Author: Yanni Maniates

How to further develop your intuition

For primitive people the presence of energy is the starting point of their analysis and understanding of the natural world. Primitive people felt energy, but did not measure it. Today we measure energy, but are not able to feel it.

Vine Deloria, PhD

Sometimes the more measurable drives out the most important.

Rene Debois, PhD

My post last week was the first of a series of seven posts on developing intuition. Let’s continue.

To improve your intuition, you must exercise it. Here are a few more exercises:

How to sense the energy and essence of an object

Find a stone or crystal and notice everything there is to be noticed about it—its size, shape, smell, indentations, coloring, weight, etc. Next imagine yourself inside it and then become it; listen for the silence within it. What is it saying? What does it feel like to be inside of it? What wisdom has it to impart to you? What kind of personality does it have? Why has it come to you now?

Don’t think as you do this, just feel. Stay with it for a few minutes so that you can fully connect with its essence. Keep your mind still and your heart open, and listen.

Next focus your attention on a flower and do the same as you did above. You can actually do this with any object.

Lastly, follow these same steps with an object that belongs to someone—an object they care about. Connect first with the object itself. Next, see what the object has to say about the person who owns it.

Have fun and just practice getting a “feel” for things. Stop relying always on thinking instead of feeling. You’ll be amazed at what you learn about the object you have put your attention on when you “feel” instead of “think” about it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you learn about yourself in the process, too.

There is a voice that does not use words—Listen!
Rumi

…To be continued next week in part three of this seven-part series on intuition.

What is intuition?

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.….Marcel Proust

Using your intuitive faculty is not something you do; rather it is something you allow to flow through and to you. By stepping aside, that is, by leaving the cognitive mind behind, we allow the divine to flow to and through us. It is an effortless process, one in which there is no mental effort or striving, but instead a flow of the divine.

It is a feminine, receptive process rather than a masculine, assertive process. It is a process of trust, allowing, surrender, receiving, and love rather than a process of force and will.

So, to get in touch with this part of yourself, just sit, quiet your mind and allow yourself to “feel” what is going on. And then, trust your “feel” before you trust your “think.” In this way, you will have engaged the intuitive/heart faculty within you and will have touched into a deep reservoir of information, love, and wisdom that can never be accessed by the mind alone.

To find the Way, close your eyes, listen closely, and attend with your heart.

How to develop your intuition: Anticipation

Learn to anticipate with your intuition what is going to happen next. Don’t guess, in other words; don’t use your mind. Train yourself to learn how to read the energy of a situation or person so you know what will happen next. The more you ask of your intuition, the more you get used to using it to gather the information you want. 

For example, when a person is talking to you, anticipate their next few words, then anticipate their next sentence, and so on. In a given situation, “feel into” how a pattern will unfold before it does. In a supermarket, again “feel into” what aisle a person will turn down or what product they will buy. Always “feel into” how a situation will unfold instead of thinking of how it will. “Feel into” when a driver before you will turn off the road. Pick someone in a mall, at the beach, etc., and anticipate what they will do next.

By constantly going into your intuitive faculty to ask for information about what’s coming next, you train it to “read” the energy patterns of life. Thus, you move from the cognitive mind and guesswork to intuition and feeling. Eventually you will become so accurate at reading patterns that you almost always know what is going to happen before it does. Play with this technique at least ten to fifteen times a day. Let me know how it goes.

The term intuition does not denote something contrary to reason, but something outside the province of reason.…Carl Jung

Today’s post is the first of seven posts about intuition. Next week we’ll look at more ways to develop this inner capacity.

Contemplate the infinite potential and possibilities that you are

We are One, immortal and timeless.

Conversation

God and I in space alone
and nobody else in view.
“And where are the people, O Lord,” I said,
“the earth below and the sky o’er head
and the dead whom once I knew?”

“That was a dream,” God smiled and said,
“A dream that seemed to be true.
There were no people, living or dead,
there was no earth, and no sky o’er head;
there was only Myself—in you.”

