Research suggests that the pineal gland plays a critical role in somehow bringing together your ability to act on different environmental cues that you ‘feel’ rather than ‘see’. The pineal is located in the middle of your brain right behind your eyes, which is, intriguingly, the precise location of the mystical third eye’ associated with insight and wisdom.

Learning to use your intuition can guide you to make better and faster decisions about pretty much everything in your life. Like any skill, intuition gets better with practice. Try these tips for flexing your intuitive muscle:

• Get calm When you are overburdened with agendas and information, it’s natural for your brain to block out feelings and emotions, so the first step is to consciously clear your mental decks. If you can't meditate, at least do some relaxation exercises, take a long walk, work in the garden, or just retreat to a private room. Anything that quiets your mind will help.

• Find a focal point Look at a candle, a geometrical object, a meaningful or sentimental item like a painting or a shell, or listen to music that doesn't have words. These all engage the right 'creative' side of your brain and help subdue the left, 'analytical' side.

• Ask for guidance Think of any upcoming situation about which you need guidance and which you would normally work out using facts and logic. Ask your subconscious mind to reveal the information you need. Write your request down or say it aloud.

• Tune in Note the impressions, feelings and messages that come through. These are likely to register as sensations in your body. Does your stomach feel warm and relaxed, or uncomfortable and fluttery? Do you ‘see’ or ‘hear’ random words, phrases, numbers or odd memories that come out of nowhere? By noticing these changes, you’ll gain a better understanding of what your subconscious mind is trying to tell you. Record them all in a journal, along with where you where and what you were doing; over time, they can be a fascinating resource to help you understand your thoughts and actions better.

• Don’t judge It is important not to allow your rational mind to step in and try to analyse, criticise or dismiss your intuitive impressions and feelings. Most of the time, we are taught to make logical decisions based on facts that we already know. Stay as neutral as possible. Accept that intuitive knowledge goes beyond what you know, and that tapping into it will help you move past these limitations.

• Be playful Too much effort backfires, while fun helps ideas and intuition flow more easily. Guess what someone will be wearing tomorrow, which is the quickest line at the bank, or which level of the carpark has the best space for you. Try to see life as a fabulous, mysterious adventure, rather than as a one-way street – that way, you will retain your sense of wonder and remain open to possibility and discovery.

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