This week I’ve been thinking a lot about how our deep and wise Self sends us messages all the time. They may come in the form of intuition, insight, emotion, coincidence/synchronicity, dreams, physical or psychological symptoms, creative impulses, or body sensations. Your psyche speaks through symbol, metaphor, and feeling. But if you don’t know how to translate this language, you may feel confused, frustrated, or just plain in the dark.
Earlier this month, I had a powerful healing session in which some deep feelings and beliefs got stirred up. That night I had two significant dreams that had messages for me. Because I have spent many years learning the language of my inner knowing, I was able to receive these messages fairly easily.
Now, before you go into “well that’s nice for you, but…” I will also share that I developed physical symptoms – tightness and pain throughout my right side – that have been much more mysterious. At first I felt frustrated and just wanted the pain and discomfort to go away. I tried to diagnose it, got anxious and impatient, and wanted to “fix” it. But then I realized that this “thing” happening in my body is another message. And even though I may not “have time” – it deserves my attention.
(And I’m sure we’ve all had that experience of ignoring our intuition or body messages and then having something much more intense happen to get our attention!)
The sensations in your body and your emotions are some of the best indicators you have that something is going on and it is could use your attention. You can learn to track these feelings, to create space to receive their messages, and to integrate and apply what you discover. When you give yourself this kind of loving attention, when you open the conversation with your wise inner self, then you have the opportunity for support, clarity, and deep transformation.
The messages we send ourselves can be anything – from the profound and emotional to the simple and practical. Maybe the messages connect you with an old wound or a pattern in your family you are ready to release. Maybe the message is that you need more sleep or more sunshine. It may not be linear (and inner work often isn’t), but just by paying attention – to your body, your dreams, your feelings – you are already engaging in a powerful process of self-awareness and healing. And the good news is that the more you do it, the more accessible it becomes. That’s not to say it’s always easy. But even when it takes time and patience, if you can stay committed, the rewards are huge.
Try this process to get tuned in:
Take 5-10 minutes for yourself. Close your eyes, deepen your breath, and start to scan your body with your mind’s eye. Notice any physical sensations or emotions. Choose the one that grabs your attention the most and go deeper in with your awareness. Get really curious, but hold it lightly. Allow the sensation to speak through your intuition. You may want to place your hands on the area you feel the sensation to connect in more. The messages may not be direct at first, but whatever comes is just right (even if it seems strange or cryptic). When you have completed your short meditation, take a moment to write down your experience or capture it in some way. Express gratitude for the communication and gently close your practice. Pay attention to other insights or sensations you notice over the coming days. Allow this process to take its course, and enjoy the results!
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