“Why do I feel no fear,” I asked,
“meeting You here this way?
For I have sinned I know full well—
and is there heaven, and is there hell,
and is this the Judgment Day?”

“Nay, those were but dreams,”
the Great God said,
“Dreams that have ceased to be.
There are no such things as fear or sin;
there is no you–you never have been—

there is nothing at all
but Me.”

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

You are an infinite fullness, a field of latent possibilities from which all emerges.

Behind the universe moves this unnamable mystery. It is a pregnant state of love, energy, wisdom, and intelligence, ready to continually give birth to new forms and absorb old and wasted ones in order to give them rebirth in new form again.

This invisible, unnamable mystery and fullness is infinite possibility. The processes of change, transformation, and rebirth are the very fabric of this mystery and they occur in this field of potential and latent possibilities.

Contemplate the infinite potential and possibilities that you are. The “well of living waters” you have to draw upon is unlimited. You cannot and are not defined or limited by any role, experience, or lifetime you have had or are having. Allow yourself to experience and feel the full promise of who You ARE. Embrace the mystery and majesty of your Self. Enter the Silence. Meditate. Embrace the unknown. Embrace Thy Self. 

The unity of the soul and the inner life: A meditation

One should not give up, neglect or forget for a moment his inner life, but he must learn to work within it, with it, and act out of it, so that the unity of his soul may break out into all his activities.…Meister Eckhart

In order to fully and completely come to know ourselves and fully express ourselves in our life, we must go within. Within us is the storehouse or treasure trove of our soul, which is overflowing with an infinite number of gifts, creativity, love, potential, and wisdom.

Within us we can find the richness and riches of who we are. Once discovered, they will easily find a way to be expressed and manifested in our lives.

As we go within, we will be inspired to “right actions” and “right thoughts” and have deep inspirations about who we really are. z

Only meditation—the quiet mind—can open this door to our inner treasure and inheritance and help reveal to us our true nature.

The mind masks this inner realm. Meditation reveals it.

Until you have taken the time to look within, you are literally in the dark about yourself.

It’s all an inside job. Let your heart lead your way.

Just read through these words a few times in a meditative state. Let them feed your soul. Then just sit in meditation and see, sense, or feel whatever impressions, thoughts, feelings, or images arise for you. Be receptive, objective and open.

Be quiet in your mind, quiet in your senses, and, also, quiet in your body.
Then, when all these are quiet, don’t do anything. In that state truth will reveal itself to you. It will appear in front of you and ask,” what do you want?….Kabir

Ah, to be a child again! A meditation

Before we were indoctrinated to the rules of the world, with its entire do’s and don’ts, we were actually very receptive.

We were willing to try new things, go into forbidden places and take risks without hesitation.

We did not believe in unhappiness, defeat, rejection, or lack.

We asked for what we wanted and were willing to demand that it be provided.

We thought the world existed to respond to our needs

It might do us well to revert back to the ways of childhood if we want to bring some good into our lives. It’s not the temper tantrums or childish outbursts we want. It is the openness and freedom from limitation we need.

We have been taught to accept fear, lack, sorrow, and restriction as a part of everyday life.

We are afraid to make demands of life because we believe we can’t have what we want.

We no longer feel free to express what we feel, when we feel it. Now, we want to be everyone’s friend.

If only we would think like a child again, there’s a good chance we would find the freedom we gave up to become adults.

Inyanla Vanzant

You must be like a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus

These words from Inyanla Vanzant and Jesus are food for your soul. Read through them a few times in a meditative state. Then just sit in meditation and see, sense, or feel whatever impressions, thoughts, feelings. or images arise for you about you. Be receptive, objective, and open!

Reading an inspiring passage and then just sitting with it in meditation is a form of meditation you may want to add to your practice. Find any inspiring passage that you resonate with, read it, and then sit and see what happens. There are many ways to meditate and connect with Source. Meditating on an inspiring passage is one that I love to practice regularly, especially when my mind is overly active.

