Diversions
& Pitfalls
on the Intuitive Path
by
Nancy C. Pohle
& Ellen L. Selover
  If
we all have access to intuition, information that would help
us live happier, more creative, and fulfilled lives, what is
it that keeps us from tuning in to, recognizing, and
benefiting from it?
Without
a doubt, the greatest impediment to effectively working with
and understanding our own intuitive strengths is fear. It can
take many forms: fear of what others might think; fear of
looking foolish; fear of making a mistake; fear of the
unknown; fear of consequences; fear of losing control. The
list goes on.
Our
fears can lead us into a state of denial, where we do not even
recognize the promptings of our intuition when it tries to
gain our attention. When we let these fears take hold, we are
closing ourselves off from the greatest source of insight,
help, and comfort that we have available to us.
If
we let the voices of others speak louder, whether they are our
closest friends and relatives of today or the authoritarian
voices and childhood tauntings of years past, we give them
greater power than our own insights.
Janice
shared an experience in which her fears nearly overrode her
intuition regarding the purchase of a used car. Because she
was aware that she was letting fear take precedence, she found
a way to work through it and take action instead of remaining
immobilized:
"I
needed to replace my ten-year-old, unreliable car. I
searched the local dealerships and newspapers while
researching information on the makes and models of the
vehicles I was seeing.
"One
evening, I test-drove a compact sedan, and as I tooled
around the neighborhood, I felt an opening in my heart. I
was really excited about the car, as it seemed a good fit. I
had it assessed by my mechanic, then contacted the bank
about a loan. Every time I thought about the car and the
people I was buying it from, it felt right. Then fears crept
in, and I became obsessed with 'what ifs': What if my
intuition is wrong, and there's something better out there
for me? What if I get this car now, and then find what I
really wanted at an unbelievable price? What if I don't get
this car, and my old one completely falls apart? What if I'm
not able to sell my old car? What if my friends don't like
it? I was driving myself crazy.
"Finally,
I asked in prayer what I should do, as I was finding it
difficult to remember my positive intuitive response while
all these fears were holding court. The thought came to mind
to work with an exercise I had learned many years before in
Lucia Capacchione's book, The
Power of Your Other Hand. This exercise is intended
to help give voice to the unexpressed emotions and
impressions that influence our self-image, self-esteem, and
behavior. I began by writing, with my dominant hand,
questions regarding how I felt about the car and the
situation in general. With my non-dominant hand, I wrote the
responses, a process that helps to disengage normal rational
thought and allows suppressed or forgotten thoughts and
emotions to come to the surface.
"After
a few questions, the voice that came through in my writing
was that of my inner child, to whom I had paid little
attention over the years. What I learned was that she was
afraid that if I purchased this car, I would pay even less
attention to her need for expression, that is, my need to
play, be lighthearted, and to laugh. The car that I was
considering was very different from the sport utility
vehicle that she wanted but I couldn't afford. So, my inner
child felt ignored and fought back by creating confusion.
"Because
of the writing exercise, I was able to mentally tune in to
my inner child and made a commitment to take care of my need
for excitement and play. Then I went out and purchased the
car, which has served me very well."
Low
Self-Esteem
If
allowing fears to take hold can be so detrimental to our
development, why do we let it happen? Why do fears take
precedence over our inner knowledge? One reason is low
self-esteem. We forget that we are children of God, divine
beings with a divine inheritance who have direct access to all
the help and guidance we need. We doubt our own ability to be
in touch with our higher self, or that it even exists. We
enfold ourselves in thoughts and feelings that disguise our
true nature. The litany of self-effacement sounds something
like, "I'm not good enough," "I'm not
worthy," "I don't know how," "I
can't..." When we lend energy to such thoughts, we feed
our fears rather than the divine spark within and thus dull
our senses to the messages we might otherwise receive.
Perhaps
our Western culture's emphasis on acquired knowledge is partly
to blame. Most of us spend many years in school. In
traditional institutions, we collect information in a linear,
rational way, often denying our own innate knowledge.
Nonlinear thinking is generally not appreciated, at best, and
is frequently discouraged, either through blatant criticism or
dismissive attitudes of its validity. After years of this
non-supportive response, most sensitive people learn to
squelch the expression of their true feelings. Perhaps the key
to integrating the inner voice with acquired knowledge is in
finding ways to couch intuitive insights in more
conventionally acceptable terms, allowing for an appropriate
expression in any given circumstance.
Loss
of Attunement or Unclear Intent
The
Cayce readings (Edgar Cayce 1877-1945) are very clear that in
order to tune in to our higher selves through our intuitive
capabilities, we must keep spiritual growth as our primary
focal point. Maintaining regular spiritual practices is
absolutely essential to establishing and nourishing that
attunement.
In
addition to focused spiritual attunement, we need to be clear
about our intent and clarifying our ideals. If we allow
self-glorification, control over others, or a desire to simply
make life easier to become our guiding motivation, we lose our
connection to our true ideal. Most often, this creates a
muddying effect on our intuitive senses, causing insights to
become inaccurate or unreliable. To remain true to our higher
selves, the readings suggest that unconditional love and
service to others should be our guiding lights.
Pitfalls
on the Intuitive Path:
Judging Others
In
the process of recognizing and developing our intuitive gifts,
we will most likely begin to pick up information about those
around us, our family, friends, co-workers, or even someone we
pass on the street. It can be a great temptation to judge
their thoughts, emotions, or actions, based on our insights.
It is vital to seek ways that we can be of service rather than
compounding another's burden through judgmentalism, reminding
ourselves that there is always more to a story than we might
realize.
