Who Do You Listen To For Guidance And Inspiration?

Last week, one of my readers got a bit exercised because I used the word "God."

So, here's a different approach: did you ever have a thought you wished you weren't thinking? No matter what you did, the though just kept rummaging around in your mind. Here's two interesting questions for you: what was thinking the thought? Who noticed? Who was it that didn't want the thought?

The easiest way to dismiss this question is to simply reference an old cliché about "being in two minds" about the subject.

So even if you were in two minds, who noticed?

Same kind of logic applies to feelings or emotions. Did you ever have a feeling (emotion) you wished you weren't feeling? Who was feeling the emotion? Who noticed? Who was it that didn't want to feel that particular emotion?

We could carry this reference point on, but that's probably sufficient for most people. Clearly we can have thoughts or feelings and wish that we weren't thinking or feeling them.

Here's another twist on the cube: did you ever consider doing something and one part of you advised against it while another part kept egging you on? Who are those two parts? And, once again, who noticed?

If you ever went against that inner advice, and it blew up on you, did you ever tell yourself something along the lines of: "I knew it!"

Even more aggravating can be the experience of having some kind of insight or sense of inner direction before doing something, ignoring the inner awareness, and then regretting that you didn't follow that inner voice. Again, "I knew it" shows up.

So, if you knew it, if you notice that you have thoughts and feelings that don't work for you, what are you doing about that part of you that notices but doesn't always get the attention it deserves?

Awareness, Intuition and the True Self

That inner voice, awareness, intuition, or call-it-whatever-you-might-like is a pretty darn important bit of attunement and alignment that comes as a gift, but often goes unopened.

I call that inner voice and the one who notices what you are thinking, feeling and doing, the True Self. Others have called this your high self, higher consciousness, the inner knower, even the Soul. Regardless of nomenclature, there does appear to be a part of each of us that is attuned to something other than the day to day goings on of the world.

My experience of life suggests that learning to listen to that inner voice, to the True Self, is essential to the experience of fulfillment. Fulfillment comes when we listen to and act upon that which is aligned with our highest good. And our highest good seems to have something to do with how loving, caring and at peace we are as we go through our daily lives.

The old cliché about remembering to drain the swamp when you're up to your bum in alligators comes to mind. Indeed, it is difficult to remember that your goal is loving, caring and peace when the outside world is screaming for attention. It's hard to stay loving and at peace if your boss is all over you about something apparently important while simultaneously inconsequential.

It can be even harder if you have lost your job, if bills outrace income, and if you have commitments to family, children, and friends that seem to take precedence over your own experience of well-being.

I know I have experienced these kinds of challenges many times in my life. And the challenges seem to come back in different forms, just when I think I have things figured out and "life" has settled down.

One of my inner sources of guidance comes from that part of me that remembers how many other difficulties I have been through and how I have come through them each time. My family went through bankruptcy three times and I wound up living in my car at one point.

Perhaps strangely, I recall those times of deep poverty not as difficulties, as much as opportunities to learn about myself, or perhaps more accurately, about my True Self.

Despite outer circumstances, I always have the ability and the opportunity to return to my loving, my caring and my inner peace. No matter how challenging the circumstance, how cruel the world might seem, I still have choice over how I express myself and how I experience myself.

Make no mistake here: I am clearly a student on this level, with much to learn, and I often forget that I am the one making choices that create both my circumstances and my experience of those circumstances.

Part of my intent in sharing these perspectives is to offer insights that I have found useful in my own life, insights that might prove useful to you or others reading these posts. And another part of my intent is to remind myself that this inner voice, this inner awareness, exists, and provides access to and support from the True Self.

We began last week talking about aspiration and inspiration. We will continue to explore both in the coming weeks. For now, I want to lay part of the foundation by establishing some reference to that inner voice, to the one who notices, to the True Self.

People have all kinds of aspirations, some lofty, some more worldly. People sometimes experience their aspirations coming true. And many people have had their aspirations materialize only to wonder why they ever wanted that in the first place.

That's where the inner voice, the True Self, and the role of inspiration come to bear. Stay tuned and please do share your thoughts, comments and insights either in the comments section below this post or by emailing me.