It’s all new: A morning meditation

A new day, a new beginning! It’s all new. If we just stop, breathe, and notice, we can realize that nothing is the same as we left it. Even though our daily routines make us think it is all the same, it never is nor can it ever be.

So, we can exult in the “newness” of every moment of every “routine” and know that it is all fresh, new and joy-filled. There is always a “new Now” to experience. As we realize the newness and freshness of every moment, we come to appreciate and experience the wonder and beauty of it all.

Thus, you may want to say to yourself: “I really want to bring this sense of newness and freshness into all I do from now on. I want to just stop, breathe, and appreciate; I want to savor. I want to be present for each moment’s gift, for each moment’s newness.”  

There can be no greater joy or contentment than to be filled with the richness of each moment. If one reaches and strives for a hoped-for fulfillment in the future, one will always come up empty-handed. There is only the present. Let us seize each and every moment and be filled to overflowing with all it has to offer. Let each moment reveal its gifts to you! Be present and it will! Open the “present” it has to give you.

To allow yourself to experience the newness of a moment, try this experiment: Whenever you can, take a few moments to stop what you are doing; take a couple of conscious, slow, deep breaths; and then become aware of your body by doing a slow body scan from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. This will help to bring you into the present.

Then focus on your inhalation and just imagine that you are breathing in “newness,” “freshness,” and “joy.” And on the exhalation, imagine that you are releasing old, stagnant, crystalized, and mutated energies. Continue focusing on your breath and your breathing. Breathing in all that is new and fresh and joy-filled and releasing on the exhalation all that is old, worn, and stagnant. After a few moments of doing this, you will be in the present and able to receive its gifts.

You only see what you are looking for; you only get what you focus on. So what has your attention? Some regurgitation of the past or unconscious projection into the future? Or the gift of the present?

You are an emperor, not a beggar

You are an emperor, not a beggar.
You possess the untold wealth of the universe, unimaginable riches.
Don’t beg for enlightenment, don’t plead for it.
You are the Self, don’t assume that you are impoverished.
Give up that yearning and be quiet and
the treasure will be self-evident as your very nature.
Author unknown

“We are all gods and goddesses in training,” wrote Deepak Chopra.

We have come forth to explore and manifest that potential within us.

We have come forth to be a god/goddess in finite form and to anchor and embody an aspect of the infinite Love and potential that is within our Source.

We are here to unravel the mystery of who we are.

We are here to discover the majesty of who we are.

We can never fail; we have success written all over and within us.

It is encoded in our DNA, in our eternal, hard-wired template.

We are chips off the old holographic block. We are made in his/her Image. We are co-creators.

When we enter the Silence, deep from within us a feeling rises, a “knowing” of who we really are.

And in this place of clarity, we “know,” beyond any doubt, fear, or limiting belief system who and why we are.

We know that we are of noble stock and heirs of all that is great and good.

“Be still and ye shall know.”

The strongest tree has the deepest roots. Dig deep, deep within and you will find and come to Know thy Self.

If you follow anyone other than your Self, you will surely get lost

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers or elders.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason,
and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live it.
The Buddha, in the Kalama Sutra

I find the advice above from the Buddha rather amazing given that it was spoken over 2,500 years ago. Nowadays with the internet and the incredible amount of information that is available to us, his guidance is even more essential.

An old adage goes: “No shoe fits all sizes.” So, too, no teaching or teacher is the proper fit for everyone. I have learned over the years to practice discernment and really go within to make sure that whatever teacher or teaching I am engaging with really rings true for me.

Initially, of course, I take the time to study and research the teacher or teachings, but I have learned to not primarily use my mind and to not do an intellectual analysis to determine what’s true for me. What I have learned to do, instead, is to quiet my mind, go into the stillness, and just “feel into” whether this is right for me at this time in my evolution. And then if it feels right, I accept it, explore it, and live it.

