Diversions & Pitfalls
on the Intuitive Path

by Nancy C. Pohle
& Ellen L. Selover

If we all have access to intuition, information that would help us live happier, more creative, and fulfilled lives, what is it that keeps us from tuning in to, recognizing, and benefiting from it? 

Without a doubt, the greatest impediment to effectively working with and understanding our own intuitive strengths is fear. It can take many forms: fear of what others might think; fear of looking foolish; fear of making a mistake; fear of the unknown; fear of consequences; fear of losing control. The list goes on.

Our fears can lead us into a state of denial, where we do not even recognize the promptings of our intuition when it tries to gain our attention. When we let these fears take hold, we are closing ourselves off from the greatest source of insight, help, and comfort that we have available to us.

If we let the voices of others speak louder, whether they are our closest friends and relatives of today or the authoritarian voices and childhood tauntings of years past, we give them greater power than our own insights. 

Janice shared an experience in which her fears nearly overrode her intuition regarding the purchase of a used car. Because she was aware that she was letting fear take precedence, she found a way to work through it and take action instead of remaining immobilized:

"I needed to replace my ten-year-old, unreliable car. I searched the local dealerships and newspapers while researching information on the makes and models of the vehicles I was seeing.

"One evening, I test-drove a compact sedan, and as I tooled around the neighborhood, I felt an opening in my heart. I was really excited about the car, as it seemed a good fit. I had it assessed by my mechanic, then contacted the bank about a loan. Every time I thought about the car and the people I was buying it from, it felt right. Then fears crept in, and I became obsessed with 'what ifs': What if my intuition is wrong, and there's something better out there for me? What if I get this car now, and then find what I really wanted at an unbelievable price? What if I don't get this car, and my old one completely falls apart? What if I'm not able to sell my old car? What if my friends don't like it? I was driving myself crazy.

"Finally, I asked in prayer what I should do, as I was finding it difficult to remember my positive intuitive response while all these fears were holding court. The thought came to mind to work with an exercise I had learned many years before in Lucia Capacchione's book, The Power of Your Other Hand. This exercise is intended to help give voice to the unexpressed emotions and impressions that influence our self-image, self-esteem, and behavior. I began by writing, with my dominant hand, questions regarding how I felt about the car and the situation in general. With my non-dominant hand, I wrote the responses, a process that helps to disengage normal rational thought and allows suppressed or forgotten thoughts and emotions to come to the surface.

"After a few questions, the voice that came through in my writing was that of my inner child, to whom I had paid little attention over the years. What I learned was that she was afraid that if I purchased this car, I would pay even less attention to her need for expression, that is, my need to play, be lighthearted, and to laugh. The car that I was considering was very different from the sport utility vehicle that she wanted but I couldn't afford. So, my inner child felt ignored and fought back by creating confusion.

"Because of the writing exercise, I was able to mentally tune in to my inner child and made a commitment to take care of my need for excitement and play. Then I went out and purchased the car, which has served me very well."

Low Self-Esteem

If allowing fears to take hold can be so detrimental to our development, why do we let it happen? Why do fears take precedence over our inner knowledge? One reason is low self-esteem. We forget that we are children of God, divine beings with a divine inheritance who have direct access to all the help and guidance we need. We doubt our own ability to be in touch with our higher self, or that it even exists. We enfold ourselves in thoughts and feelings that disguise our true nature. The litany of self-effacement sounds something like, "I'm not good enough," "I'm not worthy," "I don't know how," "I can't..." When we lend energy to such thoughts, we feed our fears rather than the divine spark within and thus dull our senses to the messages we might otherwise receive.

Perhaps our Western culture's emphasis on acquired knowledge is partly to blame. Most of us spend many years in school. In traditional institutions, we collect information in a linear, rational way, often denying our own innate knowledge. Nonlinear thinking is generally not appreciated, at best, and is frequently discouraged, either through blatant criticism or dismissive attitudes of its validity. After years of this non-supportive response, most sensitive people learn to squelch the expression of their true feelings. Perhaps the key to integrating the inner voice with acquired knowledge is in finding ways to couch intuitive insights in more conventionally acceptable terms, allowing for an appropriate expression in any given circumstance.

Loss of Attunement or Unclear Intent

The Cayce readings (Edgar Cayce 1877-1945) are very clear that in order to tune in to our higher selves through our intuitive capabilities, we must keep spiritual growth as our primary focal point. Maintaining regular spiritual practices is absolutely essential to establishing and nourishing that attunement.

In addition to focused spiritual attunement, we need to be clear about our intent and clarifying our ideals. If we allow self-glorification, control over others, or a desire to simply make life easier to become our guiding motivation, we lose our connection to our true ideal. Most often, this creates a muddying effect on our intuitive senses, causing insights to become inaccurate or unreliable. To remain true to our higher selves, the readings suggest that unconditional love and service to others should be our guiding lights.

Continued in Part II:
Pitfalls on the Intuitive Path;
Judging Others;
Misinterpreting Signals; 
Steps to Intuitive Development

This article was excerpted from:

"Awakening the Real You: Awareness Through Dreams and Intuition" by Nancy C. Pohle & Ellen L. Selover

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About The Authors

Nancy C. Pohle has lectured, counseled, and taught classes on dreams and intuition throughout the U. S. and Canada for more than eighteen years. She was featured internationally on Voice of America radio and appeared on A&E's Biography: Edgar Cayce as a representative of the Association for Research and Enlightenment.
 
Ellen L. Selover is a lifelong student of the Edgar Cayce readings. Her tenure on the staff of the Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc., has included international study group coordinator, manager of youth programs, and program manager with membership and the Mission in Life Institute. This article was excerpted with permission from their book "Awakening the Real You", ©1999, A.R.E. Press, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. www.are-cayce.com

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