When I was growing up wisdom and insights for me came from reading books, observing and admiring others. And also understanding very quickly when to keep out of the way of my brothers!
Developing my knowledge came by working hard at school, always aiming to be the best I could be, on paper. I believed that achieving AA+ and winning awards for academic excellence was just what you did. I never questioned that this was how you progressed in life, to be better, stronger, wiser. In my 20’s and even 30’s I never gained any wisdom of my own – it came from someone or somewhere else.
Finding, hearing, trusting your own voice, your innate wisdom, can take years to unravel. Especially if you have lived most of your life in your head! Managing life’s transitions like losing someone close, a ‘0’ birthday, adapting to our changed world with Covid, can prove confronting. There are no ‘rules’, right or wrong ways, we need to dig down into our own truth.
On the yogic path every experience, especially the challenges, are viewed as a messenger inviting attention, our greater awareness. ‘Life’ experiences keep appearing, knocking ever more loudly. Until we develop enough insight to tap into and respond with our own innate wisdom.
But how?
Stop
Your innate wisdom, perspective, can never arise from busyness, particularly from a busy mind. Press the pause button. Especially if your life has become a pit-stop, something you rush in and out from trying to find a ‘fix’, a solution. Disengage from social media, turn off your devices, pause for peace. Then begin to re-assess how and to what/whom you allocate your energy and time.
Observe
Can you reflect on a resolution, a heartfelt promise you made to yourself in this lifetime? What are the qualities of this promise? Where and how do you sense these in your body? Despite what the egoic mind may be telling you, you are way more than this physical body and thinking brain. We all have a deep inner ‘well’ of resources to tap into but this requires time and space – otherwise our ‘well’ dries up.
Listen
The quiet voice of inner knowing requires ‘calm’, often silence, to be revealed. When you listen to classical music it is known to induce alpha brain wave states. These states of brainwave activity bring a calm and alertness known to induce creativity and imagination. These states support us to access within.
Explore
Preparing the ground for discovery and change can be like preparing the field for a new crop. We can explore different techniques, consider something new, examine unexplored parts of ourselves. Find ways that make your heart sing, perhaps make up your own song, move to your own beat.
Meditate
If you wish to create a long-lasting, safe and trusting connection to the essence of your being, a regular meditation practice is essential. This is the most consistent and effective approach to establish a meaningful connection with ourselves. In traditional yoga practices we focus on accessing the subtle layers of our being, our koshas, and our subtle energy centres, the chakras. These connections deepen with our commitment to practice, inviting our inner wisdom to unfold.
Learn with a classically trained Yoga Teacher, to explore how to tap into the more subtle aspects of your inner knowledge, your Being.
