(Isn’t it amazing that such a thing as hot, running water is even possible? It’s easy to forget what a blessing this truly is. Until it disappears, that is. Then it becomes very apparent!)
Before that happened, my busy day got rearranged, leaving me with a few spare hours in the afternoon. Curiously, I had a nudge to shower and wash my hair. Weird. I usually shower before bed and wasn’t planning on messing my masses of hair, but whatever. I’ve learned to listen to the nudge.
As luck would have it, I was in the shower, longer than normal as hair washing is a bit of an ordeal when you have lots of it, and the water began to cool.
I was in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing to notice that there was a problem.
Coincidentally (ha! I don’t believe in coincidence), a part that was needed for my refrigerator shelf that had collapsed earlier in the week (was this all part of the plan? 🤔) just arrived and my landlord was sending over the handy man to replace it shortly.
We chatted about the water and he turned up the temperature on the heater. This made no sense to me- clearly the heater is defective, it didn’t just turn itself down mysteriously. But these are the steps you need to go through as a renter.
Unsurprisingly, there was no change. But since I got my report in when I did and got myself showered in advance, there is no actual problem. Just a repair that needs to happen.
And that’s scheduled for today, most likely when I’m at work, meaning minimal disruption for me.
This story doesn’t really merit telling as nothing really happened. And, for me, that’s generally how it goes. When I follow my guidance, there are no big dramas to report. Things don’t always go as planned, but they work out one way or another, without a big production.
So next time you have an urge to do something out of the ordinary that might not make sense, consider what future inconveniences you might be avoiding.
The trick is in slowing down and paying attention so the messages can get through the mental clutter. If you like hot showers, maybe it’s time to start your intuition training!
Reiki can help calm the monkey mind and connect you to that inner voice. If you don’t have the pleasure of living near Philly, there are always remote sessions, which are an amazing way to get synched up with your inner wisdom.
I’ve compiled all the intuition chronicles into one place for your convenience. They are not linear, so I’d suggest letting your inner compass guide you to the article that is most aligned with your current needs.
Yesterday I lost hot water. (Isn’t it amazing that such a thing as hot, running water…
Intuitive guidance has become so woven into my daily life that I often don’t even notice it anymore. I don’t mean “don’t notice” as in I ignore it. No way! I mean “don’t notice” as in it’s become the water that I swim in; so much so that doesn’t seem unusual anymore.
I practiced my skills until they became second nature. Just like I don’t have to think about tying my shoes, catching messages from sources beyond my ego-mind has become embedded into my life.
If you’re just getting started, it might feel frustrating that you need to do the equivalent of playing musical scales and conjugating French verbs. Repeatedly.
But for most people, that’s how it goes. Yet, what often happens is that someone gets a wild hair to tap into their previously estranged intuition for the purposes of making The Biggest Decision Ever.
Should I move to Australia? Sell my home and travel with the band? Marry a guy I met last week who feels like my twin flame?
That’s a pretty big ask. It’s unlikely that you’ll trust whatever answer comes through. With good reason.
I suggest starting with the small stuff. For example, earlier this week I felt a nudge to cook a batch of chickpeas. I had no use for them at the time, so it didn’t make sense, but whatever. I froze them. The week before, the same with pesto.
This week I got a head of radicchio in my produce delivery and went in search of a recipe online because I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. Apparently it pairs well with pesto-flavored chickpeas. 🤔
Just the other day, I had a niggling feeling, as if I had forgotten something important. After confirming that my work schedule was indeed synched with my calendar and there was nothing urgent pending, I sat with that feeling. It urged me to go to the store. Not the closest one, but whatever, I know better than to argue!
As I pulled up, I notice an employee carrying in bouquets. Fresh flowers bring me a lot of joy, so I’ve been treating myself to them lately. But the last batch seemed kinda old and didn’t last very long before getting wilty, so I hadn’t bothered since then.
These were just delivered, were as fresh as possible, and I could feel a surge of YES! in my body when I saw them.
