this is part of a multi-part series on discernment. what are my ways of discerning what some traditions would call “god’s will” and what others might call in alignment with highest good for me or what deepak chopra calls communication from our nonlocal intelligence? i will use the terms “god’s will,” “highest good” “nonlocal communication” interchangeably throughout the series so look alive. click through the first post to see what lies ahead or what i’ve already brought forth–how do i discern what is in alignment with my highest good (and why might i want to)?
its hard to start with big stuff
a while back, i noticed that i tended to avoid seeking my higher wisdom about big things because i didn’t trust my own ability to discern what was really true for me. then i got an idea: what if i starting trying to discern more on really small decisions, instead of waiting for big ones? that way the stakes were not high if i relied to my detriment (as the lawyers say) on what i thought i was receiving.
so i started doing it. when i was lost in my car and had time to make a mistake, instead of consulting gps i would stop, use one of my discernment tools, and then go the way i was led to go.
i need to actually do it
this last part is key: i cannot build trust in my ability to discern my highest good unless i actually follow it. i need to see what actually happens. when i actually do what i’m shown to do and it’s great i am building my belief in my own guidance. i am more likely to do it the next time.
collateral magic
every time that i can remember following my inner rather than outer gps, the result was marvelous. not only would i get where i was trying to go, but sometimes it would result in other collateral magic: a great parking space, a “chance” encounter that led to something important (see post on coincidence), a beautiful street i’d never seen before.
discernment laboratory
other small discernment moments produced equally lovely results. should i meet a friend for lunch? should i schedule this phone call? when should i have it? a typical day is filled with a lot of little judgment calls (so a week has seven times as many)–so many opportunities to play in the discernment laboratory.
get your “n” up
as i get my “n” up (you may remember from studying statistics that n= the number of times something has occurred), the chance that the results are statistically significant goes up dramatically. this is just a pretentious way of saying that the more i practice consulting and following my highest good, the more likely i am to consult and follow it when it really counts.
the sweeter life becomes
and actually, it all counts. the small stuff really makes a difference too. the more i consult and follow, the closer i feel to my higher power. the closer i feel, the more supported and less alone i feel, and the sweeter my life becomes.