Like our muscles, if we don’t use our intuition, it will weaken. I’ve found that the best first step to developing this ability is to pay attention to our surroundings. Here are some actions I’ve found helpful in nurturing my own growth:

Learn what sounds, sights and smells are normal in your home

What does the house sound like when it is settling? Where do those noises originate? Does that plant brush against the window when it’s windy? When the sun shines in at a certain angle, do you see odd shadows? Does your neighbor’s cooking aromas or cigarette smoke waft into your space?

By knowing your abode, you’re much more likely to notice sounds, sights and smells that are out of the ordinary. This will build your confidence that you can eliminate the usual from the unusual, while retaining enough skepticism to recognize actual psychic events.

I believe when we acknowledge an authentic ESP experience, it rewires our brain, helping us to experience more supernatural acts in the future.

Live in the present

When our minds race from one thought to the next, we’re not open to the greater reality and probably wouldn’t notice a subtle paranormal event when it happened.

By being aware of our body and environment in the present moment, we can relax. It’s when we’re relaxed and open that we’re most likely to develop insight and recognize spirit activity.

For me, most psychic messages tend to be brief flashes of images or instantaneous knowledge. These can be missed if my brain focuses on future tasks or worries. For example, I don’t have ESP instances at work because my mind concentrates on responsibilities and deadlines.

So what do we need to be aware of?

  • Sudden mood swings. Do you have a reason to feel this way? Is this emotion coming from you? Or does it feel detached from you?
  • Physical sensations. Do you feel energy move about you? Is there tingling on your body that is unusual and can’t be explained (i.e., your foot fell asleep)? Do you feel pressure on a part of your body where nothing is touching it?
  • Unrelated thoughts occurring to you. You might have been thinking about going grocery shopping when all of a sudden your great aunt’s welfare pops into your mind. Think about your surroundings at that moment: Did you hear a song that reminded you of her or encounter something that would spur that thought? If it was seemingly unrelated to anything you’d experienced, consider calling to check on her.
  • The natural world around you. I’ve heard many stories about the crossed over using wildlife to let their earth-bound loved ones know they were visiting. In Map of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander, he details an episode of a monarch butterfly that appeared to a man shortly after his wife passed away. Since the man knew that only groups of monarchs appeared in his neighborhood, he could recognize this anomaly, which became even more obvious when the butterfly showed up at his wife’s grave as well.

One of my few regrets in life is that I’d been so closed to the possibility of the spirit world that I know I’d missed past cues that my loved ones had been visiting me.

It’s time we all open to the possibilities.

Read last week’s post on “Awareness is the key to spiritual growth.”