Go With Your Gut with Julie M. Gentile
The moment I woke up this morning, I placed my hand on my heart and silently repeated three things I’m grateful for, just as I do to greet every morning. Hello, heart.
A few moments later, I arrive on my yoga mat, which lays like a rug in front of my bed, to ground my feet. Hello, body.
After a few simple yoga poses, I make my way to a comfortable seated position and gently close my eyes. I observe my breath and practice a breathing exercise. Hello, mind.
I follow this breath work with a simple meditation. Hello, spirit.
This is all before I open my bedroom door in the morning, and it takes less than 10 minutes. Minutes that connect me with my heart, body, mind and spirit. Minutes well spent on self-care, especially during this time of navigating great change.
This morning practice helps me connect with my intuition, which strengthens my trust in my gut instincts on and off the mat.
Since I began practicing yoga in 2008, it has been an integral part in deepening my intuition. Chakras—invisible spinning energy fields along the spine—are often referenced in yoga. Ajna, the third-eye chakra, located between the eyebrows, is the seat of intuition.
Have you ever experienced a feeling of inner knowing? That’s your third-eye wisdom, and if you listen, it can sew together a mind-gut connection to help you trust yourself more so that you can go with your gut confidently.
Tapping into my intuition led me to awareness that I had sensitivities to gluten and dairy. A few years ago, I began to track my symptoms after eating everyday former staples, such as whole grain pasta and Greek yogurt. I recognized that the bloating and abdominal discomfort when I ate these foods were signs of a gluten and dairy sensitivity. My gut feeling that something was off was right. Once I replaced gluten and dairy with more plant-based foods, I felt better.
Four Ways to Tap Into Intuition
Lean into your inner wisdom with these intuition-boosting self-care practices.
- Meditate. You can meditate at any point throughout the day. For inspiration, attend a meditation class or try an app or video with practices specific to your third-eye chakra.
- Meet the mat. From attending an in-person or virtual yoga class to developing a home practice, there are abundant opportunities for you to get in touch with your intuition on your mat. (Get started with the videos on the Stand Up for Your Self-Care YouTube Channel.)
- Write. Whether you journal or blog, writing can help you connect to your intuition.
- Wander in nature. Take a walk without a specific destination in mind. Trust that each step will lead you to where you’re meant to be.
Connect heart with body, body with mind, and mind with spirit. Allow your intuitive wisdom to guide you to go with your gut instincts.
About the Author
Julie M. Gentile is a Millennial mama on a wellness mission: to inspire the courage to stand up for your self-care when your plate is full and you need it most. She is the award-winning author of 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas and the newly released book How to Stay Calm in Chaos: An Everyday Self-Care Guide. She is also the creator of the Stand-Up for Your Self-Care blog and Stand Up for Your Self-Care YouTube Channel, and a yoga teacher at the Bloomingdale Park District. Follow her self-care adventures on Instagram and Facebook @JulieGtheYogi and find more self-care resources at www.JulieGtheYogi.com.
108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas has received the following recognition:
- 2019 bronze medal in Exercise/Fitness/Yoga from IPPY Living Now Book Awards, recognized as a “book for better living”
- 2019 Book Excellence Awards finalist in Body, Mind and Spirit
Julie’s work has been published on several websites and in multiple magazines, including Yoga Chicago, Chicago Parent, Natural Awakenings, Mantra Wellness and Motherly. She has also been featured enthusiastically talking about the significance of self-care on the Chicago Parent Masters in Parenting podcast and Strong as Mothers Podcast.
Photo credit: Laura Brown of Laura Brown Photography. Reprinted from 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas with permission by MSI Press, LLC.
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