Intuition vs. Delusion

We all face moments in life when we have to make a decision, and we hesitate, unsure about what the right or wrong thing to do is. We are unsure if it’s intuition or if we’re simply deluding ourselves with the idea of an outcome. I’ve been reflecting on this struggle deeply. When my teacher Mary was asked about this dilemma, her response has stayed with me: “It doesn’t matter.”

At first, her words puzzled me. But as I sat with them, I began to understand. The truth is, whether the feeling guiding you is intuition or delusion doesn’t matter as long as you take action while staying open to feedback. Life is a dance of actions and counteractions and counter-counteractions. If the path you’re on turns out to be misguided, your openness to feedback allows you to course-correct. The key is in the movement, not in second-guessing every step we take.

In our yoga practice, the same principle applies. Take a simple pose like a sublime twist. As we twist towards one side, we don’t abandon the opposite side. It’s the balance of opposites that leads to the middle path, the constant recalibration that makes an asana work. We take action, and then we adjust—again and again.

Whether in yoga or life, it’s not about being right from the start. It’s about staying in motion, staying open, and letting the feedback guide us. Take action or inaction, and embrace the flow of opposition. The rest will follow.