Susannah Taylor: Can’t decide? I have the answer 

Have you ever looked back on a relationship or decision you made and realised you knew it wasn’t right at the time? Have you ever thought you needed to get the hell out of a situation but couldn’t quite work out why? I know I have.

This is your intuition or your gut instinct, says Emma Lucy Knowles, author and goddess of all things wonderfully spiritual. Her new book, The Life-changing Power of Intuition: Tune into Yourself, Transform Your Life*, is all about tapping into that sixth sense or inner voice that is always right even if you don’t always listen to it.

But is intuition actually a ‘thing’? We can’t see it or put our finger on it, so it’s hard for us to believe it’s there. ‘It’s a road map for the soul,’ explains Emma. ‘It’s our most reliable guide and the voice of truth – like a second breath moving through the body that silently leads us.’

While we all have access to our intuition, we are often too busy or too glued to our phones to notice it, says Emma. Another problem is we don’t trust ourselves and tend to rely on other people to help us. ‘However, if you tap into yourself,’ she says, ‘you will find that you already know the correct answer.’ Emma’s book is a masterclass in helping us to tune into all the empowering signals coming from within us. Our intuition doesn’t just kick in at crucial moments (although Emma says that’s when it’s really useful); it guides us every hour of every day. Examples include how a lawyer will instinctively know how to defend their client, or a footballer will instinctively know how to play a ball.

In the section ‘Finding Your Tells’, Emma talks us through using our whole body to help us make the correct decisions, break limiting patterns or guide us the right way over crossroads in work, love and life. ‘Your whole body is like a satellite signal for intuition,’ she explains. The phrase ‘gut instinct’, for example, isn’t just a saying. ‘You can actually feel your intuition in various sensations in your body and your stomach,’ she says. It’s different for us all, ‘but intuition could be an itch on your hand or a deep pulse in your belly’.

The problem I have, I tell Emma, is that while I may have a gut feeling to turn left, an inner voice will argue that perhaps I should turn right. ‘That’s your ego,’ says Emma, which she explains is the antithesis of intuition and will question your instincts, or raise fears in your mind. In her book she talks about how your bossy ego will say ‘I want’, ‘I need’ and ‘You can’t’, whereas intuition is about leading you on a path for the greater good. The key is in learning to see the difference. ‘Trust the vibes you get, energy doesn’t lie,’ she says.

Since many of us are spending more time with ourselves than ever before, now is a great time to learn about the way we tick. I am a firm believer that there is way more to being human than muscles, bones and brain power. Just because we can’t see something it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, and the best thing about tapping into your intuition, Emma says, is that the more you use it, the stronger it becomes (like training our stomach muscles). ‘It’s our silent superpower.’

@susannahtaylor_

*to be published on 4 March by pop press, price £12.99. To order a copy for £11.43 until 7 March go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. FREE P&P ON ORDERS OVER £15.

 For a protein pick-me-up… 

Protein powder is no longer just for  body builders. While it can help you grow muscle (which in turn helps to burn fat), it also is important for the formation of hair, skin and nails. Hermosa is one of the next-gen protein supplements that’s ethically sourced, naturally sweetened and doesn’t use genetically modified ingredients. And I promise you don’t have to hold your nose to drink it. From £30, livehermosa.com.    

 

Glam up your down dog 

 Be the envy of your Zoom yoga class with this personalised yoga mat from HB London. Available in a variety of colours, my favourite is this chic monochrome style that won’t clash with your home décor. £79, hblondon.uk