Sometimes it’s merely a whisper, sometimes it’s a roar, and sometimes we hear absolutely nothing at all. Can we rely on our intuition? And if so, how do we make it speak to us? Anita Chaudhuri looks within for answers…

Whatever flavour your personal development these days, from yoga and mindfulness to unleashing your mystical spirit guide, you are likely to hear one piece of wisdom repeatedly: trust your intuition. This nugget is likely to be accompanied by a cryptic quote such as: ‘There is a voice that doesn’t use words, listen’ – Rumi; or, ‘The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within’ – Gandhi

Wonderful words. But, like all the most enlightened counsel, not especially easy to put into practice. A person might meditate for half an hour every morning, clear the energies with burning sage, chant mantras until they are hoarse and then, they might turn inwards and hear… precisely nothing. Or, they might hear plenty, they might hear a torrent of ‘insights’ – go to Goa; start a business; this guy is definitely The One; now is the time to buy a holiday home in the South of France – and, not only does this live stream not sound especially wise, you’re not even sure if it’s your own inner voice or someone else’s, usually your mother’s, or your partner’s.

But following your intuition is not as ‘woo woo’ as it may sound. Our ancestors survived by observing the moon and the tides, and we’ve all read stories about how animals instinctively know to move to higher ground before a tsunami.

Several psychological studies have shown the benefits of intuition. Research published in Science magazine revealed how car buyers who pored over the technical information about their various vehicle options were later found to be far less satisfied with their purchase than those shoppers who made a quick, intuitive decision.