By Patrick Andries
Have you ever noticed how your inner guidance is like a quiet whisper while the rest of your thoughts are shouting in your mind? This is an ancient challenge that humans have been facing for thousands of years. Sometimes our inner guidance is referred to as “the still small voice.” When the demands of the modern world are banging at the door of our consciousness, it takes a quiet mind to listen to our inner guidance.
So the question becomes, how exactly do we do that? It takes practice.
We have been given techniques to quiet our minds for thousands of years. These techniques are more important than ever because we are faced with an unprecedented level of distraction. We have global communication devices in our pockets that provide distraction 24/7. The myth of multitasking has become a world-wide epidemic.
The cure, fortunately, is simple. Take some time each day to focus completely on simple tasks. This can be a walk in nature where you focus on the sounds around you instead of the clamoring in your mind. For some it could be doing the dishes, as long as you are completely focused on that task and not going over something else in your mind at the same time. And of course, the age-old cure – meditation. Even taking up a simple practice for five to ten minutes can make a world of difference when you are consistent over time.
The little voice can guide us to our dreams. When your dream becomes being one with your Source – the Creator – then the still small voice can lead you back to that too.
You can get a feel for what is intuition and what is conscious thought by listening to the vibration of the thought. If your thought has a feel like your voice, then it may be a conscious thought related to your physical personality. The reason it is important to identify if it is related to your personality is because your physical personality is temporary. It is a baby compared to the wisdom of your soul. Your intuition, on the other hand, could be coming from the wisdom you have built over lifetimes, it could be coming from guides who are there to help you, or in some cases it could be coming from Divine Source.
Here is an easy practice that you can begin and use several times a day. Take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Our breathing is the most important thing that we do each day. Our bodies can only survive for ten minutes without it! As you breathe in and breathe out focus all of your attention on the breath. If you notice any thoughts like, “I wonder when the new Riverdale episodes will be on Netflix?” then let that thought go and bring your attention back gently, but firmly, to your breath. You will find that over time your mind will become quiet. Your intuition can then slip in during those quiet moments.
One of the most powerful realizations that we can have is the realization that we can choose which thoughts we give our attention to. We are not slaves to our thoughts. We are not born slaves to our minds. With proper training we can become masters of our minds instead of slaves to our habits and past thinking.
One of the first things that you may experience as you start this practice is that your conscious mind begins to rebel against you. If this happens to you, don’t worry. You’re in good company. Just keep calm and carry on as you continue to work to develop mastery of your attention. Your conscious mind may fight to stay in control at first as you begin the journey of taking back the power of your birthright.
Directing our mind is a lot like riding a horse. Our conscious minds kind of have a mind of their own. It is built on years of our past thoughts combined with the thoughts of others in our lives. Every time you take on someone else’s thinking or you form a belief of your own, you are shaping your mind. You will find over time, however, that your mind will bend to your intention. Your attention will come under your control like a great steed that is awaiting your command.
This is a natural process and a natural part of having a body in the physical world. We have not done anything wrong. At the same time, it is very much to our benefit to monitor our thinking and weed out any thoughts that are not productive for us while giving a generous amount of water and fertilizer to those that serve us well. Our inner guidance is our friend and teacher. As we learn to enter the quiet stillness each day, we will be showered with an abundance of direction and confirmation that we are indeed spiritual beings of eternal energy having a little sojourn in this physical reality we call life.
What are your thoughts? Please share your experiences with us.