One more. Yesterday I was sent to another store, this one even farther away (by city standards, farther = 6 miles instead of 3, but adds on 20+ minutes of driving time), only to find that almost everything on my list was on sale. I saved a hefty chunk of cash because I listened to my inner nudge.
So here we have three incidents within the span of a week that were all pretty minor, simple domestic tasks, that made my life better somehow, but had no pressure involved. This is how we can grow our Trust muscles. By practicing in the arena where the consequences are minimal, following through, and recognizing the rewards.
Do this for a while and you’ll get good at noticing the nudges and then when a big one drops, it will be a lot easier to catch it and say, heck yeah, I’m moving to Philadelphia.
(That happened to me 11 years ago!)
I’ll note that in addition to practicing in the shallow end, I’ve also made myself available to receive these messages. That comes from cultivating presence, awareness, and a willingness to be guided. You can ask all day long for the intuitive suggestions, but it doesn’t do much good if you’re running around putting out fires constantly and don’t notice when they arrive.
I’m working on a mini-workshop about presence, synthesizing all the body-mind-spirit tools I’ve collected over the past few decades. I have a lot to say about this, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, heed those inner nudges and do your best to take guided action. Maybe even keep a log so you have handy dandy “proof” to refer to when you doubt yourself.
It’s hard to argue against your knowings when you can look back at a series of beneficial experiences that resulted from following your gut.
Intuitive guidance has become so woven into my daily life that I often don’t even notice…
Once again, guidance has arrived for me, seemingly out of thin air. As it happens on a daily basis, there is no doubt in my mind that it isn’t a coincidence that odd things catch my attention as I’m going about my days. If you’re interested in intuition and receiving Divine Guidance, I have a story for you.
A few weeks ago, I was out for a walk in Nature, visiting the creek. I noticed a man gazing at the flowing water and (in my head) heard “What’s he looking at?” in a tone distinct from my usual voice.
This got my attention! He didn’t appear to be overly friendly, so instead of saying, “Hey mister, whatchya looking at?”, I lingered until he moved along and then I took his place at the fence.
Holy #@$%! (That was definitely my own voice.) There’s a heron standing in the creek! In the six years I’ve frequented this park, I’ve only once seen a heron here.
I was transfixed. I wanted to share this exciting news, but all the people passing by were plugged into devices or conversations, so instead, I enjoyed this visitation in quiet reverence.
I noticed how he (yes, that’s the sense I got. I have no proof, but it felt right to call him a he) stood upright, very still in the middle of the creek. Watching. Waiting. Fishing, obviously, but in a very dignified way.
Not like the ducks I see every day who look like they’re bobbing for apples or the smaller birds who dart around constantly.
No, this guy was letting the fish come to him.
“I’m gonna just stand here until my fish comes by,” seemed to be the message he was transmitting.
I eventually moved on, keeping one eye of the path, the other on the creek.
Soon I saw a big lump of … is that a duck? Very unusual. Especially as I only moments ago thought about the amusing upside-down ducks I often see here, with their heads underwater and butts in the air.
This duck was all tucked into itself, sleeping on a log. A sitting duck. That phrase describes someone who is exposed and vulnerable. And a few feet away, on that same log, a turtle. Sunning himself, as they do. This guy had stuck out his neck as if watching over the duck. Very curios indeed.
Heron, duck, turtle.
There’s a message here.
I just KNEW it.
I could do an online search for “spiritual meaning” of these animals, but I prefer to work with my own personal Lexicon.
What do they mean to me?
I’m not going to get into the whole interpretation. It’s directly related to the new moon intention I set recently and more personal than I care to share online. The process was simple, though. I spent some time with my journal brainstorming about “wait for the bounty to come to you”, “sitting duck”, “stick out your neck for a friend” and in a few minutes had a reasonably clear insight about action to take in conjunction with the seeds I planted on the new moon.
While I’m not publishing the complete message, I did want to share this as a sort of formula: being open to intuition, catching the clues, and working them out for myself.
Most importantly, I was available to receive the message unlike everyone around me who was focused on their exercise, music or screen. I was present, tuned into the environment and available to receive the message.