Misinterpreting
Signals
As
we begin to put our intuitive insights into practice, it is
likely that we will experience times when we just don't get it
right. The following example, shared by Ria, is one in which
the misinterpretation of an intuitive insight, compounded by
judgment of another person, created a very uncomfortable and
difficult situation:
"One
evening after attending a conference, I was preparing for
bed, anxious to get to sleep because I needed to get up
early. As I was drifting off to sleep, I got the impression
that I should not leave my small pack, which contained my
wallet, near the bed. The feeling was very strong, but I was
exhausted, and, after a moment of wondering what else to do
with it, I left it where I had originally intended and just
decided not to leave it unattended. I was rooming with
someone I did not know well, and, although I felt a little
uncomfortable with her, I decided that I was just being
oversensitive and suspicious.
"The
next morning, I pulled my hairbrush out of the pack and went
into the bathroom, completely forgetting my resolution not
to leave my belongings unattended. Then I remembered that
the pack was now open on the bed in full view of my
roommate, who was also getting ready. I panicked, raced back
to the room, and scooped up everything that had fallen out,
but could not locate the wallet. I looked everywhere.
"Certain
that my 'intuition' had been trying to warn me about this
person, I asked her if she knew the whereabouts of my
wallet. When she said, 'No,' I insisted that she open her
suitcase for me. I then went through her belongings.
Although this response was not my normal mode of dealing
with a crisis, I was filled with conviction, certain that I
knew what was going on, and standing up for myself.
"My
roommate was understandably confused and appalled by my
actions; however, she tried valiantly to not take my
behavior personally. After we both searched through each
others' suitcases and other belongings, I finally found my
wallet trapped in a fold of the blanket on my bed. I felt
absolutely awful and incredibly ashamed.
"My
first mistake had been in ignoring my intuition in the first
place. If I had gone ahead and put my wallet in a more
secure location, it would not have fallen out of my pack,
and I would not have had to worry about it. My second
mistake was that I assumed the information I was getting was
about the potential behavior of my roommate, not about a
situation I might create because of my suspicions. If I had
taken the time to pray, to tune in a little more closely and
ask for clarification, I believe I would have received the
information I needed at the time. The entire episode would
have been avoided."
When
we allow ourselves to learn from our intuition, to move with
it, and to grow with it, we truly progress, even, or perhaps
especially, when we stumble and make mistakes. One person
asked Edgar Cayce in a reading, "How can I avoid getting
incorrect answers?" His response reflects the great
compassion of the Universal Forces:
No
one way while remaining in the flesh! For, there is ever the
trial, the test, the gradual growth. And there are faults,
but use those faults as stepping-stones -- and be guided by
the greater influence that is thy ideal. 317-7
More
than a simple "try, try again" approach, this answer
reflects a compassionate understanding of the complexities of
life on earth, and of the struggle through which every soul
must find its way. It is almost as if the Universe is
saying to us, "Okay, here you are. What have you learned?
What did you miss? How might you act or respond differently
the next time you are faced with a similar situation?"
Steps
to Intuitive Development
Rather
than a list of techniques, the following steps come from the
Cayce readings' approach, which emphasizes practices that will
strengthen our connection with the Divine within and help us
to better discern the information we receive:
Spiritual
practices. Intuition develops naturally as a result of
our spiritual development. Meditating, praying, setting
ideals, and working with others on a spiritual path are
all important tools for spiritual growth.
Ask
questions during meditation and listen for the answers. If
an answer isn't forthcoming, consider that there may be
other underlying questions that need to be answered first.
Pay
attention to the impressions you receive as you fall asleep
or first awaken. Insights will come as a result of
asking questions during meditation, through inner
reflection, or as you are falling asleep. Write these
down, and find a positive way to act on them.
Trust
your inner self as much as your analytical self. This
can take practice, as it is easy to brush aside our
intuitive promptings. Give yourself permission to give
voice to the intuitive.
Have
an insatiable curiosity. Discover those things you are
drawn to and follow them.
Inspirational
writing after a period of meditation or attunement. While
in the meditative state, write down your thoughts,
feelings, and impressions.
Spend
time in nature. We can learn about our own natural
balance and harmony by attuning to those primordial
aspects of God's creation.
Exercise
regularly and maintain a healthy diet. If the physical
body is not in equilibrium, our intuitive development is
inhibited.
Listen
to uplifting music and read inspiring literature. This
positive engagement of our mental and emotional selves
nourishes us spiritually.
Develop
your creative imagination. Spend time expressing
talents and activities for which you have a passion.
Conclusion
Intuitive
awareness is more than just an indicator of how adept we are
at accessing psychic perceptions. It is an indication of how
attuned we are to our spiritual side. When we develop and rely
on our abilities, discern inner truths, and apply that
awareness on the physical level, we open the doorway to
manifesting our true highest selves.
This
article was excerpted from:
 Awakening
the Real You: Awareness Through Dreams and Intuition
by
Nancy C. Pohle & Ellen L. Selover.
Excerpted with permission from their book
"Awakening the Real You", ©1999, A.R.E. Press, Virginia Beach,
Virginia, USA. www.are-cayce.com
For More Info or to Order This Book.
About The
Authors
Nancy
C. Pohle has lectured, counseled, and taught classes on dreams and
intuition throughout the U. S. and Canada for more than eighteen years.
She was featured internationally on Voice of America radio and appeared on
A&E's Biography: Edgar Cayce as a representative of the Association
for Research and Enlightenment.
Ellen L. Selover is a lifelong student of the Edgar Cayce readings.
Her tenure on the staff of the Association for Research and Enlightenment,
Inc., has included international study group coordinator, manager of youth
programs, and program manager with membership and the Mission in Life
Institute.
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