In last week’s post I argued that we should not buy into spiritual teachings that do not resonate with us. We should not buy into prescribed doctrines simply because it’s the norm. Or because it’s old. Or because we fear punishment.
It is better to connect with our own inner wisdom on a deep level. But this takes time. It often requires journalling, asking questions, listening to dream messages, and being receptive to intuitive nudges and insights. It might involve reading a particular author. It might involve meditating. It might involve painting or drawing something. It also might involve cultivating silence and being receptive to a visionary image.
There really are countless of ways to connect to our own wisdom. This post discusses a few ideas and methods.
Focus and Intention
I have found that when I am focused on one specific question with intensity, the answers that I receive are more clear than when my attention is scattered. Answers might come in the form of a vivid dream. Or a book. Or information. Or a realisation. Some answers arrive quick. Others take days, or weeks, or maybe even years. But it does require focus and intention.
There are some exceptions to this. There are times when we don’t receive answers. It might be that we are not ready for a full revelation. It could be that we need a gradual expansion of our own awareness. Or it could be that there are multiple aspects to an answer that can only be revealed over time. Not all questions have simple answers. Sometimes we need more information. Other times we are required to go through a cycle of growth.
Another reason why we might not find answers is because our questions have no true significance. Here’s a quote from CG Jung’s Memories, Dreams, Reflections:
“I early arrived at the insight that when no answer comes from within to the problems and complexities of life, they ultimately mean very little. Outward circumstance are no substitute for inner experience.”
To the soul, some questions are not worthy of answers. Questions like, What’s the lotto numbers? will fall into this category. Call me crazy but I don’t think the soul cares all that much if we have a windfall of that kind. As a side note, this is also why I have such a huge issue with the Law of Attraction gurus. Their teachings focus around ‘manifestation’ of this and that, without ever really going into the difficult journey of spiritual and emotional growth. It’s the junk food of the spiritual world.
Many questions about money might actually fall into the category of not important. But that is not to say that we can’t still receive valuable information about how we relate to money, people, value, and work, by asking questions about money. I once asked, How does my wiser self view money? I received a dream in which I could clearly see that money is used as a means of control. But it goes deeper than that. Those that receive money do not want to rock the boat. Those that hand out money are unconscious and entitled. It seems like everyone has completely forgotten that money, at its core, should be about adding value.
Destructive Patterns Hold Wisdom
We should realise that destructive patterns hold wisdom. If we can treat these irritating, infuriating, and often painful patterns as our teachers, everything changes. We no longer need the greedy gurus and the insecure spiritual teachers. We can become our own wise teacher.
However, this is not a quick process. It requires us to gently bring repeated awareness to these tenacious and destructive tendencies. It requires us to do emotional work. It often also requires somatic work. But one thing becomes clear over years: destructive patterns dissolve. This was not apparent to me after my first year of deep emotional processing. It only became apparent later on. The trick is to keep going.
Dreams
Dreams are one of the purest ways to connect with the inner guide. I’ve often been surprised at the depth of dream wisdom. Some dreams, especially those that I remember for years, have multiple layers of meaning that I uncover over years.
I recently did a review of my dreams, reading all the entries from my last three notebooks. This too was helpful. Reading all the entries over the course of a few hours revealed to me that I’ve ignored certain messages. Also, other messages that I did not understand a few years ago are much clearer now.
What is also interesting to note is that dreams do not only give advice on big and important things—it sometimes gives us answers to tiny questions too.
Art
CG Jung in Modern Man in Search of a Soul writes about how he would sometimes suggest to patients to paint images from their dreams. He notes that this practice opened something up for people who wanted to move beyond a certain point in their development.
Jung states that although it was difficult to describe exactly what happened in patients, it did aid them in psychological maturity. Here’s a quote:
“And actually these crude pictures do produce effects which, I must admit, are rather difficult to describe. When a patient has seen once or twice how he is freed from a wretched state of mind by working at symbolical picture, he will thenceforward turn to this means of release whenever things go badly with him. In this way something valuable is won, namely, growth of independence, a step towards psychological maturity. ”
From my own perspective I’ve seen that when I consistently engage in artistic pursuits, the quality of my life is just better. I tend to be more present, less reactive. I tend to move out of over-thinking more quickly. I tend to worry less. These changes are subtle—but it makes a huge difference in the quality of my day to day.
Final Thoughts
There are countless ways to connect with our inner wisdom. Nature, animals, and relationships might be other ways that I did not really discuss. But I think the most important requirement is internal integrity—a willingness to look at things honestly and change those things that are not working.