On my return trip, the heron lifted off and I was treated to the view of his huge wingspan, which caused me to gasp and my jaw to drop. Yet, nobody else noticed. 🤔
I later opened the Merlin app that I use to identify birdsong. I laughed to find the bird of the day is… wait for it… a heron. Coincidence or confirmation?
It’s been some time since I wrote about connecting with intuition. It’s become such a part of my daily life that I don’t much think about it. But it’s come up often in sessions with clients lately, so it was on my mind this morning.
You may be thinking, hey Pamela, you’re always talking about following the breadcrumbs, isn’t that the same as intuition? That’s fair. I often wonder this myself.
Here’s what I have to offer from my current level of understanding. The “breadcrumbs” are from an external source, call it Life, Love, God, the Universe, Spirit, guiding me. I differentiate this from my “intuition” which is the internal nudge I feel to take notice of the breadcrumbs.
Intuition is how I receive Divine Guidance. Lots of people say they want access, but they haven’t practiced being still and quiet long enough for the messages to get through. Like in the good ole days when you actually had to answer the phone while it was ringing to speak to the caller. You had to be at home, ready and able to pick up the phone. You couldn’t be on another call or in the shower or have your hands full, metaphorically or literally.
Nowadays what I see are people constantly consuming (scrolling, watching reels, plugged into podcasts or plain old digital nonsense), which does not leave any space for messages to drop in. If you can’t walk your dog around the block without staring at a screen, well, come on, how do you expect magical information to reach you?
In between smart phone addiction and living in a cave in the Himalayas, there’s a vast middle ground where we can cultivate capacity to receive. I recorded a lesson and practice on the “why and how to receive” theme and it’s available in The Toolshed. This is my latest offering where I post a practical tool for subscribers each month on a hot-topic.
You can learn to be receptive if you make time and are capable of paying attention. There are tons of ways to do this, so you needn’t visit The Toolshed if it doesn’t resonate. But you’ll likely have to do something. Burning bushes are exceedingly rare and I’ve yet to meet someone who enjoyed an intuitive connection who didn’t have a major intervention in the form of accident or illness who wasn’t devoted to some form of practice.
Sure, like Mozart, some people are naturally gifted, but most of us have to put in the time to develop our skills.
My intuition has been an invaluable resource for me. I usually feel like I’m on my path, moving in the appropriate direction and that everything will work out somehow. When I’m not, I feel like I’m being thrown about without a raft in the stormy seas.
Reiki has been the bridge that helped me get out of the perpetual thought loops and land in my body, capable of intercepting messages.
Getting into a rhythm with treatments or learning to give yourself Reiki consistently (Yes! You can easily learn how to use Reiki. Anyone can do this and I can teach you!) could be the portal you’ve been looking for to access your intuition and its priceless wisdom.
Once again, guidance has arrived for me, seemingly out of thin air. As it happens on…
Last week I was in a neighborhood park. A few unruly dogs herded me away from my usual bench and I found a quiet spot by the little pond.
From there, I could see some shapes moving under the water. Upon closer inspection, I realized that there were several turtles swimming towards me. They were coming from all directions towards what I later learned was called the turtle bridge.
Locals had used slices of fallen trees to create a turtle- friendly habitat.
It was a joy to watch this mini-migration and I got to thinking about the spiritual message turtles share.
Slow and steady wins the race was the first thing that came to mind. This is an adage that suits me well and it’s always nice to be reminded that my natural rhythms are productive.
Then, after seeing a dozen comrades come together, climb up on the bridge and extend their necks, another thought began to brew.
Wait till you’re amongst friends before sticking your neck out. This was the behavior I witnessed and I wondered if there was something more to it.
Yes, I know it was probably a desire to soak up some warmth from the sun, but I’m wondering if there’s some metaphorical wisdom to be harvested here.
Last week I was in a neighborhood park. A few unruly dogs herded me away from…
Last week I had a short break in between sessions and took my book outside. I didn’t want to take the time to walk to my usual outdoor bench and instead chose the picnic table at the playground next to my office.
