I think of intuition as my wise, best friend. I can bring all of my concerns and questions to this wisdom that resides within me. We can ask our inner knowing about practical issues in our lives, inquire into fear, feelings, or areas where we’re stuck, as well as ask questions about spirituality, meaning, and purpose. No question is off limits.
Intuition, as the voice of the soul, is available at all times. This boundless wisdom is the very essence of who we are. Cultivating a strong connection to intuition is a matter of clearing the obstructions to what is already there. What are some common obstacles to trusting intuition?
The Mischievous Monkey Mind
Our usual waking state is characterized by a continuous stream of thoughts. We are conditioned to latch onto those thoughts, believe them, and be governed by them. If you’re overly identified with your rational mind, intuition will be obscured. Thought can be a veil that hides our souls.
A Quiet Mind is a Fertile Ground for Wisdom
As the Tibetan sage, Milarepa, said, “In the gap between thoughts, nonceptual wisdom shines continuously.” Any activities that help you “unhook” from thoughts will give you greater access to intuition. Some of these include meditation, yoga, being in nature, drawing, music, or any form of creative expression.
Pushing the River
We are taught to strive, try hard, and ambitiously reach toward goals. Here we need to be receptive, to let information come to us in an open manner. The more you relax and let go of control, the more your wise self will reveal itself to you.
If You Always Want It to Be Springtime
We can filter out truth if we insist on positive outcomes to all the situations in our lives. Often, our tendency when we get uncomfortable is to quickly try to fix or change ourselves, others, or the situation. We don’t do very well with pain and discomfort in this culture. Many of us want to feel good – right away. This blocks intuition because we may not want to see things as they are if they are not going to be pleasant or the way we want them to be. Intuition doesn’t promise ease and comfort, at least in the short term. It does, though, keep us on the path of truth.
Fear of Rejection
Our intuitive voice will often nudge us to take stands in our lives, to risk expressing the truth rather than conform to others’ positions or opinions. You may need to make choices that could result in conflict with family, friends, or co-workers. Your connections to others may be jeopardized. They also may be strengthened. We need to be willing to “rock the boat” at times if we are to be true to ourselves.
Fear of the Light
If we heed our intuition, it’s likely that we’ll become successful in many areas of life. We’ll experience a sense of flow because our choices will be aligned with our souls. We’ll spend less time learning the lessons of wrong decisions as we discover our authentic voice. This positive growth can be scary. We may have felt cramped in the small box we were living in, but at least it was familiar. The habitual ways in which we’ve seen ourselves are threatened. Expanding our identities also entails a sense of responsibility that we may not want or be prepared for.
Not knowing can seem safe, and because of this, we may consciously or unconsciously choose to remain in the dark about many situations in our lives. Here we need to be willing to choose freedom and growth over safety. I love the saying, “Safe is a sedative.”
I wish you the best on your journey of discovering and being guided by the voice that is truly yours!