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Salice's Poems - going back home
by
Salice Dawson
"No-one
gladly obeys a guide he does not trust,
but this does not mean the guide is untrustworthy.
In this case, it always means that the follower is.
However this too, is merely a matter of his own belief.
Believing that he can betray, he believes that everything can
betray him.
Yet this is only because he has elected to follow false
guidance.
Unable to follow this guidance without fear, he associates fear
with
guidance and refuses to follow any guidance at all."
From "A Course in Miracles" T-7.X.5:8-13
What is Inner Wisdom?
Inner Wisdom is that part of us which is beyond our rational,
logical and conscious mind. We are generally brought up to
believe the mind is our primary source of information with
regard to the world and we learn little, if anything, of our
"other" nature. This "other" nature is our inner wisdom and is
reached through our deeper intuition, instinct, hunches and the
validity of our feelings. This is our inner voice, our inner
wisdom.
We connect with our inner wisdom in a variety of ways, often
without even knowing that we do so. Have you ever picked up a
book, opened it at random and read a sentence that has a
powerful effect on you? Or perhaps the whole book does. Someone
may say something in conversation that strikes a deep cord in
you or you may experience a profoundness from watching a
beautiful sunset or walking in nature. However, we can greatly
increase our ability to contact our inner wisdom and this
includes our being aware of some of the obstacles which normally
prevent us from doing so.
1. Be still. Create a space where you can be relaxed.
Turn the telephone off, lock the door, make yourself comfortable
and quieten your mind as much as possible. Rituals are not
necessary although they may help in settling you. If you are
open, the answer can come at any time, in any place or
situation. It may help to jot down what you sense or receive,
even if you think its coming from your conscious mind. Just look
at it and see what insights it has. The mind "loses control"
when you connect within and can react strongly causing you to
feel disturbed. The mind will try to distract you and draw your
attention away with excuses of all kinds from having a sneezing
fit, feeling you must do something else such as one of the many
chores that always need to be done to even getting sudden aches
and pains in the body. The mind does not want you to listen
within. 'A Course in Miracles' states "It is only because you
think you can run some part or deal with certain aspects of your
life alone that guidance of the Holy Spirit is limited".
T-14.XI.8:4
2. Have no investments. Let go of any need, desire or
investment to hear or sense an answer. Sometimes we do not
realise we have already formed an answer and we simply will not
hear anything. Or we may be afraid or feel too "unsafe" to hear
the truth. What is the price if we "let go"? Does it mean a
breakup in our relationship, changing our job, moving to a new
place? If you get frustrated or angry, it is a clear sign you
have an investment. Your mind is in charge and you need to let
go.
3. Open yourself to hearing, feeling, knowing.
Willingness to hear is the only thing necessary. "A Course in
Miracles" states "If you cannot hear the Voice for God, it is
because you do not choose to listen." T-4.IV.1:1 Remember, the
Voice of God can come in any guise. Guidance is always there, we
just don't know it is. We do things we don't want to do as we
don't know we don't want to do them. If we push our mind
thoughts away of what we "should" and "ought" to do, the truth
is there underneath. This can be threatening as it may mean
doing something which requires us to empower ourselves. This may
feel uncomfortable and it may upset others around to you.
However, if we stop to check our energy and really touch in to
our inner selves, we may pick up that we feel flat to our
"oughts" and "shoulds" and that our surface enthusiasm is false.
4. Listen with assurance, acceptance and trust. As the
conscious mind is who we think we are, an inner voice may be
felt or seen as crazy. Giving up our attempts to solve problems
with our conscious mind is very threatening to our ego which
wants to remain in control. Trust what you get if it feels
right. The answer may be challenging and even frighten your mind
but go beneath that layer and get a sense of how it feels at a
deeper level. You will know if it feels right, even if it is not
what you want to hear. If the guidance does not "make sense"
from our mind's point of view but still feels right, we may have
to trust and go forward not knowing what the next step will be.
I once heard a very clear and firm voice as I was going to sleep
one night. I was working in London at the time and wasn't even
trying to connect with my inner wisdom. I suddenly heard a voice
saying very clearly "You will be living at Findhorn". I couldn't
comprehend what I heard. Although I had visited the Findhorn
Foundation in northern Scotland the previous year, I had no
intention or desire whatsoever to return there. The voice then
repeated "You will be living at Findhorn." I then felt a deep
reaction in my solar plexus - a knowing which could not be
denied or distorted - but nevertheless, my mind tried to do so!
