Samuel Koch already had a queasy feeling before his appearance. He had turned down the request from the show "Wetten, das...?" three times. Then he got carried away and injured himself badly when he jumped over a moving car in special jumping boots. He ignored his inner voice - and unfortunately we often do the same. Of course, the consequences are not always as serious as for Koch, who is now in a wheelchair. Nevertheless, we should listen to our intuition more often.

Stronger than the mind

"Intuition" comes from the Latin and means "to look closely", "to look at something directly". Behind it lies the gift of being able to make a good decision - even if you cannot yet fully understand the underlying context. In this way, intuition beats the mind, which needs an explanation for everything. So following our intuition also means doing things that our logical thinking cannot grasp. While the mind takes much longer to process information, intuition responds in a fraction of a second - a proverbial "flash of inspiration".

The voice of the heart

Incidentally, intuition and gut feeling are not quite the same thing, according to mentalist Dr. Florian Ilgen. Our gut "works" with our experiences, i.e. with information that our brain has already processed and knows. Intuition is different. Intuition looks at new stimuli from outside. These first land in the heart before they reach the brain. You read that right! Scientists have discovered that our heart has its own network of around 40,000 nerve cells, a kind of little brain of its own. That's why the saying goes: listen to your heart!

Against all logic

Unfortunately, in our hectic everyday lives, we hardly ever get the chance to listen to our intuition. Instead, everything has to be scrutinized by the mind, be logical and verifiable. If this is not the case, we quickly despair. But if a person listens to their heart, we like to say they have a "sixth sense" and admire them for their certainty. There is no question that intuition is a powerful force. It is not for nothing that one in three Germans consider it important to be able to rely on their inner feelings when making decisions. Especially when it comes to making a choice quickly, it is quite useful to have a good connection to your intuition.

Listen and trust

Einstein already stated: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." It is time to appreciate the gift more again. It's a good thing that there are a whole range of useful exercises that can help you learn to hear the voice of the heart more clearly again and to follow it.

7 simple exercises for intuition

Come to rest

There is power in silence. If we want to reconnect more with our intuition, it helps to withdraw from time to time and consciously seek peace and solitude.

Intuitive writing

When you are faced with an important decision: Grab a pen and paper and just start writing. Let yourself be surprised by the answers that flow through you onto the paper.

Feel into yourself

In order to perceive intuition, it is important to have a deep connection to your feelings. If you are overwhelmed by an emotion, feel deep inside yourself and perceive it clearly.

Be empathetic

Practice empathizing with the people around you. What do their facial expressions, body language and voice say? This type of perception promotes intuitive skills and also relationships with others.

Be creative

Whether you like painting, playing the guitar, knitting or fancy cooking: Live out your artistic streak. Creativity is a process in which we bring something into a new form. In this state, we connect with our inner voice, which knows what wants to come out of us.

Applying it in everyday life

Intuition can also be trained directly in everyday life. Example: When your cell phone rings, first guess who it might be. When you are in the supermarket, guess how much your shopping will cost. Do exercises like this again and again.

Make a choice

Start by listening to your intuition. If you haven't listened to your inner voice for a while, start with less important decisions.

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