***

You can find out more about Russell Bishop at http://www.lessonsinthekeyoflife.com. Contact Russell at: [e-mail]

The author of Lessons in the Key of Life, Russell is an Educational Psychologist, professional life coach and management consultant, based in Santa Barbara California.

Comments

[Kari Henley - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Russell
That was a fantastic post.
I think so many people have "Inner Voice" that whispers their deepest visions, desires and hopes for their lives. The editors are so powerful - and I have had fun asking people Who's voice the editors belong to- their mother? Their Catholic Nun teacher?

Thank you for a very vulnerable, honest and insightful look at how we all can take some time to go within and listen.
Have a great day
Kari

[Ron Mirenda - Huffpost Blogger]

Russell,
Thank you for such an inspiring and helpful post. I have copied it so I will not forget the most important things you pointed out about learning to listen to our inner voice. How many of us have gone through our entire lives not trusting that inner voice and then looknig back with regret on the choices we did or did not make because of that?
I believe this one paragraph is the essence of the entire process and it just resonates so strongly with me as I search for the best tools to help me seek my own fulfillment.
"My experience of life suggests that learning to listen to that inner voice, to the True Self, is essential to the experience of fulfillment. Fulfillment comes when we listen to and act upon that which is aligned with our highest good. And our highest good seems to have something to do with how loving, caring and at peace we are as we go through our daily lives."
Thank you so much for this profound statement.

[tpaloalto]

The Dawning of Soul
As the sun rises over the rim of my mind, so I soul rise over the the edges of my mind
illuminating the universe of consciousness in all directions.
Casting shadows where none have appeared before.
I walk through the desert of this dawning feeling in those places of darkness the roots of my behavior.
I am the warrior of spirit. Armed with the blade of Shabda, I cut loose the vines of entrapments grown out of lives long ago forgotten in the mists of Karma.
Looking into this morning of illumination, I listen for the sweet voice of the Master.
He is here with me, always guiding me, always reminding me that yes, I am not my mind.

[AngieMom57]

"...while the true Self is beyond doubt the perfect teacher and the source of all eternal good, the way to that Self is so best with snares, pitfalls and illusions that the novice cannot safely attempt this path until noble motive is supported by sufficient knowledge and a high measure of discrimination."

[Natalie Camou]

Russell your post resonates so much with me.

I was physically and emotionally battered throughout my youth. I was able to forgive those responsible, but I have difficulty healing the harsh memory of things that were said. These tools guide me through this process.

Be fearless. Don’t hide from your fears, confront them. Whether it is by sitting in front of a mirrior and voicing them aloud or writing them down.

Listen to yourself. How does it effect you as you say each word? Are you feeling resentment, anger, nervousness? These questions can help identify and narrow your despair into bite-size pieces.

Express your grief. As you say the words what urges do you feel? When you answer this question be somewhere you feel comfrotable to fully express yourself. If you feel like crying, let go and cry. Like running, get your tennishoes on and run. This kind of physical expression of pain is helpful in getting back on track.

Inspire yourself. When I’m feeling down I write down ten attributes that I am. This is hard to do when you’re feeling pain and writing down “I am a hopeless mess” isn’t exactly helpful. So, include characteristics that you aspire to be.

If you feel vulnerable, write “I am strong.” Bringing this positivity into your mind can lift your spirit and actually make you feel stronger when you need it most.

Wishing you much love from A Plateful of You - www.aplatefulofyou.com.

[Russell Bishop - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for you loving, caring and insightful comments. Blessings to you on the continuing road to freedom.

[feyangel]

I think the hardest thing for me, even after years of working & playing on a very inwardly directed spiritual path, is discerning between my Intuition and the many other “voices” I hear inside of me. This is especially true when I am dealing with an issue that is very "about me." My intuition seems to be much clearer when I am dealing with or observing other people, but when it comes to making a decision about a situation that is pretty much just about me & my personal happiness/­well-being­, I am overwhelmed with a zillion bits of advice and guidance from the many "parts" of me. Some of those voices are simply repeating parental, friend or "expert" guidance. Some are my doubts, insecurities, fears. Some are honest observations of the pitfalls & potholes in my plans. Some are fairy-tales scenarios running. Sometimes the voice is clearly my Heart, my Conscience, my Empathy for others, or my Inner Adult or Child speaking to me. Every now and again I hear a Voice that seems very similar to the "Voice of God" as it is depicted in movies. But most of the time, I find myself sorting tediously through tons of "inner guidance" that I receive “on the Inner” about any given situation. I have never found making good choices for myself as easy as the "Follow your Intuition/­Bliss/Hear­t/ Gut" proponents seem to suggest it "should be."

