LESSONONE

Making Contact

Preparatory Steps for Intuitive Journaling

Meditate or center

Enter date and time in journal

Write out intention in journal: intention set for pure, clear,accurate connection and communication with highestwisdom regarding whatever is most needed at this timefollowed by any specific concerns or questions for whichyou are requesting help

Repeat prayer of protection: As I open my heart, mind, andspirit to the unseen Divine forces around the throne ofgrace, mercy, and might, I am surrounded by the purelight of protection found in the thought of the ChristConsciousness.

Begin writing using starter phrase: If my soul or higher Selfspoke to me now, and continue writing whatever comesto mind until it stops.

10/19/06, 7:30 a.m., Lesson One

I am here. I have much to tell you. Thank you foropening your heart and mind to me. It's easiest if I speakin thoughts. You'll find a way that works best for you torecord this for your and others' benefit.

Don't try so hard. It works more easily if you allow yourmind and heart to open and receive. [As soon as she spokethis, I noticed how much inner tension and tightness I wascreating with my attitude that I had to control this process.This simple awareness helped me shift into a relaxedopenness in my heart center.]

It's okay to question and is preferred. [Good to know. Ihave lots of questions.]

You're curious about who I am. [That's an understatement!]

That will wait for another, later time. [Okay. I trust there'sa reason for that.]

I don't want to tire you so I will let you set the pace forthis work. All that's needed is for you to sit quietly, say yourprayer of protection, and ask me to be present. Then we'llbegin work. I'm pleased to have this chance to teach youand others what I know.

You'll know you are truly connected with an enlightenedsource of wisdom from the gentle, compassionate mannerin which I appear; the fact that I will never force on yousomething you did not request or are unwilling to cooperatewith; and I will never do or say anything belittling or criticalor harm you in any way. [My inner teacher's manner andtone in communicating totally embodied these qualitiesdespite my skeptical thoughts beginning this endeavor. Thisgreatly relieved me about how I'd tell if I was connected withan enlightened source. That is the reason for the prayer ofprotection, but I clearly didn't trust it or myself completely.]

You will sense the truth of this as you do now. If yousurround yourself with protection and in your prayerask or invite only the highest wisdom from the ChristConsciousness, you will be safe, and other less enlightenedsouls will not be able to influence or harm you. [I took thereference to less enlightened souls to mean disembodiedsouls that remain earthbound or less enlightened souls onthe lower astral planes which Cayce and other metaphysicalwriters describe. I intuitively understood the reference toharm not in the physical sense but as harm caused bybeing led astray from my intended purpose of connectingwith highest wisdom.]

You can insure that this work stays accurate andpure by simply opening, listening, and recording whatyou hear mentally in thoughts during our designatedwork time; by continuing meditation to foster your ownspiritual development; and by avoiding interpreting whatis said. [The process of writing everything I hear with mynonphysical, inner hearing takes all my mental attention somy analyzing, interpreting mind is in neutral mode. I justwrite what I receive.]

This is a true working partnership. I'm honored to havethis vehicle to teach you and others.

Yes, I sense and hear your thoughts and mental questions,and I respond with thoughts you hear with your innermind. [This was my inner teacher's immediate response tomy wondering if she knows my thoughts as I think them.Oddly enough, I find this delightful, even comforting, asthere has been no judgment or criticism regarding some ofthe outrageous thoughts I've already had like "my familyand colleagues will disown me; they'll think I've lost mymind or am making this up. What if I am?" No matter howfearful my thoughts, all were met only with acceptance. Also,I appreciated the bottom line integrity and directness of nothaving to peel through facades, pretenses, and defenses.You get what's there, right away. Don't get me wrong. Thiscoming up against one's inner negative thoughts is not easyor pleasant, but it certainly allows lots of opportunities forhonest self-examination.]

Your eagerness to know everything right away mirrorsmy own eagerness to teach. But as you sense and see inyour inner mind, I am more patient with this process thanyou're able to be right now. I know that it's best to allowthings to emerge at the right time. So when I hold backor delay informing you of something you want to know,it's because the timing is not yet right. [I have to laugh athow kindly she refers to my impatience and my attitudeof wanting to know everything immediately even though Iknow that would be ridiculously overwhelming. Her patiencefor right timing is a great model for me.]

This is enough for today and spells out the process forour working together when you are able. [I found this plentyto take in, as it is challenging to remain open in this waywhile also making a written record. Plus, most days I hadlimited time before work or other commitments. So the timeallotted for this seemed just right. Though I had a senseof positive satisfaction after completing today's lesson, Ihad no thought of sharing it with others just yet and wassurprisingly emotionally neutral about it.]

