“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem
Some people are struggling to determine their next step or direction in their career growth. Others are in the midst of a painful rift in their relationships. Still others are considering how to improve their health or get more fit. It seems most of us are looking at how to improve some aspect of our present circumstances and future opportunities.
Imagine in your own life that you could turn things around in ways that feel exciting, empowering or enjoyable. For example, imagine you could see clearly your next move in your career. Or imagine you could open your heart in unexpected ways to your relationship and find healing or the ability to let go with compassion. Imagine you could achieve your dietary, fitness or health goals. How would that feel? How would other areas of your life benefit if that area were resolved? Just as important, how hard would your life be if your issue were not resolved?
When I struggle with making a change that I’m uncertain about or maybe fearful of, I take a moment to think of the freedom, joy, and well-being I would miss out on if nothing changes. I invite you to do the same. Not to terrorize yourself, but to see the value of feeling the reasons why it’s worth facing your angst about it and taking the risk of doing something different.
The big question is, what has to be different and how does one do it? The wisdom teachers throughout the ages, as well as modern philosophers, psychologists and even many scientists and physicists tell us that our bodies, minds and spirits know our truth, but this truth gets crowded out by the stories ego tells us (and the decibel level at which ego sometimes shouts those stories). What is our truth? That we are wise creatures, full of light, who contain the essence and fullness of the energy of love. Whether we believe in a divine order or a quantum universe or both or neither, we are a part of a greater existence, and its power and consciousness dwells within us. To remember and reclaim trust in this truth is to become aware of our inner wisdom and authenticity.
A Lakota shaman I was fortunate to study with taught: “Know that you know what you know.” He wasn’t talking about thoughts or acquired information. He meant know your innermost wisdom and intuition, the knowledge that lies beneath the surface of intellectual thinking. It is the knowledge of the heart, and in the cells of the body.
This takes three things:
• A willingness to be open-minded and look deep;
• A willingness to ask yourself honest, challenging questions;
• A willingness to trust your wisdom’s responses and act on them.
We may not always like what our wisdom tells us, but we need to learn to trust and accept it. If we don’t, we get the same old solutions to the same old questions about the same old problems that we have been facing for too long already. If we always think what we always thought, we’ll always get what we always got!
We have the ability to change, to grow, to be healthier and more empowered, and to enjoy life more than our old issues would let us. We have the wisdom within us to make this transformation if we want it, and no one else can do it for us.
It’s such a blessing for me to be able to guide people to access their wisdom and use it to turn their lives around. One client, for example, has his own business and had no desire to leave it, but he was very unhappy with the way it was going. His disappointment and discouragement were significantly affecting his health, but he didn’t know what changes to make. In a few sessions of working with his wisdom, he realized that he was feeling isolated and he set about getting partners. It was a synergistic move, as he is more excited about his business than he’s been in years, and together they are making exponentially more money than they were as individuals!
LEARNING TO ACCESS INNER WISDOM
I show my clients up to six different ways to locate, connect with and utilize their wisdom. Here’s a step-by-step process of one of those methods, called BODYTALK, for you to try:
• Sit comfortably in a quiet, dimly lit room. Keep your body symmetrical – with your arms and legs uncrossed. You can close your eyes or keep them open, whichever helps you to better relax.
• Bring your attention to your breath. You may want to take a couple of deep breaths first to help you relax. Then simply focus on the natural inflow and outflow of your normal breathing.
• Relax your body as completely as you can, and relax your mind by letting your thoughts drift without paying any attention to them.
• As you breathe gently and normally, allow a question to form in your mind. It can be any question on any topic that truly has meaning and value to you. (E.g., it is better to ask about a disagreement you had with your spouse than about tomorrow’s weather.)
• Hold the question loosely, as if in an open palm. Let yourself feel the question; that is, notice what size, shape or weight you imagine it to be – is it a big, important question or a small, minor one? Is it heavy like a burden, or is it light?
• Also notice what texture you imagine this question might have – is it rough or smooth, hard or soft, etc.?
• Now imagine that the question has a mood. It may share the same mood you are feeling right now, or it may have its own mood. Does it “have the blues” or is it “in the pink?” Notice whether you can discern the mood of the question.
• How do you feel as you loosely hold the question and examine the size, shape, weight texture and mood of the question? Do you feel happy, sad, angry, hurt, scared, joyful? Scan your body and notice where the emotion you are feeling seems to be centered. Do you feel it strongest in your abdomen? Solar plexus? Chest? Elsewhere? If you aren’t sure what emotion you feel, see if you can feel any sensations instead – is there a knot? Tightness? A stretching sensation? Twisting? A fuzzy sensation?
• Once you have a sense of the emotion or sensation and its location in your body, ask that sense or sensation your question and imagine it has the capability to answer you. Breathe as you wait for the response. The response may come in words, images or even just a sudden awareness. Let it come in whatever way it does. Let go of judging the process or the response and just trust that of all possible responses, you got this one for a reason. If you get no response, perhaps this is not the right time for you to have a response. Let that be okay and try again another time.
• Thank your body for serving you in all the ways that it does, and gently end the session.
• Write down your question, the feeling you had and the response you got so you can refer to it as needed.
You have wisdom, we all do; I encourage you to learn to access it. All the great teachers, sages, avatars and prophets throughout millennia have advised us that we have the power to access our own deep wisdom, a part of divine wisdom, if we would only use it. The benefits, besides getting answers, making changes, relaxing your body, opening to more joy and empowerment, can be as limitless as your imagination.