Some years ago, I stood at a seemingly impossible crossroads.
A point where I simply did not know what to do.
I had woven myself into a life that did not seem to fit me, and I couldn’t figure out how to get out of it.
Where could I go? What could I do? Was there anyone on Earth who could help me?
Unsure where to turn, I floundered, seeking answers everywhere but the one place I could actually have found them – within myself.
At that point in my life, I had not yet developed the tools that guide my life today – tools for self-regulation, self-connection, and self-inquiry.
What was I missing back then that I have now developed?
The capacity to connect with inner wisdom.
Here’s what I know now that I wish I had known then.
It’s Like a Muscle
The ability to access inner wisdom is like a muscle. It gets stronger with practice.
You might feel like you’re not particularly intuitive.
You might feel like your mind is too busy with the day to day stuff to allow you to slow down enough to get in touch with your deeper thoughts and feelings.
You might feel like some people can access inner wisdom, but you just can’t.
You might feel like it’s something that you either have an innate proclivity for, or you don’t.
Like learning to read easily. Or being able to carry a tune.
But the truth is this.
While it may come more easily for some people than others, developing a connection to the innate wisdom within you is not fundamentally a talent.
It’s a skill.
And like any skill, the way to develop it is through regular practice.
If you want to develop the skill of attuning to your own inner wisdom, here’s what to do:
1) Set aside time each day for self-connection
How might you do this?
Let me count the ways!
Meditation – a good place to start is the Tibetan practice of Shamata meditation, which is the simple practice of watching the breath.
Here’s what to do:
Set a timer for ten minutes, let your eyes gently close, and bring your attention to your breathing. Where you find your mind getting busy, just allow yourself to notice the thoughts as they arise. Say to yourself, “thoughts are arising”, and allow them to pass by, like clouds.
It will take time, so don’t be surprised if your initial experience of meditation is a mind that won’t stop racing.
Truly, that’s one of the most important things meditation can do for us. It can show us how busy our minds are.
Over time, however, you will find that your capacity for stillness increases.
And the more in touch you are with stillness, the more you can begin to attune to the messages of your deep self.
Other possible practices for self-connection:
Journaling – try free writing three pages a day. Just put pen to paper and let it all out. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn when you commit to doing this practice regularly.
Journeying – a practice drawing on core Shamanism, in which you enter a state similar to day dreaming, while listening to the repetitive beat of a drum.
Journeying can be an especially powerful tool for self knowledge, in that it allows you to ask specific questions and receive answers, which present themselves in the language of your own particular mythos – the symbols and figures which have the most direct meaning for YOU.
Time in Nature – Sometimes all it takes to access inner wisdom is a long walk somewhere beautiful. Approach your walk like a pilgrimage. Go alone, leave your headphones at home, and carry a question.
“What am I to do about _____?”
“What’s stopping me from doing _____?”
Write down any answers you receive.
2) Listen, Receive, and Adjust
Whatever your method of choice for self connection, the next important step, in response to what you receive is – listen, take it in deep, and adjust.
So here’s the thing.
Developing a healthy relationship to inner guidance is not a one way street. It’s not just about receiving needed info.
It’s also about adjusting where needed, so that your life develops as a reflection of what you learn.
These two parts of the process go hand in hand. 1) Tuning in and receiving. 2) Listening and adjusting where needed.
In this sense, inner wisdom is a little like creative inspiration. The more deeply you let in what you receive, and the more you do with it, the more inspiration tends to come to you.
So whatever you receive, make sure you do something, even just one concrete thing to show your inner self that you are listening.
The more you listen, the more you’ll be able to hear.
And if you need support on your healing journey, go ahead and book a free call to learn more. I’d love to support you.
With care,
Noe