Did you ask?
The most important step to unlocking your intuitive insight might be the simplest
“When you asked us to visualize all those things, I saw all of them.” one attendee stated. "When you asked what do we need to hear, the word ‘heal’ popped in my head. But when you asked me what it felt like to sit next to someone I trust, I didn’t feel anything. What does that mean?”
"I don’t know.” I replied. “But if I were you, that’s a thread I would pull on.”
Questions like this pop up often when I chat with folks about intuitive experiences. Other similar refrains: I keep seeing the number 11 — what does that mean? Sometimes when I fall asleep, I see an image of Abraham Lincoln pop into my mind — what does that mean? Every time I hear (insert favorite politician) talk, I want to have a bowel movement — what does that mean? Ok, fine the last one might not be too hard to figure out. You get the point.
My response these days is often, “Did you ask?” And usually, I get kind of a puzzled look, as if I’ve completely disregarded the fact I’ve just asked me THE question. “Did you ask God, your guides, the sensation itself — did you ask it what it means or what it is trying to tell you?” After a loud pause, the answer more often than not is a sort of adrift and trailing ‘no’, a subtle acknowledgment the thought never even crossed their minds.
Learning to speak the language of intuition, to expand our dialogue with the soul, our psyche and the greater intelligence all around us, comes down to continually asking questions. To me, this is what “seeking” is all about. It’s about learning the art of simple questions. “What is this? Why is it showing up? What is this trying to tell me?” This goes for those spontaneous images, words or impulses that pop in and we don’t know what to make of. These are the obvious ones.
In the case of my dude at the workshop, where we eased into meditation for the sake of intentionally connecting with our intuitive senses, it works for what doesn’t arise as well. In his case, he noticed no sensation. If he were to stay with his meditative flow and ask guidance, “Hey, I am not able to access this feeling, why not? What is this trying to tell me?” I’d be extra curious to hear what response comes in next. This is the juicy juice of the process. And in the arc of our growth over a lifetime, it is far more valuable for us to ask this question to ourselves and integrate the response, rather than outsource an answer to someone else.
And here’s the really challenging part…
Sometimes, we don’t know. Sometimes, there’s not a clear cut answer. Sometimes, it’s the asking of a simple question that begins a slow psychological, emotional or spiritual unraveling of a tightly knotted thread that will reveal its true nature over time. Sure, you can go on ChatGPT and ask the stupid robot (it’s stupid, it’s a computer, a probability machine, it’s not intelligent I don’t care what anyone says) “What does this mean?”, and it will spit out a belligerently confident answer at the stroke of a key.
But we’re not computers. I don’t think this experience is a computer simulation. More and more everyday I come to view the expansion of our intuitive awareness much like the growth of a tree — a process of slowly becoming over time, a process of making unconscious things conscious. What starts as a simple sprout, grows into a stalk, turns into a few leaves, evolves eventually into a thick trunk with copious branches growing upward and outward. What drives this growth? Light.
Psychologically, spiritually, it is the light of awareness that grows us upward and outward as well. When we stumble into our blocks, like the feelings or sensations we can’t access in a moment of reflection, we can intentionally bring light to that area of our lives and see what’s hiding there in the dark by asking, “What’s this? What’s there? Show me what’s behind this”. And sometimes, the light of awareness reaches out to us — beckoning to engage in a discourse. A word, an image, an inspiration — reaching out to see if we’ll notice, if we’ll ask, if we’ll choose what it hopes to reveal to us about ourselves and our world.
So, the next time you get a spontaneous insight or find yourself seeking insight to no avail, ask the simple questions: what’s this? Why this? What is this word trying to reveal? What is this vision trying to show me? What is this silence trying to tell me? Then listen. The answer will come. Maybe not exactly in the moment. Possibly over a considerable amount of time, but it will come. As Jesus said, ask you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened.
Just ask the questions…
-jb
P.S. If you need help with asking questions, consider working with me by booking an introductory session :)