Have a wonderful day. You can do so by thinking andaffirming this with assured intention. [I intuitively sensedthat my teacher was reminding me of the power of ourthoughts and intentions. I liked that she encouraged meto use this in approaching my day. I still do this; it sets apositive, relaxed tone for the day. One example of such anaffirmed intention is: I choose to bring to all my days' events,activities, and interactions an attitude of wonder, joy, andgratitude.]

Personal Reflections

This first lesson gave me clues about what it would belike working together with my inner teacher in this intuitivejournaling. Most often, I used an open-ended format ofsimply listening within and writing what I heard. Ourcommunication always began with her thought, "I am here"or "I am here with you." I sensed and heard her voicedthoughts like an internal conversation with my nonphysical,inner senses. Though no words were ever spoken aloud, hervoice, which I experienced as inner thoughts, was distinctlydifferent from my own. I came to recognize this beginningphrase as confirmation of my connection with my higher Selfor soul, my inner teacher, and a higher source of wisdom.

I have retained this beginning phrase, "I am here," forthe first five lessons as a reminder for the reader but, exceptfor a couple of occasions, eliminated it after that.

My inner teacher's voice and personal qualities wereeven more distinctive and clearly experienced with myinner, nonphysical senses than if she were physicallypresent. She had a strong, confident, peaceful, unrushedpresence and a gentle voice. I had a palpable sense of herexpansive warmth, caring, strength, and patience. Thoughsure of herself and her knowledge, she conveyed it in ahumble manner. She was clear in her communication ofinformation; authoritative without being authoritarian;respectful; and considerate.

My inner teacher made it clear I would set the pace forthis joint working partnership based on my time and energylevel. She also clarified the simple process needed to beginthe communication and insure its accuracy. Although sheacknowledged my curiosity and mental questions abouther, she elected not to answer these queries until the timingwas right for such information to emerge. Surprisingly, Iaccepted this explanation without question as I understoodthe concept of timely delivery of information. I intuitivelyunderstood that such questions about who and what shewas, though valid, would be a major distraction from thelessons to be communicated. As I was already skepticalenough about the validity of the communication received,waiting until I was further along in accepting this form ofintuitive guidance made sense. I laughed, though, at thelesson in patience, since patience is not my strongest suit.It motivated me to practice patience mindfully every day.

I realized my inner teacher knew exactly what mycurrent state of mind was as well as my unspoken questionsand wonderings as she addressed these instantly anddirectly as they occurred. Examples of this included herknowing and responding to my inner feelings even when Iwas out of touch with them; responding to my unspokenquestions regarding who she was and how to insure theinformation being received was true and accurate; andcoaching me about the best way to approach this intuitivecommunication process.

I recorded verbatim what I heard in my mind andthoughts from my inner teacher. I realized much later thatthe recording process so occupied my attention that itserved as a distraction for my analytical mind, allowing meto stay in a neutral state of receiving.

The experience of receiving a voice through unspokenthoughts and having my thoughts and mental questionsinstantaneously heard and responded to without everspeaking aloud was delightful and freeing. Sentencesbeginning with yes in the transcriptions denote suchexperiences of immediate responses to mental wonderingsI was aware of having at that time. Communicating withthe inner senses did not appear to be limited by time orspace. The experience of hearing, seeing, and feeling withthe inner senses was immediate. The usual facades wepresent in the external world did not exist here. Subterfugeand dishonesty were not possible as true inner thoughtsand feelings were immediately evident as they occurred.

LESSONTWO

How IntuitiveJournaling Works

Preparatory Steps for Intuitive Journaling

Meditate or center

Enter date and time in journal

Write out intention in journal: intention set for pure, clear,accurate connection and communication with highestwisdom regarding whatever is most needed at this timefollowed by any specific concerns or questions for whichyou are requesting help

Repeat prayer of protection: As I open my heart, mind, andspirit to the unseen Divine forces around the throne ofgrace, mercy, and might, I am surrounded by the purelight of protection found in the thought of the ChristConsciousness.

Begin writing using starter phrase: If my soul or higher Selfspoke to me now, and continue writing whatever comesto mind until it stops.

10/20/06, 7:30 a.m., Lesson Two

I am here. Thank you for showing up. I know you havelimited time today so we'll be brief. [This is an example ofmy inner teacher knowing and using personal details aboutme in a considerate way. I wonder who "we" is; I trust I'llfind that out when the time is right.]

