Intuition

I've recently read 'Radical Remission' by Dr Kelly Turner. This book focuses on what was once called 'spontaneous remission', a phrase which Dr Turner recognises as a misnomer. Most people who are living healthily after a cancer diagnosis have not 'spontaneously' recovered, rather they have put time and energy into healing. Dr Turner found, whilst researching over 1000 cases, that although there were more than 75 alternative healing protocols, nine key elements were employed by every survivor. This piqued my interest. What were they? As well as the expected dietary changes, intuition featured strongly. 

What is intuition? The dictionary defines it as "the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning". Animals exist intuitively - it's a survival mechanism. Humans, despite having lost touch with much of our innate instinctive behaviour, ARE aware of 'gut feelings', we just need to learn how to listen to, trust, and be guided by them.

In those early post-diagnosis days I had a strong intuition that chemotherapy was wrong for me, that in my weakened state it would kill me. As vehemently as I tried to reject this feeling, I couldn't dismiss it. Saying 'no' (to my oncologist) was alien and uncomfortable to me then, but it was a lesson I had to learn in order to honour my intuition. 

Meditation, conscious breathing and staying present help to focus attention so that we may become more open to our intuition. I've received direction and information so many times this way. Many books on spirituality ('Conversations with God' springs to mind) discuss this re-membering, this re-connecting, not only with self but with something bigger. Never underestimate how beautifully we can be guided in times of extreme need if we are open. Trusting this inner voice can bring great peace, which is fundamental to healing.