I gave up trying to read because of the kids making a giant ruckus on the monkey bars and was simply sitting there enjoying the sunshine when I noticed I had a visitor.
A praying mantis! Such an unusual creature. I’m pretty sure they’re alien. I mean, those eyes are just too weird. He sat there a while looking at me and then crawled over the edge, presumably under the table. Or into an another dimension. Who knows?!
After I stopped obsessing about the possibility of alien-like bugs lurking out of sight all over the place, I sensed that there was a deeper message to this encounter.
I thought about how still he (don’t ask my why, but this guy definitely seemed like a he) was. How slow and deliberate his movements. I took it as a sign to slow myself down and be more pray-full throughout my days.
I receive guidance like this all the time. From nature and unusual events and characters that cross my path. The trick is paying attention. So often we’re just rushing about going to the next place that we don’t even notice the messages that appear right in front of us.
If had just gone to my normal spot, I would have missed this guy. If I had forced my eyes on my book even though I couldn’t pay attention to the words, I would have missed it too. If I hadn’t heeded the urge to get out of the office, just for 15 minutes, I definitely would have missed all the opportunities to have any live interactions.
If you have access to Reiki, you can do a practice, or series of practices, intending to be a better receiver of beneficial messages. And most of us could probably pay better attention to the world around us, keeping our eyes and hearts open to meaningful signs from the universe. Even the really weird ones. 😉
Last week I had a short break in between sessions and took my book outside. I…
Developing access to intuition is a whole lot easier when we start with the basics. Rather than jumping in the deep end when the pressure is on, we can start in the kiddie pool and practice until we get the hang of it. Approaching intuition like any other skill that takes time to master can prevent us from unrealistic expectations.
I’ve been collecting the real-life, seemingly silly presentations of my inner voice. None of these are monumental, and that’s exactly why I was able to benefit. There was nothing much on the line, so I could relax into the practice. I track these incidents so I can build trust in the process. When I can look back at a series of messages that were indeed in my best good, I’m more able to welcome the next message that comes through, even when it doesn’t make much sense in that moment.
Intuition: Get a spoon.
Me: What? No. I’m just going to the bedroom. I won’t need a spoon in there.
Me, 20 minutes later, in the bedroom, wishing I had a spoon.
Intuition: Put the house key in your pocket.
Me: Why? I’m not going outside.
Me, 3 hours later, locked out. GAH!
Intuition: Go to the co-op now.
Me: Are you crazy? It’s senior discount day, it will be super crowded. Fine, I’ll play along, but I don’t really want to…
Me, 15 minutes later at the co-op finding everything on my list on a one-day-only sale and running in to a client who wants to schedule another session but never remembers to email me.
People want access to intuition when a big change looms, but if they haven’t developed trust already, it can be difficult to hear. It would be like showing up at the marathon without having done any training.
In addition to paying attention to the unbidden guidance, you can ask for specific answers. Start with something easy.
Me: What should I wear?
Intuition: Sneakers!
Me: Really? I was thinking I should wear the cute (but not entirely comfortable) sandals.
Me, later in the day: Oh, am I going on an unexpected three mile walk? So glad I’m wearing sneakers!
Me: What should I watch on TV?
Intuition: Let’s watch this show that a friend suggested.
Me: What? I’m not really in the mood for a documentary.
Me, an hour later: Wow that was awesome and answered my question about how to treat this annoying problem.
Once you get a few dozen of these playful episodes under your belt, you can assess if you’re ready to tackle some bigger issues. But if you haven’t yet conditioned your intuition muscles, expecting clarity on a major life decision is likely going to lead to confusion and frustration.
Today’s a great day to get started with the basics. Choose a notebook or app to track your intuitive experiences. Make note of the ideas that appear out of nowhere. Ask for guidance on everyday issues. Follow that guidance! And remember to log the results.
Developing access to intuition is a whole lot easier when we start with the basics. Rather…
One of the most common desires I hear from students and clients alike is to be more in touch with their intuition. There is a genuine yearning there, but often a lack of clarity about how to proceed. When people put pressure on themselves to jump from novice to expert quickly and divine answers to major life questions before developing the basics, it can get even more difficult.