I remember saying to myself "No, no I won't" and the voice
replying with such gentleness and patience, "Yes you will". For
24 hours, I thought of every possible objection, and there were
many, as to why I shouldn't leave my job, friends, where I was
living etc. and all the time knowing that I would. It only took
24 hours before my mind stopped fighting and with this
acceptance, came a sense of peace, delight and anticipation. It
felt right, I knew it was right even though it was a huge step
to take in so many ways.
5. What other clues can help you to know if your inner wisdom
is right?
Apart from feeling and knowing at a deeper level, you
sometimes feel a warm glow, a sense of peace or relief. If we
truly flow with our inner wisdom, things will fall into place
easily and gracefully. Our needs will be met and often the way
will be paved by other people helping you in unexpected ways.
Earlier this year, I was travelling with my partner in Europe.
In between commitments, we had two free weeks and my partner
thought it would be an excellent idea to go to Greece where we
could relax, read and enjoy some sun. Normally such an idea
would have enormous appeal to me. Greece has always been a
somewhat 'magic' place in my mind. However, I felt no real
desire to go, a definite flatness and disinterest which I could
not understand. My partner was very keen to go and although I
mentioned my lack of enthusiasm, I didn't really pursue it
because it made such sense to go there. We duly visited a travel
agent but found we couldn't get a flight on the day we wanted
nor could we get a return flight when we wanted. Also we
couldn't fly out of Hamburg but would have to travel hundreds of
miles to another airport. Still, my partner insisted on going to
Greece and it wasn't until some 4 or 5 days later that I voiced
my concern, my lack of energy and my 'sense' that it just wasn't
right to go there. My partner then 'checked inside', going
beneath the level of his mind and discovered that he too didn't
feel 'right' about it either. He had been holding on because he
had planned what he wanted to do in Greece - have time to study,
read and relax. However, our inner wisdom led us to proceed to
Switzerland for the 2 weeks where we had an extraordinary time.
Everything fell in to place. Some friends were able to get us an
apartment where they lived and very cheaply. We were in a superb
position near the alps and overlooking some lakes. And it was
here, that we were truly able to relax, study and take some very
necessary time for ourselves in perfect surroundings. We felt we
were very 'guided' and we both suspect that if we had gone to
Greece as planned, it would not have been 'right' for us. Our
needs would not have been met in the way they were in
Switzerland.
6. Which voice do you take notice of?
The wisdom from within is usually soft. We have to stop and
listen to hear it. It will suggest and advise but never demand
surrender of your free will. It will not conflict with your
personal ethics and never asks you to attack or hurt others or
force them to do things. It will never be offended if you ignore
what it says or if you question it. This voice requires our
willingness to want it. It is never forced upon us. The voice
from the mind or ego is usually louder and more forceful. It may
be confusing or contradictory and you may even hear a number of
voices competing for attention. This voice or voices may seek to
flatter and to appeal to glamour, specialness and desire for
personal gratification. If you examine it, it will feel wrong
unless you are attached to the answer in which case, you will
find yourself trying to convince yourself that it is right. It
may be that this voice will mimic the inner voice and even make
sense. You have to look at the content.
7. What questions should you ask? It is better to ask
specific questions of your inner wisdom such as "what should I
do about this particular problem" rather than wide-ranging
questions such as "how can I help heal the world". If you are
unsure about what you get, or if it feels wrong, listen again to
get a clearer sense. Often the ego speaks first but if you
listen closely and with patience, a quieter voice will come. If
there are alot of obstacles or difficulties in response to the
wisdom within, it has probably been distorted by the mind. If we
interpret something wrongly, it doesn't matter. How many times
have we had a hunch, an instinct to do something but have not
followed it? So we may have lost some time by taking a wrong
turn but our inner wisdom has infinite patience and is always
there for us. It will never reject us because we didn't take
notice the first time.
Occasionally we may receive guidance for others but this is very
rare and usually such guidance comes from the ego.
8. How often should we listen? Whenever we lose our joy
or peace, we need to check within. Anxiety, fear, anger, pain,
irritation or frustration are all signs that this has occurred.
It is good to ask ourselves "why am I doing this"? Will it make
me happy"? What is my motive"? However, if you find yourself
asking within before every move, this speaks more of fear than
of trust and is a way of avoiding our own responsibility.
Remember, be open to all sources. God's 'Voice' is everywhere.
Salice Dawson, August 1991
Salice died in 1995
Salice's Poems - going back home