It’s not a one-time thing. I am constantly growing and changing, so I periodically go within to check again to see whether a particular teaching, teacher, or practice still “feels” right.

I am not saying it’s best to keep shopping around and never settle on anything. Not at all! What I am saying is to always go within to make sure you are still on the right path, namely your own path and not anyone else’s.

A path is not a static experience. It is something you continue to travel on; it is a journey. Yes, at times you stop to rest, but then you get up and continue moving through an ever-changing landscape. Your life, your dreams, and your beliefs are constantly evolving!

Every teacher/teaching is a step up your mountain of mastery. But each step leads to another step. No step is an end in itself.

One thing I love to repeat over and over in my classes is: “If you follow anyone other than your Self, you will surely get lost.”

You must be true to yourself. The only way to do that and to know your path and yourself is to regularly go within and listen. Then you will stay on your path.

So, take some time every day to go within. That’s how you’ll find and follow your Self, and learn to know and believe in your Self.

Believing the impossible

“One can’t believe impossible things,” Alice said.
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

What is possible? Whatever you believe to be possible is what is possible! The impossible is impossible because you believe it to be so.

We create our reality by virtue of what we believe. Within each one of us is enormous potential, but often we do not manifest it or even realize it is there. The Latin root for the word “potential” and for “potency” is the same.

Within each of us is such great potency or power or potential to create, but because we think small, we create and experience small. The Universe/God is infinite potential waiting to be actualized. We, through our thoughts and feelings, can draw in this infinite potential and make it become manifest. This drawing in of that infinite potential via our thoughts is precisely what enables us to be co-creators made in his/her Image.

But if your thoughts and beliefs about what is possible for you are small, you will never dream or create or experience “big.” Why not get out of the old box and dream and think big, since you dream and think all the time anyhow? Think big, not small, and all things become possible.

Take a few minutes each day in meditation to observe how big or small your thoughts and dreams are and then adjust in whatever way feels right. Unfetter your sense of the possible.

You can have anything you want, if you will give up the belief that you can’t have it.

Albert Einstein

Your future self is watching you: Live today’s dream, not yesterday’s

If you do not go within, you go without.

Neale Donald Walsch

Remember to look within. For it is only there that one can really find who one truly is and what is most important.

Take some time on a regular basis to slow down and go within. Suspend for a while what you think you should be doing and instead just listen to the Silence within and allow its voice to speak to you.

Slowing down and taking inventory of who you are and where you are headed is so, so important. The word inventory comes from a Latin word that means “to find, discover, ascertain.” So, by slowing down your overly active thinking mind, you can go within and, in the Quiet, discover your Self rather than constantly getting caught up in your ego mind’s never-ending, repetitive prattle.

The word invent comes from the same Latin root as inventory. By going in and listening within, you can re-invent yourself.

So, take a few deep breaths now, quiet your mind, and go within and gently and without too much focus ask, “What dream am I living now? Am I living the dream I had five years ago or my dream today? Can I be happy and fulfilled living yesterday’s dream or someone else’s dream? What is my dream today?”

Gently allow these questions or similar ones to float out there and then just sit back and listen. Do not seek your mind’s ruminations, just be still and sense, see, and feel whatever impressions, feelings, or images arise. Just “be” with them and with your Self.

You will be surprised at what comes up for you if you leave your mind behind. Don’t strain or “try,” just allow the process to come to you. Be open and receptive. In time, as you practice this, a clearer and clearer vision will come to you of yourself.

Actually, as you practice this, you learn that being conscious of who you are is a moment-to-moment process – one  where you learn to “feel in” first rather than “think” first. It is a process whereby you lose your mind and come to your senses.

It can be a bit of a stretch, if you haven’t tried it before, to ignore your mind and, instead, listen first to your heart/soul or your intuition/feelings, but it’s a good stretch—a healthy stretch. I suggest you try it for a while because by doing so, you will find your Self and your present dream. The dream your future self has been patiently waiting to reveal to you.

The final frontier is the journey within.