How Can I Trust My Intuitive Voice?

"How do I know if I can trust my intuition?" is a question I get asked a lot. People hear their intuitive voice, but are hesitant to believe it. Usually the intuitive message is right-on; it's our interpretation of the message that can be off. Our interpretation can sometimes be clouded by our own perceptions.

We all live in a box of sorts. To us the box is invisible and only other people can see when we are bumping up against our box -- because their box is different. For example, when I am upset about something and explain it to my husband or to a good friend, each of them can see how this must have upset me, but they see it from the perspective inside their box, and perhaps in their world, something like this would not be such a big deal.

When I read cards for someone, I find it's easier to get an intuitive hit for people I barely know...because I can just blurt out what comes to me intuitively, whether or not it makes any sense. And, sometimes I just throw it out there and see if it lands (makes sense). They usually confirm that what I am getting intuitively is right on, but if it is a bit off, it allows them to try it on to see what does feel right. Together we interpret the intuitive message.

Everyone has intuition but each of us has different levels of tapping in and trusting what we hear/feel/see. Play with your intuition. Tell a friend that you are practicing with your intuition and ask permission to tap into their energy throughout the day. Really focus on it and see if you can feel what's going on with them. Then call them to see how their day is going and confirm your intuitive feel. It's a fun and harmless way to check it out.

The Three Card Spread
Another great way to tap into your intuition is to pull cards (tarot, goddess, oracle, angel, etc.). When I need to get some intuitive advice, I shuffle my cards and ask a question, "Is it in my best interest to ______?" Or say something general like, "Tell me what I need to know..." Then when I feel "done" shuffling, I spread the cards out and select three. Don't think about it. Just select the three that grab your attention.

The first one provides information about the past; the second one shows the present and the third predicts the future. Of course, there is always free will and any event can be changed, but this gives you the most likely outcome if you stay on the path you are on.

Then tap into your intuition and look at the pictures or words on the cards you selected. You can look up the meanings of the cards and start to make sense of the intuitive messages that are coming to you.

This simple 3-card spread can be used for almost any situation. Make notes on what your question was, what cards you pulled and what intuitive messages you received. Then as you watch your life unfold, check back and see how "on" your intuitive voice really is. I think you'll be surprised and in awe of this magnificent tool.

Then it's just practice, practice, practice (and have some fun while you are at it)!

Surprisingly Intuitive

I recently met a woman -- I'll call her Bette -- who insisted she had no intuitive abilities at all. In fact, she was skeptical about the entire phenomenon.

I got to know Bette and a few other attendees at a weekend conference during dinner one evening. Bette seemed to be a straight-forward, fairly mainstream, no B.S. type of person. As Tamra and I talked about intuition, energy, etc., I felt Bette's energy shift. She was uncomfortable but curious.

As we ended the meal, Cole offered to buy mine in exchange for a tarot card reading. Since I didn't have my cards, Tamra encouraged me to just let the intuitive energy flow...so I did. I looked at Cole and told him the intuitive insights that were coming to me. I was picking up on a business venture he and his wife were pursuing, described his personality, and even told him about some new discoveries he was experiencing on his own personal journey. He confirmed the information I was getting -- and he said it was very helpful to him.

Bette sat in amazement, and somewhat in awe of what had happened. Then her curiosity got the better of her. "Can you do a reading for me?" And so I did. I looked at her and got images of a deep loss she had experienced in her early teen years. The grief she had experienced had caused her to build a wall of armor that has protected her ever since, but it also kept her from fully welcoming people into her life. I saw her walking for exercise and picked up on her feelings for the people in her life. Her amazement and curiosity turned into excitement. "How do you do that?"

I told her that she had the ability to do this too, but her skepticism remained. I encouraged her to look at Tamra and express any intuitive impressions that came to her. I explained that usually the intuition is right on; it's our interpretation that might be off. As she relaxed into it, the information began to flow. It was right on and Bette was amazed. When she got the name of an important man in Tamra's life and it was confirmed, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Her entire energy had shifted as though a new door had opened.

Bette and I have emailed since then and she has been aware of the intuitive insights that are coming to her. But she also realizes that she has had this ability all along. It's like in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy realizes that she'd always had the power to click her ruby red slippers and return home.

Bette requested some books to help open her intuition, but the real shift came when she opened her energy to her gifts, and began to listen to her intuitive voice.

