Recognizing Inner Guidance

One question that puzzles many on the spiritual path is, "How can I be sure that this inner voice I hear is guidance and not just something I’m making up?"

Here’s an exercise to play with that can give you greater certainty. When you have the question, put your focus on analyzing where in your body you feel the source of the "inner voice". If the source is coming from the head, most likely that is simply mind chatter. It will also have a "noisy" or clamorous "look at me" type of energy to it. There’s no peacefulness to it. It could have a high pitch or be frenetic. Ego is screaming from this source.

If the source is located lower on the body, the stomach, solar plexus or heart/chest area, that is most likely inner guidance. It will have a calmer, more peace provoking lower register feel to it. There is no ego from this source.

- The practice exercise is to move from head to your lower focus point, feeling the difference between the two. Go back and forth between the two, paying close attention to the subtlety of the differences.

- If you’ve put yourself into a quiet enough situation so that you can assess the location and feeling tone differences, the distinction between the two will be very apparent. Once you have clarity on that difference, the next most important thing to do is to trust your knowing. Discontinue the doubt. Give up the discounting self talk. Know that this :voice", this knowing is true, pure and right.

- Also know that inner guidance will always be about love, peace, growth, health, wisdom, and be life affirming. For sure, inner guidance is never about death, self destruction, hatred, jealousy, comparison or berating.

Gaining a feeling of certainty about your ability to distinguish inner guidance from idle chatter is one of the most important foundational aspects we can bring to our spiritual path.