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Tap into your intuition.
By Micki Spollen — Last updated on Jul 23, 2023
Decision-making is complicated, even if — and sometimes even more so — it’s a seemingly simple "yes" or "no" decision.
When it comes to deciding between "yes" and "no," it feels like even though there’s a 50% chance you make the right decision, there’s also a 50% chance you make the wrong one.
But according to TikTok, there is a quick hack you can use to empower yourself when making these types of decisions.
According to TikToker @st.finnikin, when faced with a question that requires a "yes or no" response, you can look to your hands to lead you in the right direction. It's called muscle testing.
What is muscle testing?
Muscle testing, also known as Applied Kinesiology, is a non-invasive technique used to make yes or no decisions based on the body's response to applied pressure.
During the process, a practitioner (or yourself) applies gentle force to a specific muscle while asking a yes or no question. If the muscle remains strong, it's a positive response. If it becomes weak, it's a negative response.
You can do this in various ways, but a popular technique is by creating a finger lock.
How to make a yes or no decision by 'muscle testing' your fingers.
1. Interlock the index fingers and thumbs of your two hands while setting an intention.
Make an "O" shape with the index finger and thumb of one hand, then put the index finger of the other hand through that ring and make an interlocking 'O' shape with that thumb.
When done correctly, it should look like the links on a chain, resembling the infinity symbol.
2. Ask yourself your yes or no question out loud.
Be sure to set an intention as you do.
3. Attempt to pull the ring formed by the fingers of one hand through the ring formed by the fingers of your other hand apart really fast.
“If it locks," @st.finnikin says in his video, "that’s a ‘yes.' If it breaks, that’s a ‘no.’”
Does muscle testing really work?
According to TikTok, this method works because your body intuitively knows the answer before your mind can process or overthink it. More specifically, the trick in question is based on an energy-healing concept called muscle testing or finger dowsing.
It’s based on the belief that a majority of the body’s knowledge lies in the subconscious mind rather than the conscious mind. Or, as @st.finnikin puts it, “Your heart always knows best.”
Muscle testing uses the energy that runs through and around your body to tap into that subconscious knowledge. It’s believed that when presented to the body, stimuli can strengthen or weaken your muscles, causing them to react in a way that lets you know what’s ultimately right and wrong for you.
This TikTok method is a form of muscle testing that will find your fingers weakened when an outcome does not align with your body, causing your finger lock to break. If an outcome does align with your energy, your fingers will remain locked when you pull.
It's important to note that muscle testing is not considered a scientifically proven method.
While it can be used to help you zero in on your intuition, you should always consider applying additional science-backed techniques for making healthy, smart decisions.
Remember that, existentially, there is no such thing as a "right" and "wrong" decision.
Your life is simply a culmination of all of the decisions you’ve ever made. You wouldn’t be where you are today without making a few decisions that you may have deemed wrong at the time or only think of as wrong now even if in the moment it seemed like the right decision.
When making a decision, what’s important is to remain as true to yourself and your values as you can. If you can do that, you’ll be right where you’re meant to be.
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Micki Spollen is a YourTango editor and writer, as well as a frequent traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.