Today I want to talk about an important, oft undeveloped skill: listening. One of the biggest difficulties I see that gets in the way of receiving our guidance is being too busy going, doing, thinking, planning, analyzing, etc. for the messages even to get through.
It’s like asking a question and then continuing talking rather than waiting for a response. Our intuition is always available, but we need to learn how to listen.
The other night I received a directive that is the perfect example of how easy it can be. As I was getting ready for bed, I heard, “Check the door.” It wasn’t exactly a voice in my head, but it wasn’t a thought either. A sort of transmission from my higher self, perhaps?
Checking the door is not part of my usual nighttime routine. Since I have a strong habit of closing and locking the door immediately when I arrive home, I don’t check to see that it’s locked before I go to bed. I’ve never once found the door to be unlocked in the morning. And I’ve never seen anyone in my apartment building who didn’t belong here, so it’s doubtful that it would be a problem if it wasn’t locked.
There was absolutely no reason to check the door. It was not a fear-based thought born of reading the neighborhood watch alerts or the news. It was just a simple, clear call to action. Much more clear than my dream messages, that’s for sure! And because I was in a relaxed state, having just completed my evening meditation, it arrived without any interference.
It would have been easy to write it off as nonsense. But this ain’t my first rodeo, so check the door I did. And… would you believe it was unlocked? What?!
This is how we learn to trust our inner voice. By slowing down and quieting the mind so that we can hear it, being open to the messages it’s trying to deliver and trusting that there is a reason for them, even if we don’t understand what that reason is.
Who knows what would have happened had I ignored this prompt. For sure I would have been upset with myself in the morning. Instead, I got out my trusty intuition journal and added a recording of the incident, to further cement my desire to be in communication with my higher self and take action as guided. I’ve acquired quite a bit of “proof” on these pages that reminds me to keep my ears open.
Connecting with our inner wisdom might seem like an arduous and mysterious path, but it doesn’t have to be. Asking for guidance, making ourselves available to receive it (just like we had to do in the olden days when waiting for a phone call!), listening to the answers, and following through. All easy steps, but worthless unless actually taken.
Over time, you’ll begin to trust yourself. That’s where the journal comes in handy. But really, it’s all about practice, practice, practice. If you want to be in touch with your intuition, you have to do the work just as you need to make an effort to learn most new skills.
I’ve found Reiki to be an invaluable tool for helping me to be calm enough to listen and clear enough to understand my intuition better. It helps propel me from just knowing what to do into actually doing it.
Let’s chat about this if you’re interested in adding this amazing tool into your repertoire. Anyone can easily learn how to give themselves Reiki and have lifetime access to healing energy at their fingertips. I’m happy to design a course that will give you the exact knowledge you need to cultivate connection with your inner knowing.
One of the most common desires I hear from students and clients alike is to be…
I do my best to capture messages from my dreams, but sometimes it’s difficult. Yesterday morning I woke with a fragment of a song. It felt very familiar and I could hum the melody, but the only word that came through was “water”. I eventually was able to categorize it as new wave music from the 80s but that wasn’t enough for the search engines. I put it to simmer on the back burner.
Today I woke with some actual lyrics that led me to Talking Heads, “Take Me to the River”. Well, that’s clear enough! I have the morning free, am overdue for a visit to the woods, and the heatwave is in a temporary reprieve, so this assignment is actually doable.
My usual trek is a 2 hour long loop that would have me home just in time for the online meeting that I’m hosting. Of course, I’d be hot, sweaty, and verging on hangry while chatting with my friends about the somatic self-compassion training that we’re taking. Ummmm… that won’t work! I’d be a shining example of someone who didn’t listen to her body’s need nor act with compassion toward herself.
Still determined, I recalled an alternate route that would Take Me to the River, not my usual spot, but still compliant with my mission, and get me home in time to have a quick shower and breakfast. “And bring your iPad”, my intuition chimes in. So here I sit on a rock, typing up my experience while still in it, drinking my mate latte from a mason jar, listening to the water rush by and a chorus of birds.
