13. How Intuition Can Simplify Our Lives
Hey Everyone,
This week, I’m talking about intuition, and how it can simplify our lives. Intuition is something everyone has, not just mothers, but we seem to have in a big way that’s necessary for survival. It’s a gut-feeling that needs no further proof, the sense that something is just off about a situation, and deciding to avoid it, or being magnetically drawn towards something without knowing exactly why.
When the oranges seem like they’re calling you from the produce stand the day before the onset of a cold, or your skin tingles when someone says something super impactful, you know that intuition is working for you.
The inspiration for this episode came from a lecture given by my professor, Dr. Victoria Shaw, a psychologist and intuitive coach. Her talk included so many points of relevance for Moms that it inspired a two-part episode series on Mother’s Intuition. Because Yoga strengthens our intuition and eases the stress of common challenges among Moms, We have a nice trifecta of concepts to explore in these next two episodes.
Today, I’ll start by sharing what intuition is, what it is not, and how it can simplify our lives.
Welcome to Yoga for Mom-Life. I’m your host, Susana Jones, and I help lighten the load of early motherhood. With sage wisdom and yoga that complements your life, you can find your groove at any stage of your child’s development, and be all-in on the things that matter most to you.
So, I’ve come across some of the perspectives that Dr. Shaw presented to our class in contemplative studies like Buddhism and Yogic Philosophy. Nonetheless, it was helpful to be reminded that the mind is limited, while our true essence is infinite, according to Eastern thought. The West has some different takes on this, which can be super useful for grasping the nature of reality, but for the purpose of making our lives a little easier, let’s assume for the next 10 minutes that your soul is pure, infinite potential, and your mind is confined to your past experiences.
You don’t have to believe this. It’s just a perspective, and we won’t get too philosophical because we’re all mostly trying to just get through the day, am I right?!
Cool. So, what intuition offers us is a way to align our goals and our actions in a more coherent, authentic way than the mind can do alone. In other words, the mind, precious and powerful as it is, can’t grasp the full mystery of being human, or what to make of the unexpected.
But like an “internal GPS,” as Dr. Shaw put it, intuition is always there for us, helping us navigate the unknown, of which there is a lot in early motherhood.
There’s also a lot of noise in early motherhood, and not a lot of meaningful time spent contemplating our inner world. Next week I’ll talk about one of those sources of “noise”, which I have in quotations, the internet!
But even in real life, there are just so many distractions and things vying for our attention, that we stay pretty focused on what’s happening externally, rather than internally. This is especially so when we’re in survival mode, and hey mad respect if you’re out there surviving. Not everyone survives early motherhood, so if or when you find yourself in that mode, please do what you gotta do, get support where you can, and replenish as soon as possible.
The thing is, intuition doesn’t take a break when we are hustling to meet the basic needs of safety, financial security, food and shelter. It might be intuition to, a raw instinct, to get done what needs to get done. It’s a protective force in that way. In tuition is not relegated to a cush afternoon on a meditation pillow. It’s there with us real-time in the most pressing circumstances.
It’s also there to show you how your body can give back to you. How your time can serve your needs. How to arrange anew the pieces that just toppled over. And where so-and-so left their favorite stuffy so you can get out the door and take them to the thing you’re about to be late to.
This is a tool we use all the time. It’s kind of extrasensory. It’s kind of badass, and it’s definitely our birthright to utilize it to our benefit. Again, because the mind is easily confused. And motherhood is confusing, and can be super isolating. But your intuitive sense is with you all the time, and it’s a great companion because…
It doesn’t judge you based on the past. It’s totally in the moment with you.
It’s not fearful, it’s vigilant, and surprisingly objective, given that it falls into the woo category.
What I mean by intuition being objective is that it’s a neutral message. It’s not anxious, or worried, it’s matter-of-fact. It’s not insulting.
Intuition is a part of you that wants you to keep going and to have the support you need along the way.
So if you have some negative self-talk that erodes your self-confidence, A) join the club and B) that’s just the mind using all it has, which is past experience
Like knowing that we need water to drink, intuition is neutral. It’s not whiny. It’s not demeaning. It’s not superstitious, or phobic. It’s neither positive, nor negative.
And while our mental reserves can be depleted (Sewall, 2012), intuition is an endless supply. Now, what makes intuition a simplifying force in our lives is when it comes to making a decision. It’s as if the “rolodex” of options suddenly opens to the best one in a moment of clarity.
Because decision-fatigue is real, and the mental load of Mom-Life is heavy, being present and decisive, rather than just reactive, or impulsive with our choices, can save us a lot of energy.
And every Mom I know wants that healthy glow that comes with having a strong life force. Every time we spare ourselves from overcomplication, we bank some vitality, and it shows up on our faces.
Now, we may be tempted to think that we have to set the stage for the mental clarity that fosters intuitive knowing. The mind would love for us to procrastinate on this, and say mean stuff while we search for the perfect little containers for all our stuff that looks good enough to photograph, and arrange all our kid’s toys, forever and ever.
And honestly, more power to you if you’re organizing your home. That’s important for your sanity day-to-day. So go you. And, there’s an inner dimension that wants to help you succeed. Getting it to work for you can be as simple as recognizing where intuition is already working in your life.
As I reflect on where intuition is already serving me, I realize that it’s alive and well in (a) knowing what my son needs when he’sstruggling (b) packing something for an outing or a trip that I wouldn’t normally bring, but we ended up needing; (c) and being an insightful teacher and writer.
So, notice where intuition is working in your life. Which decisions have been no-brainers for you lately? When has a hunch, or a feeling about something proven to be right on? Is there a feeling you get when there’s something happening under the surface, that keeps you safe, or moving in a positive direction? Focusing on what’s already working is energizing, and can help us get clear on what intuition is not.
Negative self-talk, fantasies, anxiety, fearful catastrophizing, these are not intuition. They’re of the mind. Their best use may be as your cue to nourish yourself in some way, which redirects awareness to the present moment where life is actually happening, and where clarity is always possible.
Intuition is a gift of inner-knowing, that is always there for us. It can serve us as Mothers by adding clarity to times that are downright confusing. Being in touch with our intuition can simplify decision-making, and save us energy. It can show us how best to revive ourselves after times of being in survival mode, and give us a boost of self-confidence that yes, we do got this.
The mental load of early motherhood is massive. And with the whole world’s opinions on parenting in our faces, it’s not always easy to tap into our inner-knowing. There’s a lot more to explore on this, so tune in next Suzday for Part 2: A Mother’s Intuition vs. The Internet.
I’ll talk about intuition in light of the digital age, which definitely helps us, but can also hurt us in certain ways. I’ll also illuminate the changes that happened within our brains when we became Moms, and how to make more mental space for clarity and self-assuredness. I’m researching the neuroscience of this for a term paper in Dr. Shaw’s class, and I’m excited to share what I find with you, with references in my show notes.
Until then, be well, and thank you for being a part of this journey with me, and sharing this show with the Moms you love.
It’s Yoga for Mom-Life, and it’s about time.
References
Linn, D. (2003). Soul coaching: 28 days to discover your authentic self. Hay House.
Sewall, L. (2012). Beauty and the brain. In P.H. Kahn Jr. & P. H. Hasbach (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Science, totems, and the technological species. (Chapter 10, pp. 265-273). The MIT Press.
Shaw, V. (2024). Week 6 lecture on Intuition [Zoom recording]. Canvas@CIHS. https://cihs.instructure.com/courses/401/modules/items/11539
