When we’re first getting in tune with our intuition, it can often feel very confusing and difficult to hear because the other influences & voices that speak to us are so much louder.
Intuition is subtle and much quieter than fear, judgment, shame, the ego, or the logical voice of the mind.
It is also persistent, ever-present, extremely calm and deeply loving.
Your intuition will never speak to you negatively or punitively.
(It may say, “Get the hell out of the way!” if there’s an imminent threat to your wellbeing, but it will never put you down or speak to you unkindly.)
When you’re first learning to listen to your inner voice after years and years of conditioning, societal pressure, and silencing your true self… it can be especially challenging. The other voices can actually get LOUDER at this time.
In psychology and the world of classical conditioning, this is known as extinction or extinguishing a behavior. Through this process, we gradually weaken our conditioned response in order to create a brand new one in its place.
As we first begin to let go of an unwanted behavior and create a new one, all the old conditioning we’ve carried within us comes back stronger than before.
Think about this like a child who usually gets his way, and suddenly doesn’t. What happens when he doesn’t get what he wants?
He may scream, kick and fall to the floor. When that doesn’t work, he may say mean things to his parents trying to make them give in. When he still hasn’t received the response he wants, he may cry and see if that creates a different result.
Through the extinction process, the key is not to give in to these old habits and ways of being. It is so important during this stage of transition to simply ride out the waves of emotion and all the pleading voices that come along with them until they settle within.
Once these conditioned pieces of self understand that the old ways aren’t working anymore, they will eventually relax and begin to get on board.
THEN you will be able to quiet the intensity of the mind and more clearly hear your intuitive voice.
This is all a process along the road to tuning in to your own inner compass and distinguishing your intuition from the other influences within and around you.
Want to dive in deeper? Intuitive YES!, my 6-week program to tune into your intuition to change your life from within begins September 25.
Tawny