As I’m sitting here, immersed in the healing vibes, four yellow butterflies flit past me. As I haven’t seen any like these yet this season, I suspect this was the ultimate goal of my excursion. Intuition is urging me to receive the message of “four yellow butterflies” through the lens of my own personal lexicon. While that’s a no-brainer for me to decipher, it would be challenging to explain by keyboard. I’ll just say that my efforts were rewarded with a deeply personal and significant indicator of how to proceed in a challenging matter. Thanks to a melodic snippet stuck in my head when I woke up!
If this is something that appeals to you, I’d suggest keeping your phone by your bed, ready to record information (melodies, lyrics, or whatever!) that peeks through the dream veil. I’d also suggest turning on airplane mode to reduce electronic smog emissions and turning down the screen brightness so the light isn’t too jarring in the middle of the night. It will help your attempts at capturing and deciphering the message when you’re awake for real. It’s a small investment to make for potentially large rewards.
I do my best to capture messages from my dreams, but sometimes it’s difficult. Yesterday morning…
Accessing one’s intuition is a highly desirable ability. I believe these inner nudges are the soul attempting to guide me toward the highest good. Alas, I’m not always paying attention! No doubt lots of messages are simply overlooked while I’m busy doing something terribly unimportant.
I’ve been using Reiki for years to amplify my capacity to receive and interpret the guidance that comes to me. It’s a simple practice, which makes it easier to perform consistently. All I do is state my intention to intercept and understand intuitive messages, activate Reiki and the symbols, and place one hand on my heart and the other on my belly. Sometimes I feel guided to use the traditional hand positions, sometimes I’m led to leave my hands palm up in my lap, allowing the energy to fill and saturate my aura. Some days I only have a few minutes, other days I’m able to marinate for half an hour or more.
Other practitioners appreciate more elaborate, even ritualistic, protocols. One of the great things about Reiki is that there’s tremendous room for personalization. You can experiment and find a style that works for you. The essential ingredients are intention plus Reiki, but all sorts of garnish may be added. Anything that helps keep your focus or sparks the imagination can be of benefit.
In addition to this simple daily self-treatment, I’ve begun asking for guidance from my dreams. Before I go to bed each night, I ask a question for which I’d like an answer. (A burst of Reiki here does wonders too!) The challenging part is capturing whatever images, characters, circumstances, or songs filter through upon waking. It’s much easier to turn over and go back to sleep! I’m getting better at recording whatever fragments I can, and interpreting them intuitively in the morning.
Last night I asked for guidance about window coverings to prevent the upcoming summer sun from baking my apartment. I woke up around 4am (I’m working on cultivating more time-appropriate delivery, but really, who am I to question my soul’s methods?) with the words “occiput” and “clavicle” in my head. Huh? I dutifully made a note and fell back to sleep.
As you might imagine, I was unable to apply any useful interpretation of these words to my shopping dilemma. Skeletal anatomy and curtains share no symbolic connection that I can discern. However… a few hours later I was trying out a free trial period of an online exercise program, and the teacher used these exact words several times! Ding, ding, ding! It didn’t take a huge leap of faith to accept this seeming coincidence as confirmation that the program would be helpful to me.
If I hadn’t been paying attention (and committed to the dreamwork process), I would have missed this opportunity. I’m always on the lookout for ways to keep my body happy and healthy, but it isn’t always clear what will help prevent chronic pain rather than triggering it. This unique and timely message was easy to decipher. Clearly wellness is infinitely more valuable than the window treatments! (Besides, that particular guidance will arrive with perfect timing too.)
Accessing intuition is part having an antenna extended, part willingness to slow down and pay attention, and part detective work. I guess humor and humility deserve a mention as well! Things don’t always happen according to my preferred timeline. It helps to remember that my soul has a higher perspective than my intellect. The more I practice, the easier all the steps become, and the more I am able to trust the voice within. But none of it matters if I’m not paying attention.
Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage 