuition can often be presented as something easy, magical, or exciting. For many of us, it’s not. It requires deep listening, a lot of practice, and most importantly, a truckload of courage — especially when our intuition is nudging us to make an unpopular, challenging, or painful decision. Yes, sometimes your intuition tells you to just apply for that position, or to book that desert weekend away, or take a different route on your evening walk. And yes, sometimes you’ll land the dream job, meet the love of your life in Joshua Tree, or catch a striking sunset that may have otherwise been missed. But often your intuition may tell you to move on from your partner of 10 years, or leave your “perfect life” in Europe and return to your hometown, or that it’s time to take a break from a certain food or lifestyle choice. These less comfortable forks in the road can create great inner conflict as our logical brain battles our intuitive mind.To get a glimpse into the more challenging aspects of “trusting intuition,” we sat down with three leaders in the holistic space about navigating this often tricky terrain.
Danielle Beinstein; Spiritual Astrologer And Counselor
Q1. Was there a time your intuition asked you to do something difficult?
Oh, this happened recently when I was living in New Zealand where I knew I needed to return to the States. Daniel, my boyfriend, wasn’t ready to return but my intuition was screaming, even though it would mean months apart. The minute I landed, I knew it was the right decision and that feeling has only grown.
Q2. What was the outcome or lesson?
A return to myself. Trusting myself and letting the chips fall where they may. I’m still dancing in so many unknowns and yet, I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Q3. Equally, when was a time that you didn't trust your intuition?
Oh, pretty much every dating situation up until my current partner.
Q4. What was the outcome or lesson?
My self esteem continued to plummet. Finally, I learned I had been chasing empty ghosts and had to pick myself up from my bootstraps, find solace, support, and connection in true friendship to understand what life was trying to show me. Chasing has never gotten me anywhere. Now I release walls and allow life to show me the way...most of the time ;)
Nikki Bostwick; Founder of THE FULLEST
Q1. Was there a time your intuition asked you to do something difficult?
I’ve noticed the moment you decide to trust then follow your intuition is the exact moment the universe tests your commitment.
For me, in some regard, trusting my intuition has been one of the most difficult practices because it’s asked me to put up boundaries with my own mother — something I'd never thought I’d have to do in a million years. It has also asked me to cancel week-long family trips because it didn’t feel correct to put my toddler on a plane — even though my doctor advised me that it was safe. However, the more I’ve continued to trust my intuition the easier it’s become.
Q2. What was the outcome or lesson?
For me, every time after committing to a decision, there was a strong sense of relief. Even though it was hard and at times I had to battle the guilt of letting other people down, I knew in my heart it was the right decision because it felt so good afterwards.
Q3. Equally, when was a time that you didn't trust your intuition?
When my son was just eight weeks old, we went to visit family friends in another state. They were incredibly excited for us to visit but didn’t really share that they were unwell. Once there, I felt trapped because on one hand, I wanted them to spend time with my son but on the other hand, I knew it was a terrible idea to take a newborn into a sick household. We decided to stay in a hotel but they found that offensive and ended up returning to their house. Cut to my husband getting sick and passing it onto my newborn, who we had just found out had a genetic condition.
Q4. What was the outcome or lesson?
At that moment, I knew I’d never make a decision just to please another person. It was an important lesson that made me realize to always put my own little family first, and to let nothing get in the way of that intention.
Deborah Hanekamp; Founder of Mama Medicine, Transmitter of Medicine Readings, Author of Ritual Baths
Q1. Was there a time your intuition asked you to do something difficult?
I feel that we are here in this lifetime to grow, and growth is challenging, uncomfortable, and often a bit scary. Like a tiny seed planted in the earth or the nymph before she becomes the dragonfly, we don’t know what we are becoming, we must surrender to mystery, and trust the warm light of the sun beckoning us to emerge from the shell of our former selves.
Our intuitions are like the engine, the heartbeat, the breath of our growth — so we are often led toward what challenges us.
I believe the saying is, “We grow through what we go through.”I think that for me personally I came into this life needing to trust and know my divinity. Part of this is allowing myself to be loved, allowing myself abundance.
My growth process has been one of having to remove the multigenerational tape of scarcity consciousness, so my intuition often requires me to take great risks with love or money.
The most powerful one being when I met my husband and everything in me said yes...
Q2. What was the outcome or lesson?
The outcome, so far, has been our beautiful daughter, a guided life full of wonder, and 10 years of devotional, divine love.
Q3. Equally, when was a time that you didn't trust your intuition?
There have been many times when I’ve doubted my intuition. What first comes to mind is a loop and pattern that I was stuck in until around 34-years-old. I felt like I owed the world, and especially certain people in my life something.
Q4. What was the outcome or lesson?
Being drained and spread thin, unable to rise from the ashes of my past as I was destined to. But that’s different now, maybe it’s the love my intuition told me to trust that helped me…If you’re finding yourself pulled between your intuitive self and logical mind, clearly you're not alone. It’s reassuring to know that even these incredible women who have spent decades reconnecting to their intuition still come up against internal conflicts and challenges. However, we’re also finding solace and inspiration in the gifts that lie on the other side. If you’re looking for guidance on issues of the heart versus mind, Danielle and Deborah both have a range of offerings that can help you gain clarity and guidance.