[AngieMom57]

"It is almost impossible for the average person, even after many years of metaphysical study, to accurately determine the difference between inspiration and imagination."

[ProfessorDuh]

Nothing. I read.

[AbstractImp]

I do not turn to Americans for guidance and inspiration,
but rather use Americans as examples of what not to be, not to do, not to eat, etc.

By limiting the number of Americans I have as friends,
I have a spiritual life without much effort.

I am told my life incorporates much Buddhist philosophy,
and that without ever having studied it.

As an atheist, I turn to Jesus and Job.

I accept that there is no god, no afterlife,
and that humanity has no special place in the universe.

This makes the rest easy. . .

Between nature photography and writing novels,
I have quite a deep spiritual life,
and by ignoring the society that lives in a world of perpetual marketing
I can enjoy greatly the very smallest things in life.

Oh, and no cell phone!

[GhostwriterDoF]

It appears to me that you found your special place in the universe, AbstractImp.

[JessWonderin]

I listen to the voices in my head . . . . sometimes my cats give me advice . . . but Luke sometimes lies to see if I'm paying attention . . . . many times the Ancestors come to me in dreams . . .

[mmm611]

We are imperfect beings, therefore we think thoughts we don't want to think, and make wrong decisions. One wrong way of thinking is to believe there is a true self. There isn't a true self, but a self, and this self makes wrong decisions and correct decisions. Some people choose to attribute the correct decisions to the "true self."

If you find yourself claiming that the "true self" makes right decisions, I suggest you think about the other self that seems to make all the wrong decisions, and I bet you'll find that that self is close to the person you truly are. Once getting to that point, you can grow as a person!

[Mark Goulston, M.D. - Huffpost Blogger]

Inspiration + Aspiration = Enspiration

Inspiration lifts you and your spirit up with thoughts of noble transcendence.

Aspiration directs you towards a goal fueled by passion and ambition.

Together they form Enspiration which is to be lifted up and then directed towards a noble goal.

One of the best examples of "Enspiration" is captured in the famous directive:

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning."

You remember that of course. It's when Peter Pan enspired Wendy to go to Never Land.

Russell thank you for you "enspirational" commentaries.

[Russell Bishop - Huffpost Blogger]

And thank, you, Mark, for your continued mindful, caring and uplifting contributions.

[burtmckinly]

For guidance and inspiration I read this blog: www.thepanamarestaurantreview.blogspot.com, which is much more then a restaurant review.

[pfed]

whom

[MikeyMike]

And: swamp, not swap. Maybe it was just two typos.

I myself go home and throw my dog's frisbee. He has all the answers to life, happiness, and true joy, I just need to listen to him. So, for myself, I'd make another typo correction: dog not god.

[Russell Bishop - Huffpost Blogger]

LOL: great insight for me - perhaps I should have more typos - seems like people have fun with them! My dog, Sadie, is pretty clearly a beautiful soul and I love her constant demonstration of loving. Thanks!

[pfed]

whom!

[Alan Lurie - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Russell,
Great post!
I love your link of the True Self to God. In this way, the True Self is the eternal, ever-present Reality (call it soul, spirit, or wisdom) that observes the ego-structure - which we all-to-often mistake for ourselves - but is not it. The True Self is literally God incarnate. Paradoxically, then, the True Self both impersonal (because it sees our ego for the self-created shield that it is), and our most Personal Self (because it’s who we really are).
One of the responses asked if the True Self is always correct. The answer, as you noted, is yes. The challenge is to connect to that voice with as much clarity, free from ego, as possible.

[Russell Bishop - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks, Alan. Lovely to have your loving rabbincal perspectives in this discussion. And thanks for your continued contributions as well!