trusting your inner-guide and why it matters
summary
In this teaching we explore the Taoist understanding of the Inner-Guide (intuition, gut-feeling, inner-knowing, spirit-guide, higher-self etc…) and how you can connect to the profound spiritual knowledge and wisdom within you.
listen to the podcast
full teaching transcript
David James Lees:
Never doubt that you have a powerful, creative, supremely wise and resourceful Inner-Guide within.
Once you connect to and start a dialogue with this authentic spiritual force, life’s possibilities and potential become limitless.
So why not get to know your Inner-Guide more intimately?
An Inner-Guide is not the exclusive territory of a psychic, intuitive, devoutly spiritual or special person…
The Taoists teach that you are already complete and whole – part of a greater Oneness. This means that no one is more special or deserving than the next person. YOU absolutely have the same opportunity to access your inner spiritual knowledge, IF you choose to do so.
Just accepting this teaching and truth without doubt brings you one step closer to connecting with your Inner-Guide.
There are many names for this inner guiding wisdom, but I believe they are all describing the same universal guiding energy…
Don’t dismiss the concept of an Inner-Guide just because the name does not resonate with you.
Throughout the ages and across all cultures and societies there are many terms that try to capture and define this magical and profound spiritual energy, knowledge and potential within every human being.
I refer to my Inner-Guide from the Taoist perspective as: ‘the Sage’. Here are some names or concepts that may feel more comfortable or familiar to you: intuition, gut-feeling, instinct, inner-truth, inner-voice, inner-knowing, spirit-guide, guiding angels, higher-self, higher-vibration, or simply ‘being in the zone’.
Whatever you choose to call it, your Inner-Guide is 100% PART of YOU – it’s NOT separate from you…
The Taoists teach that you are made up from Yin spirit energy and Yang human energy, and that the Yang energy includes the energy of your mind, body and emotions.
You come from spirit energy, you will go back to spirit energy, whatever you believe that spirit energy to be, and therefore you are spiritual energy expressed in human form.
It is the Yin spirit energy that is your Inner-Guide and your direct connection to your cosmic source. In human form this energy remains a vital part of the essence of who you are – you could say it’s your authentic self.
No one can give this spirit energy to you and, no matter what happens to you in your life, no one can EVER take it from you.
You never lose this powerful connection to the Cosmos, but you can choose to ignore or doubt it!
Taoist philosophy teaches that the authentic spiritual truth, guidance and answers you are seeking in any life situation should always come from that Yin Spirit or Inner-Guide WITHIN YOU, and not from someone or something else.
This understanding may require a profound paradigm shift in your thinking and beliefs as it means that YOUR spiritual truth will NEVER be sourced from external places or people…
– Your truth is NOT found in other people’s opinions
The views of those family and friends close to you or guidance from teachers or ‘gurus’ should never be followed without question or debate.
Other people, no matter how authentic and loving their intentions may be, can only communicate and pass on their experiences and their truth. You must remember that this may not necessarily be YOUR journey or truth.
Others can inspire you to find your path but no one else can give you your answers – they are only found within you.
– Your truth is NOT found in material things
You should not become a follower or a slave to material things just because they may give you a short term feel-good factor. Taoists teach this as ‘the well that quickly runs dry’. It will never be a sustainable source of spiritual nourishment.
– Your truth in NOT found in external Gods, Goddesses, Divine Beings, Higher Powers or Angels
Taoist philosophy teaches that these spiritual concepts exist, but in so far as they live WITHIN YOU. You are at ‘One’ with these and every other energetic entity in the Cosmos.
To believe that such spirit presences are somehow separate from you, or on a higher or more advanced level to you, is a spiritual misunderstanding. These are all terms that refer to the same magnificent spiritual energy that manifests through your Yin Spirit and Inner-Guide.
So why should you make your Inner-Guide your best friend?
BENEFIT #1: You become more balanced and harmonious and in your ‘flow’
Taoists teach that you can view your Yin Spirit as a ‘Guiding Mother’ energy, whose role is to manage the more child-like, immature and excitable energy of your human Yang Mind, also referred to as your ‘Inner-Child’.
When balanced harmoniously together your Yin and Yang energies, the Inner-Guide and the Inner-Child, makeup the beautiful oneness and wholeness of you – you can be both at the same time.
The Yang energy of your mind and Inner-Child can be positively animated, creative and forceful – all of which are great qualities if correctly balanced and harnessed.
If, however, you’re the energy of your Yang Mind is not guided and harmonised correctly, in its extreme form it can also manifest as the fearful and scared thinking of your Inner-Child, and the critical, judgemental, doubting and controlling thoughts of your unbalanced, inauthentic Yang Ego Mind.