If you are curious about your own intuition, begin now to realize the intuitive impressions that come to you all of the time. The phone rings and you sense who it is. You are busy working and creative thoughts and images come to you. Recognizing, welcoming and trusting these images will become easier the more you play with it.

Challenge yourself to move forward with this energy. Notice when it happens. Journal about it and then read back and confirm it. It is stronger than you realize and will help to guide you in your life.

Focus and Move Forward

There are times in life when the universe speaks to you directly and clearly. I've been experiencing a week where there are so many cause and effect occurrences that it is almost eerie. Let me explain.

I am the type of person who has many interests in life. The problem comes when I want to pursue many or all of them at once. It sounds something like this: “It would be neat to volunteer for this organization; the health club called and asked me to start teaching yoga; I want to take this specialized training in my field; I long to be really involved with my kids, and I want to be super-wife!” This may sound familiar to fellow over-achievers out there. Even if this doesn't exactly represent your personality, read on.

The universe is in order. Over the past week I have witnessed several direct correlations between saying “YES” and saying “NO” and what energetic influences it has. Here's an example:

Before the weekend I got a last minute invitation to take a fitness teacher certification that would take both Saturday and Sunday, all day. I was most interested because working out is right up there with breathing for me. I love it! (That may sound strange to some of you, but stick with me).

I could see myself leading classes, being in great shape, and motivating other people to commit to their health goals. But when I sat with the decision of taking the class (and giving up both weekend days) or working on my life coaching Web site, I listened to my intuitive voice and decided that forwarding my life coaching career was more important.

As soon as I declined the invitation for the fitness training, my Web designer called and said she had an opening on Saturday to work on my Web site. It is nearly impossible to get this kind of time with her because she has four kids, three of them under 3! But it worked out and we got about 80% of the site completed. None of that would have happened if I would have been sweating in the gym that entire day.

The coincidences continued throughout the week. As I got invited to teach yoga at two local clubs, I went through the same gyrations, and decided to continue to focus on my life coaching. Each time I said, “no,” within an hour, I got a phone call from a potential client or from someone who wanted to publish one of my life coaching articles in the local newspaper. The universe was very clearly saying, “You are supported in your quest to become a life coach. Focus and move forward.”

I now have a sign posted on my wall that says, “The more time, energy and brain space I devote to anything besides life coaching, only dilutes and delays me.” It has been tested several times this week, but each time I say NO, the universe says YES and my coaching career moves forward.

The universe is speaking to you if you slow down and listen. My question to you is this, “What are you saying NO to and where is your focus?”

What's the Temperature of the Water?

I ran into someone the other day and he started to talk about a life change he had recently undergone. He explained how he never realized how much strain he had been under until he changed jobs.

Looking back he saw how his work schedule had imposed on his ability to be present for his family, which ultimately resulted in a divorce. His previous work schedule had nearly consumed him and threatened everything that was important in his life.

Now that he had moved on, he could see where he had been stuck and said he regretted not having made the change sooner. Why don’t we change when everything around us is screaming – “GET OUT!”?

I told him the story of the frog in the pot. If you try to put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out. If, however, you put the frog into a pot of water and slowly turn up the heat, the frog gets used to it. Once it realizes it is boiling, it can’t jump out because it is either incapacitated or dead. We don’t take charge and make changes because we don’t pause long enough to realize that the temperature is rising and it’s getting hot!

How often do you check in with your inner voice? What is the temperature of the water in your life? What are you tolerating in the important areas of your life – Career, Spirituality, Recreation, Romance, Health, Living Space, Family, Finances? We get SO busy that our alert systems shut down. The battery dies…and so do we, slowly.

Life Coaching is a great place to notice the temperature of the water you swim in every day. Are you treading water, swimming laps, gliding underwater, sinking or boiling? In this analogy, perhaps coaching can be seen as a life raft in the middle of the ocean of life. Coaching pulls you out of the water long enough to breathe, reflect, rest, and decide what’s next.

By simply noticing where you are, you've taken the first step and can make some powerful choices to move your life forward. Right now, make a commitment to yourself – it may be a very small step -- to move forward. The real question is, if you continued to actively make small steps forward, where would you be in a week? A month? A year?

