Your intuition, by definition, is your ability to understand and know immediately without the need for conscious reasoning. It’s that inner knowing that doesn’t need to be questioned but equally can’t easily be explained. In order to have this level of internal navigation, one needs to be so tapped into themselves that they do not question or second-guess this inner knowing, but instead follow it, knowing it will lead them to where they need to be.
The best way to describe its application would be in decision-making. Some believe in the help and advice of outside counsel, and whilst this can be helpful, there is nothing more satisfying than following that internal whisper, that is your intuition. When the result unfolds in the direction of your desires, their is an inner strength and trust you build within yourself that leaves you with a unshaken confidence.
Neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart defines intuition as ‘hidden wisdom’ rooted in the nervous system, gut and body tissues. On the
Dr Rangan Chatterjee podcast, Dr Swart describes this hidden intelligence as a wisdom built throughout a lifetime of memories and pattern recognition, which then gets embedded deep into our brains and bodies. Below, Dr Swart offers five proven ways to connect to your intuition.
1. Create space to hear yourself think
“Often our response to life’s challenges is to try to think our way out of them, putting too much emphasis and value on rationality. However, a rational approach is not always the answer.”
Swart argues that intuition gives us access to knowledge held beyond our conscious mind, but we can’t hear it if we’re constantly distracted.
Tip: Build moments of stillness into your day through walking, journalling, meditation, having a bath or simply putting your phone away.
2. Stop treating intuition as the opposite of science
One of Tara’s core messages is that intuition is not “woo woo” or irrational. “Science provides us with landmarks, but intuition can show us the gradients in between them.” She argues that the best decisions come from combining emotion, logic and intuition, rather than relying on one alone.
Tip: Gather the facts, then ask yourself what feels right as well as what looks right on paper. Document what happens when you go with your intuition to build your trust in it.
3. Pay attention to what you’re noticing
A recurring theme in ‘the signs’ is that most people are missing valuable information because they’re not paying attention. “The art of noticing is a very important skill to cultivate.” Tara believes signs, opportunities and insights often appear when we become more deliberate about what we focus on.
Tip: Keep a notebook of recurring thoughts, coincidences, dreams or ideas that keep resurfacing. Make a point of stopping to appreciate the smell of your morning coffee, birdsong or colourful flowers.
4. Trust the wisdom held in your body
Tara writes extensively about the connection between intuition and the body, arguing that experience and wisdom are stored not just in the brain but throughout the body. “By combining the wisdom held in our bodies with our minds, we can unleash something that is much more powerful than either of those two things alone.”
Tip: Notice physical reactions when making decisions. Do you feel expansive, calm and energised, or contracted and uneasy? Do you ever have a visceral reaction to something like a shiver down your spine at bad news, or goosebumps at a strong intuition?
5. Move your body before making a big decision
One of the most practical ideas in the book is that intuition becomes easier to access when we’re physically connected to ourselves. Tara writes that movement helps us access “this store of intuitive knowledge” and puts us “in the best position to be able to fully access your intuition.”
Tip: Before making an important decision, go for a walk, do yoga, swim or exercise. Many people find clarity arrives once they stop sitting at a desk trying to force an answer. Longer term, try some form of regular somatic practice like dance, cranio-sacral therapy or art therapy.
To learn more about Dr Tara Swart, visit her website or catch her speaking live at the Health Optimisation Summit 2026 in London this September!
