In our western society intuition has many times gotten a bad rap. Talked about in a negative way mainly referring to "women's intuition" as a mystical or ridiculous thing that had no logic. In eastern culture intuition is and has been respected for centuries. Animals have intuition and understand it can save their lives, therefore they don't question it.
One of the reasons western society has had a difficult time with the notion of intuition is because it is hard to explain or reason out, and we have seen throughout history that when a society or group does not understand something they usually make fun of it or criticize it.
People have many other names for intuition:
- A gut feeling
- Angel on my shoulder
- sixth sense
- Hunch
- God/Spirit
- The hair on the back of my neck stands up
- Goose bumps
- Erie feeling
- Lump in my throat
- Inner voice
There are many ways to describe it and names for it but the bottom line is that Intuition or I think a better name Survival Signals only have one purpose or goal and that is to protect you! They have NO ulterior motive. So Listen to them!
- If someone makes you feel uncomfortable -GET AWAY FROM THEM
- If you feel you should not walk into a place--DON'T
- If you feel you should get out of a place--GET OUT
Our subconscious minds pick up thousands of small cues all the time and communicate them to us in ways of feelings. We may not now or ever understand exactly why we should get out or stay away from this person, and that is OK. Just trust your intuition or survival signals!
I often tell this story when I teach self-defense seminars because many people don't relate intuition or the need for safety to big strong guys but everyone should listen to intuition or survival signals!
A friend of my family is a construction foreman. Big strong guy, hard worker, drives a big truck, friendly, the type of guy you think NO ONE would mess with and can take care of himself.
He was on his way to work one morning and his usual routine was to stop at a convenience store fill up his BIG GULP type mug with soda to last most of the day. He pulled into a convenience store parking lot, grabbed his empty mug and jumped out of his truck. He said then he got a funny feeling not to go into the store, but he thought that is ridiculous and went in anyway. He got 2 steps inside and was hit over the head and knocked unconscious. He was in a coma for 3 weeks and we did not know if he would ever come out. Thankfully he did and lived to tell everyone to listen to that inner voice. There was a robbery underway when he stepped in and a guy with a ball bat was watching the door and waiting for guys like him.
He and I talked about this event after his recovery. He knows that I have spent my life teaching protection. He said he dismissed the inner voice or feeling because he thought who or what could hurt me. Well we can all be hurt, even people who have trained a lifetime.
The best self-protection tool we have is our intuition or survival signals! They are a God given gift! Allow them to do their jobs. They only want the best for you.
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN
