I had a suggestion from one of my lovely students to explain a little more about intuition, how to develop it and how to trust it. And, well, being a huge Disney fan, I just had to include my theory from Finding Nemo when they are riding the EAC. Watch a short clip HERE.
You see, I think of intuition in terms of riding the EAC (East Australian Current.) Before I go any further, let me just say, that EVERYONE, I mean EVERYONE has the ability within them. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. We ALL have a sixth sense, some of us have just practiced developing it a little more than others. I believe when I am in the flow, things are coming to me easily and effortlessly. You know those days when you wake up feeling inspired, alive, awakened and start your day off with a smile, no rushing and just feel great…then you get in the car and on your way to work, traffic lets you get in, the lights are green and your favorite song plays on the radio. Those days when you smile upward (or inward) and say, “Thanks, God, I know that was you.” That’s what I’m talkin’ about…when we’re in the flow even the billboards seem to speak just to us, the right people call, things just fall into place! We don’t have to try to make things happen, or create all kinds of scenarios about ‘what if’ and ‘how,’ we just go with flow and the next thing you know we are aware of all of the beautiful ways that The Universe is conspiring to support and carry us. WE ARE LIVING IN THE MOMENT (though we usually don’t realize it at the time.) We are not worried about our plans for tomorrow or wishing we could do something about yesterday… we are not obsessing or worrying, we are just living in the energy of RIGHT NOW! And how beautiful it is to breathe in that energy, to feel it flowing through us! We feel invincible and awake! We feel guided to share with others, to give freely of ourselves, to spread our joy and bliss to everyone we meet! Aaaahh! Such freedom and peace flow easily and effortlessly through us! (Can you feel that same loving energy pouring out of my fingers as I type this right now?!)
On the other hand, when we get into a place of fear, worry, uncertainty and distrust, it usually breeds more of that…the yuck! (In the video, it was what the characters are referring to as the jellies.) It’s that feeling of stickiness and sluggishness that feels like you’re scraping up against a brillo pad or something. Everything seems difficult and just out of your reach…you get frustrated, people cut you off, lights are red, etc. Your thoughts and vision become muddled and murky. You lack inspiration and focus. You feel out of control and like you have to force things to happen. You feel heavy in your body. You may even experience pain or dis-ease of some kind. You usually have a lot of negative self-talk and others seem to be conspiring against you…You feel just plain stuck!
Luckily, these feelings of fear, stuckness and confusion are just temporary and will eventually pass when you seek a solution through action. Sometimes that next action may be to sit back, relax, do NOTHING and BREATHE! This can be difficult for those of us that are fixers…ya all know who you are…we are the ones that fret about the past and worry about the future. We are the ones that think things won’t get done, or get done correctly if we don’t make it happen. Now I’m not saying we don’t need to be proactive in our lives, but there is a difference in being inspired to create new experiences (which feels like the paragraph above) and forcing things, people, events to happen (which feels like a brillo pad; rough, abrasive, a lump in the throat, acidic stomach, knots in your neck, etc.) Sometimes you just gotta let go, take a walk, do the dishes, pray, go help someone else, do some journaling, turn on some music, spend time in nature, get a massage, take a nap, play with your kids or animals, whatever brings you joy…Sometimes that is the only action it takes to move back into the flow.
In the Nemo movie, Marlin is fighting so hard to stay afloat, that he bounces from one jelly to the next, all the while struggling to stay in control, and when he finally ‘loses control,’ he falls into a deep slumber after being zapped by the jellyfish. (Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone besides me?) Now, to many, that could seem like a loss, but in the very next scene, he finds himself flying through the EAC with grace and ease, all the while being supported by something bigger than him (in this particular clip, it’s Crush, the sea turtle.) I bet if you reflect back for a moment, you will see where you too, have been supported and carried through life. Sometimes that support comes in the form of other people: friends, family members, co-workers, etc. These people that on your perceived “off” times, were in their flow. That’s why there is no need for jealousy or comparison. EVER. When others are in the flow of life, when everything seems to be going their way, don’t get jealous or envious of their perceived success, give thanks and wish them well, for they will inevitably be the ones that will carry you back to the current of bliss when you lose your way!
At other times, Spirit (whatever YOUR understanding of what’s in charge of this beautiful expression of Love that we call Life may be), nature, animals, the elements and the like will be your remembrance of enlightenment, reminding you of who you TRULY are. That may mean practicing yoga or meditation, taking a walk outside, or sitting still and noticing your breath. (That’s the nice thing about breath, it only exists in the here and now, so you can tap into it at any given moment.) Go outside and FEEL the sun warming your skin, LISTEN to the sound of the bids chirping in flight, smell the pungent and fragrant blossoms of love, TASTE the sweetness of your breath as it rushes down your throat, expanding your lungs with new life force energy, SEE the brilliant shapes, colors and hues that your eyes dance upon, BE in your body!!! THIS is the moment Spirit exists…this is the only one! Right here, right now! Not in your past, not in your future…only here, only now. If you want to trust and expand your intuition, BE INSPIRED, BE IN SPIRIT, BE HERE NOW!! That may mean being present in the simplest of tasks of laundry, dishes, gardening or the like…you can even be present in the grocery store! Everywhere you are, there you are!! Practice riding the EAC wherever you are at any given moment! And here’s a little secret, when you recognize you are in the flow, GIVE THANKS! For it is in giving thanks that the flow expands! 🙂
One of my students often says, “Yes, but I just want to stay in that inspired state all the time. I just want to KNOW and TRUST that I know all the time…why can’t we just stay there?” and to that I say, as long as you are Spirit in the form of a human body, there will always be opportunities to grow and expand, learn and love. Some of those times will only seem painful and disconnected, but the truth is…You could never truly be out of the flow for YOU ARE THE FLOW!
Sometimes ya gotta grab some shell and just keep swimming…here we flow again…ride the wave, my friends!! (And you don’t have to do it alone.) WOOO HOO! RIGHTEOUS!! HANG LOOSE!!! WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!!!!!
