Q & A

This column was originally featured in Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance’s “Think Forward” monthly newsletter.

  1. Dear Stephanie,

    When you are listening for inner guidance and you hear many voices or thoughts, how do you know which one is the right one to listen to?
    -Steve

  2. Steve,

    There are two parts to the question you have asked. The first is, which voice do I “know” as my intuitive voice, and how do I know this voice is the “right” one to follow.  How in other words, do I trust this voice? I hear intuitive information in my left ear, odd as that may sound.  The volume, pitch, tones, and emphasis of this voice is very specific, and it sounds different from other voices I hear internally. Over many years of intuiting accurately, I have learned to trust and act on this voice.

    Here’s an exercise.
    Sit quietly.  Recall an emotionally charged situation, for example a time when you were annoyed.  Hear how you spoke to yourself. Listen specifically for tone, tempo, volume, phrase, pitch, and resonance. This process is similar to listening to a piece of classical music. Now, remember a time when your intuition warned or encouraged you. The only way I discovered the differences is by listening to my inner voices in different contexts, and distinguishing how each sounds when I am talking to myself. It’s akin to knowing who’s calling you on the phone before they identify themselves. You know who they are, because you recognize their voice. The more you listen for, and listen to, your instinctive voice, the more you will learn to recognize it.
    -Stephanie

  3. Dear Stephanie:

    I am a student of metaphysics, and have studied (informally) on my own for many years now, on everything from E.S.P., to Animal Totems, Astral projection, etc., etc… The one thing that many people have asked me once they find out that I am always practicing on trying to continually develop my sixth sense, is how do I go about doing that? I have a few different methods, but I’d like to ask the same question of a professional? How does one go about developing their sixth sense, to hone in on their skill/craft?
    -Raven

    A. Dear Raven,

    I too, began by reading and attending workshops to learn how people perceive differently. This is very important. It fuels our thought process and supports the belief that there are other realities beyond that which is tangible. You can also discover what sense is your strongest sense; visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. This may lead you to study specific forms of healing arts, like touch healing, channeling, tarot, dream analysis, palmistry.  Here’s an exercise. Ask someone to give you the name of a person they know. Close your eyes and say “Give me information about … that is useful and relevant”. What do you receive; images, words, and or feelings in your body? Open your eyes and find out how accurate your perceptions are. Discovering how the information comes to you is a key factor. The more you practice, the more fluent you will become in art of intuiting.
    -Stephanie

  4. Stephanie,

    Hi!  I have a wonderful small female dog.  For some reason, she is terrified of my father, who has always been so kind to her – in this lifetime, anyway!  Can you give me any insight or steps to take to help remove the obstacle?
    Thank you, Sue

    A. Sue;

    I will answer as an animal lover and owner. I wonder if your dad’s size is intimidating or perhaps the tone of his voice is threatening. I doubt it is anything personal. I have a feral cat that purrs at me, but will only let me come within two feet of him. It doesn’t matter whether I crouch on the floor to be less imposing. He has his own set of personal boundaries and rules, and I suspect it is the same with your dog.

    Our cat warmed up to us when we ignored him, and paid attention to the other animals. Perhaps he got a bit jealous or felt less threatened and on the spot.  Do you have another animal your dad can dote on? Tell your dad to take heart. Animals have minds of their own just like people, and sometimes try as we may; the answer is to stop trying.
    -Stephanie

  5. Dear Stephanie,

    I’ve decided to cut out my health insurance but I still have some residual fear. My friends don’t agree with me.  I just haven’t used regular doctors with any success in the last 30 years.  I’ve done well with the plethora of alternative methods and regular health insurance just seems to be too high even for just covering catastrophic calamities.   Also aren’t people who take out insurance acting as if some problem is going to occur, which in metaphysical terms tends to create the problem? At the bottom line we’re all creating our realities aren’t we?  Am I out of line?
    -Ted

    A. Dear Ted,

    You have already made your decision based on what is working for you now, after years of disappointment and discomfort. This is probably more important to think about, than whether your friends or I agree. Health care and investing in health insurance is a personal, complex issue.

    Be careful Ted, with black and white thinking. I hear a bit of this in your letter. We have influence over how we experience life, and this enables us in some ways, to reshape and reform our reality. There is also much in life that is beyond our control. Remember decisions are processes, and processes change as often as we do.
    -Stephanie