The Gift & The Servant

I seem to spend my life talking about the need for inner-directedness amidst a world that constantly demands outer attention and activity. There are so many distractions, so many ways in which we fall into old patterns of behaviour – whether they work or not – just because they’re easier or generally more culturally acceptable. Tapping into your own inner wisdom may not appear to be the path of greatest ease, but then again repeatedly banging your head up against a brick wall isn’t exactly a laugh a minute either, is it? There surely must be some cosmic joke in the fact that we seem hell-bent on persevering with our ineffective coping strategies and self-defeating behaviours long after it becomes blindingly obvious that they’re not getting the desired result. Clearly the triumph of hope over experience is the definition of the human condition.

Now, I’m all for an easy life, rather than having things be a constant struggle. That’s not to say I don’t have my own issues – ‘slow learner’ would probably be written on my spiritual report card – but I am finally grasping the concept that the creative, inner-driven approach is always the one that spells ease. Too much effort means you’re not allowing things to come to you.

The intuitive approach taps first into the power of the inner world, harnessing the creative spirit, before action is taken. It allows for synchronicity to get to work on your behalf, so you don’t have to do so much legwork in the outer world. Why do it the hard way by chasing something, when a little inner work could draw it towards you so much more easily? However, this does require you to honour and trust the inklings of the inner world above the seeming certainties of the outer world and its logical approach. If you’re uncomfortable living with a little mystery, this one’s going to be a tough call for you.

Interestingly enough, the man who brought us E=MC2, Albert Einstein, expressed a similar opinion, when he said “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind its faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”

Way to go, Albert. Let’s not forget this is history’s leading scientist telling us to trust the mystery first and the logic second. He wasn’t dismissing either, simply placing them in their correct order. As one of our most inspired thinkers, it strikes me that it’s a pretty safe bet to follow a path he’s already laid out for us if we want to live fabulous lives of inspiration ourselves.
That said, he also cautioned that “Intuition does not come to an unprepared mind”.

You need to put in the groundwork so you can be gifted with the power of inspiration. Vision requires dedication and three distinct qualities – receptivity, trust and surrender. Your intuition is constantly flowing, but it’s like a radio frequency you must actively tune into. The act of receptivity is the willingness to know that creative inspiration is available to you. The element of trust is not only to believe that it’s there for you, but to take action upon the information you’re given. The art of surrender is the willingness to be open to pursuing a course of action even when you don’t know why you have the impulse to follow it or what purpose it may serve.

When the rational mind – the servant – is ruling the roost, it misses opportunities because it won’t take action without a logical reason being in place beforehand. When intuition is in charge, action taken on a seemingly illogical impulse can lead to extraordinary turns of events that your rational mind may never have been able to contemplate.

Underlying this process is a force that’s deeper than how the law of attraction is currently portrayed via The Secret and other material of its ilk. To me, it’s the law of magnetism. It’s more profound than intent and attraction. It rests in a knowing that you are a spark of the divine and that when you tap into that knowledge you are tapping into an enormous well-spring of creativity, abundance and joy. It’s not an energy that strives. It’s a deeply feminine knowing that allows you to be receptive, to trust and to be peacefully confident without needing to control the outcome.

In her recent book, The Answer is Simple – Love Yourself, Live Your Spirit, Sonia Choquette writes elegantly of the essential spiritual truth about us all, saying “You’re Divine. You’re made of light, love and grace. You’re holy and your body and personality are the caretakers of this sacred presence. To house this Divinity in your being, in your physical self, is a gift and should be a pleasure. To accept your true nature is a huge, undeniable step toward self-love.”

Again, we hear echoes of Einstein, as Sonia Choquette reminds us that the gift lies in our essence, not our body or personality. And before any of us decide to come over all austere and self-denying on the basis of that little quote, let’s remember that the issue is not about denying ourselves the pleasures of life, but in getting our priorities right.

So, this week, let’s see if we can get the law of magnetism up and running in your life. If there’s something you really want to make happen, but clarity or achievement seem to be eluding you, go back to basics. The magic happens when you’re clear from the outset. Set aside some time to sit quietly and really sense how it feels to know that your true essence is divine. Imagine yourself sitting quietly in the centre of all the maelstrom the world can offer, simply allowing what is right for you to fall into your lap. Ponder on what you think you need and let it go, trusting that the right solution will find its way to you. Surrender your concepts of needing to know how it will happen. Just see it being brought to you elegantly and easily.

Then, whatever happens, just keep trusting. Maybe what you’re asking for is no longer what’s right for you. Maybe there’s a better option that can’t come through until you let go of the one you’ve set your sights on. If you find yourself stressed about it, take some time out to settle your energy back into peace and trust. If an impulse to take action arises and it feels right, go for it whether or not you know where it will lead. Have some faith in mystery. If it’s good enough for Einstein, it should be good enough for you!

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