Have you ever wondered what is going on in your unconscious mind? What is it telling you?
Experts tell us that we have access to only 5% of our mind. The other 95% is unconscious.
What could you do if you had access to more of your mind? How would this change your life?
Your mind and body have a lot to say. If you are curious, read on to find three easy tips.
Your unconscious mind
Your unconscious mind is talking to you all the time. Unfortunately, in our loud fast-paced world we don’t always take the time to listen. Even when our unconscious mind becomes “loud” we tend to discount the message or try to suppress it.
Your unconscious doesn’t speak with rational thinking and logic. That is one reason it is so easy to discount the information.
According to Candace Pert, author of Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine (1999), your body is your unconscious mind. I know that seems like a surprising concept. She makes her case by explaining that our emotions are part of our unconscious mind and we experience our emotions as physical sensations in the body. She explains that emotions are chemicals produced by the brain. These chemicals travel throughout the body and interact with our cells. If you are feeling happy then your entire body feels happy.
We can tell a lot about how we experience our emotions by the way we describe them. Let’s look at some examples:
- a broken heart
- the weight of the world on your shoulders
- a song in your heart
- paralyzed with fear
- feeling warm and fuzzy inside
- butterflies in your stomach
- boiling over with rage
Have you ever noticed that when you try to describe an emotion, you often use metaphors or poetic language? These are the sensations in your body created by the emotional chemicals.
Listening to your unconscious
The first tip is to take the time to listen. Everyday sit and listen to what your unconscious mind has to say. You can ask a question or even better, just sit and see what happens. Don’t expect a rational response. You may feel an emotion, see an image in your mind, or have an ah-ha moment.
No matter what comes up, keep listening even if it is unpleasant or doesn’t make sense. Are you suppressing an emotion or a painful memory? If you don’t like the information, don’t judge it. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t judge. If you judge you are shutting down any future communication.
A friend asks your opinion and you give an honest response. Your friend says, “That’s really stupid.” Next time your friend asks for your opinion do you think you will offer one? Your unconscious mind doesn’t like to be judged either.
Dreams and metaphors
Since your unconscious communicates in metaphors, symbols, and images, your dreams are great way to listen to your unconscious mind. We all dream whether we remember or not. Experts tell us that the best way to start remembering your dreams is to put a notebook by the bed and record your dreams upon waking. Over time you will find it easier and easier to remember your dreams. I recommend interpreting your own dreams rather then using dream interpretation books.
Another way is to pay attention to messages while you are awake. Your unconscious mind is selecting what to focus on out of all the data coming in through your senses. Look for themes. Perhaps all of a sudden you see angry people every where you go. Is anger an issue for you?
Years ago, I was struggling with a problem. Driving home in my neighborhood I saw three separate blind men out walking. This seemed really unusual. Then it hit me. I had a blind spot and I needed to dig deeper to find my solution. I have an amusing update to this story. I was working on this post at my local coffee shop. As I was driving home, I noticed another blind man out walking. I guess I have another blind spot to work on.
The quiet voice of intuition
You are receiving intuitive guidance all the time. Intuition can be subtle. It can get lost in all the noise of our busy lives.
Sometimes we hear our intuition, yet we discount it because it is not logical. Have you ever had a feeling that you should not make a purchase, go on a date, or take a job? Later you realized that your feeling was right. That was your intuition talking.
Intuition can come from your heart. Doc Childre and Howard Martin (The HeartMath Solution, 1999) tell us that “the heart has its own independent nervous system”. They go on to say, “Heart intelligence provides an intuitive, direct knowingness that’s an essential aspect of our overall intelligence”.
I have discovered that when my head and heart are out of sync, I have trouble making decisions or I make decisions I later regret.
How do you engage your heart-felt intuition? Place your hand over your heart and listen. The more you listen, the more your intuition will talk to you.
Emotions from the past
Emotions from past painful or traumatic events are stored in our cells. If these emotions are keeping you from listening to your unconscious mind, you can release them using the poetry of emotion process. These emotions are not the real you. Click here to read more.
(Image: dingopup)