Trust what comes. Our work together is intended to bepublished and it is being given with that in mind. [This isa surprise. Not exactly what I had in mind. Still, it's earlyon so I'll wait and see where this takes me. I already knowit's my choice and that my inner teacher will not judge myeventual decision or tell me what to do, as she made thisclear in lesson one. Seems like my inner teacher may havea bigger purpose in giving these lessons of which I wasunaware.]

We'll help with that process. [Again, I wonder who this"we" is but understand intuitively that she is referring tohelp with the publication process. Since it's early on, I'mable to set it aside for now. Just in case this is true andI'm not making this up, I silently say thanks for the offeredhelp, as I'll need all the help I can get if I decide to publishsomething so private.]

Your part will be to keep a good record as you are nowdoing. [That's manageable. I can do that.]

Though you cannot see me in that I am not visible to yourouter senses, I am still present there with you just as surelyas if I were there with you physically. It's the same. For youto remain open to receiving my teaching, stay tuned in tomy presence just as you would give a friend in physical formyour undivided attention when they're with you. [Yes, myattention sometimes drifts during my inner communicationwith my teacher as it does with real life communicationwith family and friends. But I notice I can pause the innercommunication with my teacher when I need, for example,to take a bathroom break. I simply restart the informationflow by silently indicating my readiness to continue. Due tothe novelty of the way intuitive communication occurs, thecontent that comes through, and having to write quicklyto get everything down accurately, sustaining attention isnot as difficult as I expected. If I'm distracted by personalconcerns or a negative mood, these are addressed by myinner teacher in the form of a lesson. On the occasions Iam distracted, I use the meditation strategy of returningattention to my focus on my inner teacher as soon as Inotice my attention has wandered. My inner teacher forcesnothing. She waits for me to return my attention when thisis necessary.]

Since you sense, feel, and see me with only your innersenses, it's easy to let your attention drift. If it helps,picture me there with you in your mind's eye much as yoursuccessful patients learn to internalize the therapy processand connect with their inner helper/wisdom with use ofvisualization. The process is similar—can you see that?[This refers to an event from yesterday which I mention in thepersonal reflection notes below where a patient describedusing an internalized visualization of her therapy session toeliminate a panic attack. It's an inventive metaphor as theinner process is indeed quite similar. I would not have putthat together on my own.]

Except yours [yesterday's event] occurs in the physicaldimension and this [intuitive communication] is coming toyou from the spiritual dimension.

Most people are unaware that such communication ispossible because they either do not acknowledge a spiritualdimension, see it as inaccessible to them while living onearth, or don't trust their ability to be in touch with andcommunicate with the spiritual dimension. All people dothat in dreams without their being aware of it. We're goingto use it deliberately, and, as with everything else, yourskill at this will improve and develop with practice. [Thisis truly an awesome way of being stretched out of yourcomfort zone!]

Think of this communication between us as your innerexperience of the spiritual dimension using visualizationand imagination in the form of mental imagery to connectwith and learn from those of us who are teachers in thespiritual dimension. [This suggests my inner teacher is abeing from spirit, communicating and teaching through myhigher Self.]

Personal Reflections

My work schedule was tight today and, as a result, Iwas a bit more scattered and tense. Despite this, I stillfelt a clear sense of my inner teacher's warmth, kindness,and clarity during today's intuitive communication. Bycomparison, however, I noticed that yesterday's intuitiveexperience of these personal qualities of my inner teacherwas stronger as I was more relaxed and focused. Thismakes sense from the perspective that the strength andclarity of internal intuitive experiences are affected by one'slevel of relaxation or tension.

Yesterday, I saw a past patient who described usingthe following process to successfully manage severe panicattacks on her own: sitting in a chair she has designatedher therapy chair, she used deep breathing to relax thenvisualized a therapy session in which she discussedwhat she needed to face and how to constructively copewith events triggering her extreme anxiety. Her use ofpositive visualization of past therapy sessions allowedher to access her own inner wisdom regarding what wasneeded to understand and eliminate her feelings of panic.My teacher's metaphoric use of this event to describe andclarify what was occurring in our intuitive communicationand working partnership was ingenious. This made merealize my inner teacher seemed to know everything aboutme even when we were not in direct contact or I was notconsciously aware of certain thoughts and feelings. Ialso realized that my inner teacher used my professionalexperiences as a clinical psychologist to frame today'slesson. In fact, this construction of lessons around mypersonal and professional interests and relationships wasevident throughout. Though the lessons seem to me tobe universal in nature, the ways they are presented areunique to each writer. The lessons I received are clearlytailored to me and what I need to learn.