If left unchecked, this energetic imbalance gives rise to uncomfortable emotional feelings that I call ‘red lights’. These are more commonly labelled as stress, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and many of the other emotional health issues that I work with on a daily basis with my clients.
This is where your Inner-Guide can come to the rescue!
When you’re suffering from an energetic imbalance like this you need to first remember that your Yang Mind and Inner-Child is NOT your enemy. It just wants to protect you and keep you safe from the unknown. It requires love, reassurance, guidance and education from your Yin Mother energy.
When your human and spirit energies can co-operate and harmonise, balanced is restored.
This is why starting a dialogue with your Inner-Guide and spirit centre is so important, particularly during challenging life situations.
This dialogue will allow you to manage and balance your Yang energy and fearful Inner-Child, which would otherwise go into extreme overdrive and out of balance when presented with uncertain, unfamiliar or challenging learning situations.
When you’re able to nurture your Inner-Child so that both Yin and Yang energies are harmonised you achieve the blissful state of ‘Wu Wei’. This is the amazing state of ‘flow’ enabling you to live your life in your ‘sweet-spot’ of effortless-effort and unique happiness.
BENEFIT #2: You create a powerful spiritual connection to the Cosmos that is waiting to support you.
Connecting to and being receptive to your Inner-Guide means that you are open to your softer Yin Spirit nature and the energetic thread that connects you back to your spiritual source.
When you start to pay attention to and work with your Inner-Guide and the Yin Spirit essence within you, it’s like plugging yourself into a spiritual power point of unlimited energy.
When you reconnect the supporting and loving energy of the Cosmos flows into and through you IMMEDIATELY!
You don’t have to wait or earn this support or love. The Cosmos does not pass judgement on whether you are worthy or deserving.
The positive energy just flows.
This is what the Taoists refer to as ‘Yi Tao Qi Tao’ also known as the ‘Law of Attraction‘.
This connection is your birth-right.
This is the way of nature. This is the way of the TAO.
How to tune your Inner-Guide right now and the #1 mistake to avoid
The best way to connect to your Inner-Guide is to take 10 -15 minutes out of your day and find a quiet place where you won’t be distracted or disturbed. Allow yourself time to relax and clarify your mind and then meditate on the situation, issue or question you want guidance on.
Be patient. Allow the thoughts and ideas of your Inner-Guide to arise from within you.
You may sense a little resistance to this process at first, but be open-minded and kind to yourself as you start this dialogue with your Inner-Guide.
Many clients tell me they don’t know the difference between the voice of their Yin authentic spiritual Inner-Guide and that of their Yang Ego Mind or fearful Inner-Child.
This is a critical question and it’s where many people can become unstuck or disillusioned with this process.
So how DO you know the difference between your Yin spiritual Inner-Guide and your Yang Ego Mind?
The answer is that your Yang Ego Mind will always talk AT YOU but your Yin Inner-Guide will always speak from WITHIN YOU.
TIP #1: Be mindful of the thoughts and words that arise when you start this inner-dialogue
Never confuse the scared, doubting, critical and judgemental voice and self-talk of your out-of-balance Yang Ego Mind with the softer, calmer, loving voice of your Yin Inner Truth.
Your Yang Ego Mind will strive for perfection and will seek certainty of outcomes. It will want to protect you by boldly rushing in with answers and solutions as it tries to gain control of people and events in your life.
By contrast, your Yin Inner-Voice is more accepting, trusting, loving and open to change. It knows that it cannot and should not manipulate external situations. It understands that the only thing that it should seek to master is within. It trusts that life solutions and opportunities will be revealed in good time and remains open to receive these blessings.
Can you now begin to spot the difference between the qualities of your Yang Ego Mind and the voice of your Yin Spirit and Inner-Guide?
TIP #2: Your sensations, feelings and emotions are also great guide
When you call upon your Inner-Guide, if what you hear back creates fearful, negative and uncomfortable sensations or emotions (‘red lights’) within you, then you know it’s your Yang Ego Mind talking at you.
By contrast, if the messages or thoughts that arise create feelings of peace, positive outcomes or resolutions, hope, satisfaction or joy, then you know you’re tuned into the true spiritual Inner-Guide within you.
~~~
So, I hope you can now start to nurture a great relationship with your Inner-Guide and Yin Spirit energy.
Make time today to start a dialogue with your Inner-Guide, the voice of your greatest and wisest supporter and ally.
Choose to connect to this powerful spiritual truth and potential within you.
Yi Tao Qi Tao
David
want more support
Discover how David can help you rebalance your health and wellbeing with his one-to-one sessions.
You can also:
- join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Facebook Group where you’ll find lots more guidance and discussion
- sign up for our free weekly email newsletter with all our latest teachings and news.
If you have any questions or would like more information on our work please contact us – we’re always happy to help.
like this post?
Please share it! This helps to pass on the positive Qi of our work to others who may benefit…