Coaching Challenge: Draw a circle and divide it into eight even pieces. Label the wedges: Career, Spirituality, Recreation, Romance, Health, Living Space, Family, Finances. The center of the circle is 1 and the outside edge of the circle is a 10. Rank your satisfaction in each area of your life with a 1 meaning least satisfied and a 10 meaning completely satisfied. Then draw a straight or curved line between the dots to create a new outer edge. What does your wheel look like now? Does your wheel look like a flat tire? If this was a real wheel, would the ride be smooth or bumpy?

This is a quick way to gauge the temperature of your life’s water and determine which areas are “hot.” In the areas that you ranked as low, imagine what an 8, 9 or even a 10 would be like? How would the wheel (your life) look and feel then?

Whether you compare it to a frog, water, a boat or a wheel, it truly is your life – your one and only -- and you are the one experiencing it. Take a minute to get into the life coaching boat and notice how hot the water really is. Now the important question, “What are you going to do about it?”

Stepping Out...Into the Light

I’ve been what I call a “closet” intuitive. That is, most people think I’m intuitive and are in awe when I pull something out of the air, but they don’t realize that I study intuition, read tarot cards and can usually get a pretty good feel on most situations.

By day, my job has been pretty main-stream. I have worked in business situations where intuition has safely been referred to as a “gut feel.” If someone asked for my input, I’d give them my intuitive impression and then back it up with facts (if possible). This would help everyone feel more comfortable to move forward. It’s much easier to justify your actions with, “As you can see on this spreadsheet from last year’s sales…” rather than, “Sheri had an intuitive insight (or pulled a tarot card) that led us to this key decision…”

So yesterday, I finally stepped out. I had left my "business" job at the beginning of the summer to pursue a new career in organizational and life coaching. The great thing is that in my training to become a coach, intuition is one of the key ingredients to successful coaching because people really do project a lot of energy that holds clues as to how to get them un-stuck. As coaches, we use our intuition to pick up on this energy and lead people forward in their lives.

As part of my new career, I am a presenter of many mainstream ideas (public relations, marketing, sales, etc.), and have also started to speak/present on metaphysical topics such as intuition and how to use it in your everyday life and in your career. My goal now is to combine the two topics and give my business clients a metaphysical twist!

So yesterday, having used my best publicity skills, I marketed myself right into a position behind the microphone of our local public radio station, talking about…intuition and tarot card readings. This is not my first time behind a mic. In fact, in my line of business, I have been a spokesperson on TV and radio, and have been quoted in print several times. But as I heard the interviewer read my biography and introduce me as the “everyday tarot reader” and as I visualized people who knew me as a business woman actually hear me talk about reading tarot cards and how to get in touch with their intuitive voice, I could just imagine people rolling their eyes and muttering under their breath something like, “I didn’t know she was into that kind of voodoo!”

As I stepped away from the interview, I remembered all of the times I had shared with people my interest in intuition and even in tarot cards. Most people are so curious that they just can’t help but ask questions, and usually end up wanting a reading, which I am happy to do. The pleasure for me is when we finish the reading and they say, “Wow! That was right on. It’s really cool. How does it work?” And, it’s even better when they become repeat customers and refer their friends and family. That’s when I know there is a place in this world for my services.

And so, I step into the light, which for me is symbolized by the Moon card reversed in the tarot deck. The Moon reversed also signifies “seeing things as they really are, shedding light on the matter, and the confusion is ending.” I am who I am and embrace all parts of me including both my business side and my intuitive side. The great thing with coaching is that I need both intuition and great business sense to succeed.

Here’s to stepping into the light and welcoming success.

Intuitive Mirror

As an intuitive and tarot card reader, people come to me to get my "feel" for something that is going on in their lives, usually a problem concerning their love life, their career, their finances or their future. They ask me to tune into my intuition and help them.

To answer their question, I tune into their energy and the emotions surrounding their situation. If they have opened their energy to me, I can usually tap into their feelings and can often tap into the feelings of other people in their world. So really, they are telegraphing to me what is going on in their world and I simply reflect it back to them. My intuition becomes a mirror and helps them see the answers they seek.

I never really knew I had this gift until I met another intuitive and tarot card reader (my mentor) who said, "You have intuitive gifts and could read the cards if you wanted to." Could I really?

