“If prayer is you talking to God, then intuition is God talking back.” – Wayne Dyer
I believe it’s human nature to find God’s answer in various signs. Confess now – haven’t you done it? You might say, “If that traffic light turns green before I get to it then the answer I’m seeking must be “yes.” We try to find cosmic revelation in signs, symbols, patterns and forms. Even in ancient times there are reports of this. For example, in Babylonia, a seer or baru would direct his inquiries to the various organs of an animal and get answers to his questions! Divining by liver inspection . . . now there’s an interesting field to get into! Maybe this is an early example of having a “gut reaction!”
We all have had seemingly unanswerable questions floating in our minds at one time or another, “Why am I here?” “Who am I?” “Is there some larger purpose to my existence?” “What’s the right thing to do in this situation?” How do you know who you are and what you should do? “What changes should I make?” “How can I know if it’s God?”
Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, a writer and expert on Kundalini yoga was asked, “What does God feel like?” He responded, “At such moments, my body goes through changes – tingling, opening, lightness, feeling connected to everything. There’s a sense of clarity about what I should do. There’s a sense of completeness, grace, and seamless action.”
Even the famous theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein, stated, “When the solution is simple, God is answering.”
How do you know when you’re receiving true inner guidance? Here are some of the ways students in my classes have answered that question:
- When I experience a synchronicity or coincidence it gives me a resounding “yes!” to my next steps.
- A feeling of calm and peace comes over me as I contemplate a course of action.
- I get a glimpse of the “larger picture” that is unfolding in my life.
- I begin to have compassion and/or I experience forgiveness towards someone I feel has hurt or betrayed me.
- I listen to some favorite piano music. It seems to calm my spirit, open my heart and still my mind. I try to be present for “what I need to know from God” and simply listen. The answers don’t usually come in words. I just feel better and know what I need to do next.
- Insight that comes quickly into my mind after a prayer is usually the right guidance to follow.
- If the message contains thoughts of hope, love, encouragement, wisdom, strength and comfort, I know it’s God.
- An answer seems to drop into my mind. It wasn’t there just a moment ago. A sense of excitement or an “aha” feeling accompanies the answer.
- I sit in silence awaiting God’s wisdom. When I feel something akin to love and an embrace, I know I have received an answer. It often brings tears to my eyes. I know I am being cared for and listened to.
- I ask God questions like, “God, what’s my next step?” “What do You need me to know right now?” Or, a statement… ”I am open to Your Wisdom.” When I feel a peace come over me I know I have the answer.
- I have an altar beside the chair I use for meditation. I have photos of my (now deceased) parents, aunt and a childhood friend, along with a statue of Buddha and a small icon representing Jesus. I bring all of them into my heart and mind, get quiet and feel their love. Wise answers seem to drop into my mind.
How about you? How do YOU know you’re receiving true inner guidance? I’d love to hear your answers.
