The Voice of the Spirit
We’re hearing messages all the time, even when no other person is speaking. I’m referring to our inner voice. Much of what we hear is the chatter of the mind and ego, which is often critical, letting us know of our deficiencies and the deficiencies of others.
Occasionally, we hear another voice - the voice of the inner spirit, God, or intuition. This voice comes from a higher consciousness. How do we distinguish between the mental chatter of the mind and the voice of the spirit? Here are a few guidelines that I have found to be helpful:
1. The voice of the spirit is clear. You won’t have to guess the meaning of the message that comes from the spirit. It is straightforward and to the point. About six months ago, I received this message loud and clear: “You will stop writing the personal growth newsletter that you have been writing.” I must confess the message was a bit frightening at first. This voice was telling me to stop writing articles that I had been writing for more than 17 years. Why would I do that? But the message to “stop” was crystal clear - and that is why I stopped writing that newsletter. I then received a clear message to launch a new newsletter, Your Spiritual Journey.
2. The voice of the spirit is not always logical. The mind or ego likes to weigh options and encourages you to make a list of pros and cons before you make a decision. On the surface, this makes sense. If you are going to make a decision on a course of action, shouldn’t it be logical? The only problem is that the logical solution often fails to bring you the success or satisfaction you hoped for. Your thinking mind is guessing - it does not have access to the realm of the divine, where logic is not a concern. You’ll come to know the voice of the spirit when you hear a message that surprises you. It might make you very uncomfortable. Your first reaction is “This is not practical.” It may not be, but you’ll find that the advice is in your best interests in the long run. As for the short term, you might be in for a very bumpy ride!
3. The voice of the spirit is consistent. The urging from the spirit does not change from one day to another. The message you get this week will probably be the same one you’ll get next week. On the other hand, the mind is constantly analyzing and re-assessing your next moves. One day you’ll get a sense to go forward with Plan A. The next day, your mind will tell you that perhaps Plan B would work better. You may not like the message you’re getting from the spirit, but that message tends to be consistent.
4. The voice of the spirit speaks about NOW. Your thinking mind is only concerned with the past and future - and never with the present moment. The spirit functions in the NOW, the only time that exists. The guiding of the spirit may include advice that influences your future, but the message concentrates on what you can do now. Often, the steps you can take down the road are not revealed to you in advance. You must trust that the message will be conveyed to you when the moment is right. When you’re trying to figure out the message from your mind or ego, you’ll find yourself plotting things out well ahead of time. Some of these plans might work out well, but some will backfire. Your thinking mind does not know how things will ultimately work out. The voice of the spirit seems to have access to the bigger picture, where all outcomes are known.
5. The voice of the spirit is not concerned with fame and fortune. The mind places tremendous value on money and recognition. The spirit is not concerned with amassing wealth and has no need to be famous or gain anyone’s approval. Try telling your mind that money and recognition are not important — and watch what comes up! You may acquire what the world considers fame and fortune by following the spirit, but there is no guarantee. In the end, the spirit knows what is best for you, while the mind will steer you down the path of wealth and recognition. Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. There is nothing spiritual about being in poverty. There is nothing wrong with acquiring and enjoying material items. However, you will find that the voice of the spirit does not obsess about these issues, since possessions and fame are not the keys to peace and well-being.
I’m not saying that you have to listen for the voice of the spirit for guidance on every decision you make. Whether you wear brown socks or black socks today is not likely to make a difference in your life. In addition, this isn’t about struggling to hear the voice of the spirit. The more you struggle, the more mental chatter you produce, and you block the voice of the spirit. The voice of the spirit will often come in unannounced, without fanfare. The key is to recognize it and to have the courage to listen to it, and feel it. Resist the urge to let the thinking mind and ego take over, with its practical solutions.
You may not be ready to follow the voice of the spirit right now, for a variety of reasons. There is nothing wrong with that. Just remain open and when the time is right, you will follow that voice. You may find that the voice of the spirit knew all along what was best for you - and you will be more likely to trust that voice the next time you hear it.
– Jeff Keller
(c)2007