The answer was loud and clear the first time I shuffled my new deck of cards and laid them out, not knowing what any of the symbols even meant. She said, "Read my cards, but don't think. Just tell me what you feel." How odd this was for someone who would make a spreadsheet measuring out the pros and cons of any major decision in her life.

But read them I did and have not stopped since. I soon began to read tarot cards for other people and even people that I didn't know at all, and still the cards and my intuition brought clarity and answers to the questions they had. This truly is a gift.

And yet, I believe we all have this gift if we simply tune into it, but how? That is what I am exploring at this point in my life. Can I teach people to use their intuition? When I ask the cards, they answer with a resounding YES! And so, my quest continues to become a healer of sorts and teach people what they already know, but don't realize. In the beginning, I am their mirror, and in the end, they are looking into their own mirror. Isn't that cool?

Wild Women of the Universe Story

The Wild Women of the Universe began in 2004 when I was getting married for the second (and last :)) time.

One of my dear friends offered to host a bridal shower for me> I was excited, but said that I didn't want to have any of those stupid games. Having just read the book, The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant (link included below), I had a different idea.

In the book, Diamant described a time when the women of the village would congregate in the "red" tent -- once a month, for births and other female rites of passage, to be with the other women and away from the men. The idea for the bridal party was to gather my "female" energy around me to recognize, celebrate and mark my transition from being single to being married.

That night nine of my close friends gathered for what was to be one of the most spiritual evenings of my life. At the end of the evening as we were standing in a circle around a candle altar, we each gave thanks for our time together and they shared their blessings and prayers for my new life.

We hugged and agreed that we needed to do this more often. In our busy world, our sense of belonging to a tribe and especially connecting with our female energy gets lost...and yet is SO needed.

The group grew from there. Each month we gathered and more and more women would attend. It seems the word spread that the Wild Women was a place to come, share and connect with other spiritual women.

The blog began as a way to stay connected even as we all continue to be very busy.

Please join us, connect with our energy and enjoy your celebration of being a Wild Woman of the Universe!

Intuition Through Tarot Study Group

If you’d like to get in touch with your intuitive voice, learn how to use tarot cards, and connect with other people on a similar journey, join the Intuition Through Tarot Study Group.

This monthly group is designed to help you read tarot cards to:

**Answer Life's Questions
**Tap into your higher source
**Find Your Intuitive Voice
**Help Your Friends and Family
**Sort Through Emotional Situations
**Connect with others who are on a similar path

During this study group you will:

**Learn how to tap in, trust and use your intuitive voice for guidance
**Become familiar with the structure of the tarot deck
**Learn the meanings of the Major Arcana, Minor Arcana and Court Cards
**Understand simple card layouts that can be used in any situation

Intuition Through Tarot meetings are once a month for two hours. Each Intuition Through Tarot session includes three consecutive months where students meet, learn about the cards and practice with their intuition. The cost is $99 per session. If you are interested and would like more information, please email me.

Contact Sheri

Thank you for visiting the Wild Women of the Universe blog and being a part of our tribe.

If you have questions about the Wild Women of the Universe blog, or would like to schedule a tarot card reading, please feel free to contact me at: oraclesun@bresnan.net.

If you'd like information on my Life Coaching services, please visit my Web site at: www.coachwithsheri.com or email me at sheri@coachwithsheri.com.

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Upcoming Events

In an effort to keep you up-to-date with upcoming events, I will post them here for you. If you'd like to add something to the list, click here. I may edit for space considerations, but will try to keep this list updated.

Community Acupuncture at Yurt Wellness

Community Acupuncture will be provided in the Yurt @ Yurt Wellness starting Monday Aug. 24 from 8am-12pm and continuing on Mondays thereafter. No appointment necessary. Dana Guggenheim L.Ac. and Al Rad L.Ac. will be performing Acupuncture in a community setting in the earthy relaxing yurt.

This is a great opportunity to try Acupuncture for the first time and if you're on a limited budget the treatments will be $25.00 a session. Acupuncture is an effective modality for pain of all types, menopause, allergies, migraines, stress relief, menstrual difficulties, digestive problems, depression, insomnia and many other imbalances. Yurt Wellness is located 145 N. Plum in Fruita.

You may call Dana Guggenheim @ 639-2130 or Al Rad @ 858-6635 if you have any questions.

