Excerpt from Finding Your True Self (out of print)
Warning Episode II: Don’t Go With Him
Here is another one of my experiences when I did not follow my internal knowing. I dated a man once whom I liked very much. As much as I liked him, something about him bothered me, but I just couldn’t decide what it was. One morning, during my daily meditation, I imagined what it would be like if we were still together in the future. The picture my mind showed me contained heartache. Back then I did not trust my intuition as well as I do now, so I said to myself, “Stop being so negative” and I continued to date him. I repeated this exercise for several days and got the same picture each time. Rather than break up with him, I stopped doing the exercise! I just could not understand why I was being so negative. We had dated for a short time when he announced that he no longer wished to see me. He was rather cold when he announced that he was moving on. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized that my feelings for him had deepened considerably. My mind had shown me that I would be hurt but I chose to ignore the message.
Being in the Flow
Living intuitively puts you into the flow of life. After reading the stories above you might be wondering if I ever do listen to my intuition. I actually have saved myself much time and effort by listening to my inner voice. Sometimes I don’t bother to prepare handouts to teach a class because I know that it won’t fill. Once I stayed in the tub relaxing when I was supposed to be getting dressed for a dinner out with friends. My husband was very annoyed with me, but I knew that they would cancel. I often sense if my clients are either on their way to their appointment or if they have forgotten.
Before my daughter knew that she was pregnant with her second child she woke up with the thought, “I think I’m pregnant!” And she was right.
Quiet Time; Imagination
Intuition works best when we are calm and relaxed. Not easy in today’s society, but also not impossible. Create a space of fifteen minutes every day to allow yourself to become quiet. I recommend that my clients practice either meditation or self hypnosis during this time. This is how I start my day even if I have to get up a few minutes early to have some quiet time to myself. I feel centered and grounded throughout the day and my intuitive knowing flows more easily. When I honor my intuition I am connecting with my True Self.
Your Body Has Important Information
You may not have body awareness now. However, you can develop it by repeatedly focusing on how your body feels. For example, while I was renting a post office box I suddenly had a queasy feeling in my solar plexus. The post office was out of the way and in an area that was not all that safe. I decided that it was my intuition giving me a signal so, even though I was a bit embarrassed, I told the postal clerk that I had changed my mind. As soon as I verbalized my decision I felt much better.
I sometimes ask a client to check with his/her body when s/he has a decision to make, because the body has important feedback for you. Carol, a young woman in her mid 20’s, was struggling with where to live. A part of her wanted to live on the East Coast and another part wanted to stay in California. I asked her to imagine living in each place and focus on how her body felt as she did. Imagining herself staying in California caused her to feel nauseous, while seeing herself on the East Coast gave her a tremendous feeling of energy. Her answer was very clear.
Sleep on It
Try this method the next time you need to come to a decision. Gather all your information. Write it down–both pros and cons. Once your research is complete, send a request to your subconscious in this way: as you fall asleep at night say to yourself, “I want to know which choice will be for my highest good.” Then let it go and go to sleep. Within the next few days, your subconscious will provide your answer as you awaken in the morning, or at some time during the day when you are relaxed and your mind is elsewhere. Answers come in for me as I awaken, while I’m doing the dishes, in the shower and when I am driving on the freeway, just to name a few.
You are probably following your intuition more than you realize. Bring your awareness to that part of your life, and I think that you will be surprised. The more you notice how you live intuitively, the more intuitively you will live. And intuition is the voice of your True Self.
The journey to self-understanding never ends. My goal to become acquainted with the real me has led me to study astrology and numerology. The more you learn about your True Self, the more understanding and compassion you can have for yourself and others.
Be joyful, be grateful, live in peace,
Katherine Zimmerman
Clinical Hypnotherapist