Intuition! It’s your personal inner guide. It’s the small voice that speaks to the highest part of yourself. It’s that inexplicable inner knowing of what to do in any situation, and when you trust and follow your intuition you feel that you are living in the flow, without struggle or force.

But do you always listen to and follow your intuition? Do you even know what it sounds like?

Most of us were never taught to develop our intuition. As children growing up, we’re inundated with rules and regulations from a very early age. For the most part rules are there to keep us safe and out of harm’s way, but living constantly by rules can also instill a sense of distrust in our own personal judgment.

Following your intuition can lead to a very fulfilling and soulful life. When you allow intuition to be your guide, you’ll discover new things and new ways of doing things. It leads you on an exciting path of exploration.

But what if you don’t know how to pay attention to it, or if you don’t really trust the process?

A great way to begin learning to listen and trust in your intuition is learning to use it as a tool when you’re working with cloth and thread; when you’re creating your art.

Working intuitively in this way helps you develop a personal style resulting in artwork that is unique and individual, something that can’t be replicated by others. It’s also a very safe way to begin “listening and allowing” because the worst that can happen is that you have to unsew!

We all have intuition, but if you haven’t trained yourself to listen to it, it can feel awkward at first. Here are some of my favorite tips to get your started.

Get quiet
Before you begin to to work, take a break and get quiet. Learn to quiet the chatter in your mind so you have some space to can hear the wisdom of your intuition. Getting quiet for ten or fifteen minutes a day in mediation, or just sitting quietly and being present is a good starting point. Do this right before you begin working.

Ask questions
As you’re working, ask questions. You don’t need to do this out loud, but in your mind. Should I cut the fabric this way? Should I stitch it that way? You’ll recognize your answer, your intuition, because when it comes to you the answer feels true and right. This may not happen immediately but with practice it becomes easier and more accessible.

Let go
You can also tap into your intuition by “letting go”. Letting go of the need to do things in a certain way, or letting go of the need to be perfect or right about something, or letting go of the belief that you can’t do something. These are the ways of the ego. Give your ego some time off. Finding balance between the ego and intuition will also bring harmony into your life. You’re stitching doesn’t have to be quite perfect. It’s ok if your seams are a little crooked. Let go of the need to fix every little thing.

Learn to have faith and trust
Learning to trust your intuition isn’t always easy, it requires faith and belief in yourself, but if you start using it in small ways, you can easily build that trust. For a few minutes, allow your stitch to go this way or that way, allow this piece of fabric to be red instead of blue. Does it feel right? Listen to your gut, that’s where your intuition lives, and follow the “feeling”.

Listen and allow and see what happens. It can be magical.

Main photo by bosela