Upcoming Event Guidelines

If you would like to have something listed on Upcoming Events, please follow these guidelines and email to me at: sheri@coachwithsheri.com:

•Email me the EXACT verbiage you would like to have included on the Upcoming Events page. Please make your entry NO LONGER THAN 200 words. Please know that I am not responsible for editing your text and will post exactly what you send me (200 words or less).

•Include the basics: Who, What, Why, Where, When

•Include who they can contact for more information (phone, email, web link, etc.).

•Get your information to me at least 2 weeks in advance so I will have time to get it posted and the Wild Women will be able to see it in time.

•I am NOT able to attach or link to flyers so include ALL information in the verbiage you send me and/or provide a URL/Web link for the readers’ convenience.

•IMPORTANT: Use the words "UPCOMING WW EVENTS" in the subject line so I know that you’d like to have it included on the Wild Women blog. Please don’t assume if you send something to me personally, that I will automatically put it on the blog. I need to know what you want listed on the blog and what is just for my information.

If you have any questions, please email me at: sheri@coachwithsheri.com.

Click here to return to Upcoming Events.

Intuitive Insights Tarot Card Readings

If you feel stuck, frustrated, would like help making a decision, or want more clarification on a situation that is happening in your life, you may want an individual tarot card reading.

Here's how a tarot reading works:

Sometimes it’s nice to know what to expect from a tarot card reading, especially if you haven’t gotten a reading before or for a while. Here are some things you may want to know or think about:

Determine what you’d like clarity on and what questions you have.
• You might try filling in the blank: Tell me what I need to know about ______________ (a relationship, your career, your finances, etc.).

• If you are having a hard time specifying exactly what you would like to ask, you can simply say, “Tell me what I need to know,” and the important issues that need to be addressed will most likely come up.

• You might also say, “Please give me more clarity on (name the situation in question)."

• Your reading is in service of you. If we talk about others within the course of our reading, I will give you intuitive impressions I receive on your behalf.

• When you leave the tarot reading, you may feel emotionally raw, as though some really important emotions (possibly that you have been ignoring) have been uncovered. You may also feel like you don't understand all of the information we talked about within the reading. This is quite common. Clients often contact me 2-4 weeks after our appointment to confirm what we had covered in the reading. They also say that the information they gained in the reading helped prepare them and ground them for these particular situations.

• I remind clients that there is always FREE WILL. That is, if you don't like something that we talk about (an anticipated outcome) in the course of a reading, there is ALWAYS free will and you can choose to change your behavior.

• Know that everything we talk about is completely confidential.

Here are your tarot card reading options:

1-hour tarot reading (in-person or over the phone)
Most often I will do a 10-card Celtic Cross spread which will look the situation and give you information on where you are right now, where you are emotionally and what’s the most likely outcome. This reading is a good choice if there are several issues that may be overlapping and if you are really searching for clarity about a particular situation in your life. The cost for this reading is $150 for a 1-hour session. If you feel you need more time after that, we can continue for $2/minute which will allow you to customize the length of your reading, or schedule another appointment.

To set up your Tarot Reading, email Sheri. Venmo accepted.

3-card reading (in person or over the phone)
This 30-minute reading is designed to answer your questions about a specific situation. During our time together, we will talk about what’s going on and what guidance you are seeking. After we shuffle the cards, I’ll select three cards and give you my intuitive impressions. This service costs $80 for a 30-minute reading. If you feel you need more time after that, we can continue for $2/minute, which will allow you to customize the length of your reading to suit your needs.

To set up your Tarot Reading, email Sheri. Venmo accepted.

3-card reading via email
If you select this option, I will email you some questions to think about and answer. Once I get your response, I will select three cards and email back to you which cards I pulled and what intuitive impressions I received. This is helpful for people who have specific questions or need to get clarity around specific issues. It can also be more convenient for you to receive and review this information at your convenience. You can expect an email response within two days. The cost for this service is $65.

To set up your Tarot Reading, email Sheri. Venmo accepted.

1-card reading via email
If you have a question that you would like to have answered, please email your question to me. I will then select one tarot card regarding your question and email you my intuitive impressions. This service is $30/card.

To set up your Tarot Reading, email Sheri. Venmo accepted.

Life Coaching With Sheri
If you'd like information on my Life Coaching services, please visit my Web site.

Also know that gift certificates are available.

I am happy to answer any questions you have. Contact me.