I have been bingeing intuition expert Sonia Choquette’s videos on YouTube lately. Somewhere between watching one video and deciding I had time for just one more, I started thinking about my own relationship with intuition.
How often do I actually listen to it? And when I feel that little nudge, how do I know whether it’s my intuition guiding me or my fear trying to keep me comfortable?
That second question has tripped me up more than once.
If you have ever talked yourself into something that felt wrong, or out of something you secretly wanted, you might understand. Learning how to tap into your intuition starts with making enough space to hear yourself.
And this is where singing, moving your body, and practicing yoga come in.
What Sonia Choquette Teaches About Intuition
Sonia Choquette is a New York Times bestselling author and spiritual teacher who has spent more than 50 years teaching people to connect with their intuition. Her work includes 32 books and teachings on inner guidance, self-expression, and connecting with Spirit.
What interests me is her emphasis on practicing. In her approach, intuition is something we can explore and develop in everyday life.
One suggestion that caught my attention was singing. She also encourages walking and dancing as ways to move your energy.
Which sounds considerably more enjoyable than sitting around trying very hard to receive a message.
Start by Using Your Voice
So many of us struggle to say what is actually on our hearts.
We say yes when we want to say no. We soften an opinion before anyone has even challenged it. We rehearse a conversation in our heads, then say something entirely different when the moment arrives.
Singing offers a playful way to use your voice without having to explain yourself.
You can sing in the shower, in the car, or while making breakfast. You can hum if singing feels like too much. You don’t need an audience, a beautiful voice, or any particular spiritual belief.
For me, there is something appealing about letting a sound come out before deciding whether it is acceptable.
Try putting on a song you love and singing along. Notice whether you hold your voice back. Notice what happens when you give yourself permission to be a little louder, sillier, or more expressive.
That can become its own practice in allowing yourself to be heard.
Let Yourself Feel a Little Silly
Chanting Om or repeating a mantra in a yoga class can feel awkward at first. You might lower your voice, glance around, or wonder what you’ve signed up for.
But what if you approached it as a little medicine for the part of you that is always holding back?
The sound, repetition, and attention give you something to settle into. In that sense, chanting can support the practice of listening inward—the awareness you’re cultivating as you explore your intuition.
You don’t have to sound beautiful or feel particularly spiritual. Try joining in and noticing how you feel afterward. Sometimes letting yourself feel a little silly is the first step toward expressing yourself more freely.
Move Your Body and Pay Attention
Have you ever noticed your shoulders creeping toward your ears during a conversation? Or realized, once you stepped outside, that you had been holding your breath?
Sometimes we notice a physical response before we can put words to what we are feeling.
That response deserves attention. It also deserves curiosity: a tight stomach might reflect discomfort, excitement, hunger, or stress. A sensation is a starting point for listening, rather than proof that a particular interpretation is correct.
Walking, lifting weights, dancing, surfing, and yoga all offer opportunities to notice how you feel while you move.
You might discover how much tension you were carrying. You might realize you are exhausted. Or, after a walk, you might finally find the words for something that has been bothering you all day.
Instead of asking your body to deliver an immediate answer, start with a simpler question:
What am I noticing right now?
How Yoga Helps You Practice Listening
Yoga gives us a place to practice responding to what we notice.
During a class, you make small decisions again and again. Do you need to bend your knees? Would a gentler variation feel better? Are you reaching farther because it feels good, or because the person beside you is doing it?
These moments matter.
Each time you recognize a need and respond to it, you practice taking your own experience seriously.
You might arrive expecting a strong practice and discover that you need rest. You might feel distracted at the beginning of class and leave with a clearer sense of what needs your attention.
This is one reason I return to yoga. It gives me time to notice what is happening beneath the running commentary in my head.
You don’t have to leave class with a revelation. Sometimes realizing, I need a quieter evening, is useful enough.
Is It Fear or Intuition?
This is the part I find most interesting—and sometimes most confusing.
It would be convenient if intuition always felt peaceful and fear always felt frantic. In real life, the distinction can be less obvious. An unfamiliar opportunity can feel frightening even when you want it. Something familiar can feel comfortable even when it no longer serves you.
When I am unsure, these questions offer a place to begin:
What do I know, and what am I imagining?
Is there something specific making me uncomfortable?
Am I afraid of the situation, or of disappointing someone?
What information would help me make this decision?
How do I feel about it after some movement, rest, or time away?
You can listen to an inner nudge and still ask questions, check the facts, or take your time.
Building self-trust includes learning when you need more information.
A Simple Yoga Practice for Tuning In
The next time you step onto your mat, try giving yourself a few minutes without a goal to achieve.
Arrive. Sit or stand comfortably. Notice the contact between your body and the ground.
Breathe naturally. Pay attention to your breath without forcing it to become deeper or slower.
Move gently. Try shoulder rolls, cat-cow, or a comfortable stretch. Explore what feels welcome today.
Use your voice. If you feel comfortable, hum gently on an exhale. Notice the sound and vibration.
Pause. Ask yourself, What do I need today? Give yourself time before reaching for an answer.
Maybe you need movement. Maybe you need food, company, a difficult conversation, or an early night.
Let the answer be ordinary.
Make Space to Listen in Popoyo
Between work, messages, plans, and everyone else’s opinions, it can be surprisingly easy to go through a day without checking in with yourself.
Here in Popoyo, a beach walk, a surf session, or an hour on the yoga mat can become that opportunity.
If you would like some time to move, breathe, and pay attention, explore the yoga classes in Popoyo. Popoyo Yoga brings together local classes, workshops, and wellness events so you can find a practice that suits you.
You can begin with one class, one honest check-in, or one song sung at full volume on your way there.