by J. Pranavi McLean

The moment we know, without thinking, that it’s time to move on.

The realization that we’ve stumbled upon the perfect gift for a loved one.

The inexplicable sense that a particular motion or a particular sound will soothe an inconsolable infant.

The all-consuming confidence that washes over when everything about someone we’ve only just met seems completely right.

Whether arising from a gut instinct, a flash of genius, or an embodied insight, intuition is the innate ability to understand without reasoning.  This universal form of unconscious knowing is widely considered to be a sacred gift – an essential partner to the rational mind in guiding a person’s beliefs, values, judgments, and actions.

I have always found intuition to be one of the most magical and mysterious qualities of life. How do we know without thinking?  How can we discern without feeling?  When does knowing become thought, or feeling become knowing?  And vice versa?  Stranger yet, how can it be so easy to lose grip of intuition?  How can decision-making get bogged down so rapidly by the narratives within our own minds?

I am not alone in my fascination – intuition is a topic of wide and everlasting interest.  Today, journals across the disciplines of business, education, psychology, and medicine are populated by countless studies of the physical origins and practical applications of intuition. And for millennia, ancient texts from across Eastern and Western philosophies have provided perspectives on the spiritual source of intuition, as well as the reasons and ways intuition can be cultivated to overcome the enduring pressures of society, family, and even one’s own mind.

I am deeply appreciative of methods to reclaim intuition.

One of the biggest draws of yoga has been its ability to help me calm the mind and hear the voice within.  In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a guide to self-realization through yoga dating back to the 2nd century BCE, the sage Patanjali’s very definition of yoga describes it as a state of stillness of the mind – a mind free of chattering (Sutra 1.2 Yogaś citta-vritti-nirodhah).  Patanjali also states that as yogic practices strengthen through practice, intuition can emerge (Sutra 1.17 Samprajnata samadhi), and subsequently, give rise to all understanding (Sutra 3.33 Prātibhāt-vā sarvam). Indeed, the more I practice yoga, the more tangible my intuition seems to become.

Creative practices also serve as a powerful tool for cultivating intuition.  One practice I particularly enjoy is INTUIT Cards – personal oracle cards created together in community.  Developed by San Francisco artist Cynthia Tom, INTUIT Cards utilize simple collage techniques to make inner wisdom visible.  INTUIT Card workshops have been used by therapists, teachers, artists, and communities of women, immigrants, and other marginalized people to encourage self-inquiry, stimulate curiosity, and open intuition. INTUIT Cards have helped people to explore family patterns, overcome personal fears, manage the symptoms of chronic or intergenerational trauma, and unlock dreams and desires. In fact, it was in part through INTUIT Cards that I found my way to the Integral Yoga Institute for a yoga teacher training.

How about you?  Are you looking for ways to tap intuition, to ignite creativity, and to reclaim power?

I am thrilled to offer an INTUIT Card workshop for the Reclaim Your Power & Ignite Your Creativity Retreat at the Integral Yoga Institute of San Francisco (IYISF) on Saturday, August 8, 2026.  This retreat, hosted by IYISF’s Ripples for Change, is a fundraiser to support the IYISF BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) Scholarship Fund.  As a graduate of the 2025 BIPOC YTT program with deep experience working in the social movement space, I can attest to the quality of this exceptional offering. IYISF’s BIPOC YTT teachers provide an inclusive, safe space for students of diverse backgrounds to explore the wisdom of the sutras, asanas (poses), meditation and other subtle practices of yoga.  At this August 8 retreat, participants will explore fun new ways to access intuition — through INTUIT cards, writing, yoga, healthy eating, and more — in support of a YTT program which will not only help future yoga teachers to access intuition, but also teach others to do the same.

Whether you’re a community member looking for ways to unleash your creativity, an aspiring yoga teacher curious to learn more about the Integral Yoga Institute San Francisco, a creative person seeking new tools to cultivate intuition, an experienced yogi in need of new opportunities for community, or someone who supports equity and diverse representation in contemporary American yoga, all are welcome.  No yoga experience or artistic abilities are necessary.

I hope to see you there!  I can’t wait to see what you create, and to discover together what your intuition — and the amazing opportunities at this retreat — open up for you.