Reclaiming Our Intuition as Part of Our Legacy, With Professor Medina

Did you know that the word intuition comes from the Latin intuir, which appropriately means ‘knowledge from within’?

And, that even though it’s been proven that intuition is very much real, when people hear the word “intuition” they still associate it with all things “woo woo” or superstitious. Intuition has had a hard time being taken seriously, at least in this part of the world.  

Part of the reason we don’t even take our intuition into consideration as much as we should is because we’ve been raised in a western educational society that has taught us to only rely on logic and reasoning to make decisions. But other cultures and religions like Hinduism often rely on intuition to make all kinds of decisions.

As we continue to learn more about the brain as it relates to our inner knowing, I’ve chosen to join Professor Lara (Xicanx) Medina at the California State University, Northridge in reclaiming “our use of our intuition as part of our legacy” because we’re in the middle of what she calls a “return and reclaiming of our ancestral heritage and indigenous identity, especially ancient Mesoamerica concepts.”

She talks about this and more in her new book Voices from the Ancestors: Xicanx and Latinx Spiritual Expressions and Healing Practices, a powerful collection of essays bringing together the reflective writings and spiritual practices of Xicanx, Latinx, and Afro-Latinx womxn and male allies in the United States who seek to heal from the historical traumas of colonization by returning to ancestral traditions and knowledge.

Snap, snap, snap! 

She and I have been discussed the power of intuition and its legacy in light of all the women of color who have stepped up in recent years to reclaim their culture, spirituality, and, in turn, their intuition as a force. Much like the many Latinas who are becoming less religious and more spiritual, as written in this piece on HipLatina, and especially those who are reclaiming their inner bruja like we’ve never seen before. 

“Those who remain close to their indigenous ancestry or knowledge have a connection with the earth, with nature. Those folks tap into their intuition,” she added, “It changes how you operate in the world and how you understand yourself as a human being because we often see ourselves as individuals, but we’re actually quite interconnected.” 

So before Albert Einstein referred to intuition as a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant––helping validate the concept of what we know as our “inner knowing”––our ancestors tapped into their intuition to solve societal issues, create medicinal remedies, thrive in agriculture, and build civilizations we’re still learning about today. Study after study has confirmed how your gut and emotions are connected which is why intuition is known as that “gut feeling” or that feeling “in the pit of your stomach”. 

“While intuition is often ascribed to psychics and fortune-tellers, we are all intuitive beings. Intuition comes through as a feeling in the stomach, and it doesn’t always match what’s going on in the mind. It’s pretty telling that the belly––the part of the body where intuition lives––is often the first place we restrict and suck in when we’re self-conscious or scared. Living in tune with your intuition means following your hunches and trusting your gut, even when it’s uncomfortable.”

– The Spirit Almanac

The Spirit Almanac then recommend deep-belly breathing rituals to help open you up and tap into that magic power that we all possess. This kind of breathing hasn’t just helped calm me down long enough to listen to the little voice inside but eases me into silence in a way that keeps any anxieties about not meditating the “right way” at bay. Those then become the moments that allow me to indulge in the silence to allow access to my intuition. 

While you’re breathing, take note of how you react to something you’re asking your intuition to help you out with. If your body feels like it’s expanding in a positive way, even if you’re a little nervous about the idea, then that’s usually a good indicator that you should go down that road. But if you’re body retracts at the thought of whatever it is you’re trying to figure out, then get off that train immediately. Your body is trying to tell you right then if not, it will find another way to get the message to you. Like, in your dreams for example. 

Right after the breathing rituals I’ll sit in silence and ask myself, “What message do I need to hear right now?” and once I get any kind of information, even if it doesn’t completely make sense at the time, I’ll write down what comes to mind. I followed my intuition in order to create my own journaling ritual but I didn’t realize until I spoke to Medina that I was strengthening my intuition by creating a ritual around my journaling. 

“Ceremony and ritual feed our intuition. We’ve lost so much of our ceremony and ritual because of institutionalized religions,” she added. “Making an effort to connect with it results in a sense of renewal, regaining strength, and grounding in your body. That all feeds your intuition.”

If you’re working toward feeding your intuition, keep in mind that you should be taking even better care of your mind and body. If you start to feel restless or just need to shift your focus, try taking a walk, stretching or getting a massage. If this is your first time taking a deep dive into your intuition, remember to be kind to yourself when you’re learning something new. Act on what feels right to you and the rest will fall into place. 

Don’t forget to yourself props for choosing to go against the grain in the land of traditional decision-making skills and, as a woman of color in 2020, you taking care of mind, body and spirit is a revolutionary act in itself.