The Problem With Assumptions Is

This morning I got my August copy of the Science of Mind magazine. Because I had been asked for, and submitted  a column, I opened it excitedly, to see what my article looked like in print! I wonder if every contributor does the same thing. I  was shocked to find one of my older columns instead of the one I had submitted in May.

My first response was anger. How could they have done something like this to me? Why didn't they do the courtesy of letting me know that they had something else in mind? Maybe they didn't like what I had written. I was feeling very self-righteous and justified in my anger.  I quickly decided that if this was their response, I would not put myself through this again. I would just say no, next time. I began feeling resentful. (It was definitely NOT my spiritual best!) I remembered that I had shared the piece with my marketing and public relations expert. She had liked it! More anger!

I think the feeling of resentment was the turning point. "Feeling resentful is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die!"

I shifted gears. I decided to  contact  directly the editor of the magazine and inquire about what had happened.

In all honesty, my letter began in the same tone of self-righteous indignation as I had been feeling, but as I was composing, I realized that an inquiry would be best. I kept re-writing until it felt clear and less accusatory. I wanted to find out what had happened. Now I have moved out of anger and self-righteousness and into curiosity and willingness to hear feedback And I am breathing again.

The first response that came from the creative director was that she had never received my column. She went on to say that she had made the assumption that I was too busy to do it and now that it was past her deadline she didn't want to pressure me about it.

Then she did an internal search of her email and my original email to her did not appear. It is probably still in my outbox or stuck in cyber space somewhere.

The following lovely words of appreciation from Holli Sharp, Associate Editor and Creative Director of the Science of Mind Magazine say it all:

"I always love your work and wisdom, Dr. Heather, and my gut dropped when I saw your email this afternoon because I thought I had disappointed you. :-)

My intention is always to honor you, and thank you for understanding.

It’s always a bright spot for me when I get to communicate with you, and we love your voice in the magazine."

Imagine what kind of response I would have had if I had written from anger and resentment! It would have caused a big rift in our relationship. Spiritual maturity finally prevailed and I am so happy it did. I am very grateful for all the staff at our home office. I am grateful for all the issues that they handle every day. I am so grateful that I communicated with Holli, and that I had enough sense to do it respectfully.

Listening to the Voice of God, I Know.

Have you ever found yourself not knowing what to do so you do nothing? I have and I don’t like it. I don’t like feeling powerless, at effect, limited by my conditions. I don’t like it because there really is nothing for me to do and we live in a world of doing. It’s true, when I am stuck I cannot ‘do’.  But something in me knows – I can be. Just be. I sit in the silence and listen to It. It is my intuition, the voice of God within.

Sometimes I listen for a minute, or five, or thirty. I just listen. Yes, I get interrupted, yes, I start over and yes, I listen every day.

Learning to listen to my intuition was a journey. You see, I was a doubter. I was a young person who thought answers came from what I could see, touch and know around me out in the “real world”. I did not yet trust that a valid answer to any real question could come from my gut, a hunch or simply because I felt it. It wasn't even that I belittled the idea of intuition I simply didn't acknowledge it as an adult experience. To me, knowing not feeling, proving not trusting and listening to my head not my heart was a sign of behaving like an adult.  If you know me, well you know I got over that old idea! I still appreciate wisdom and knowledge. If anything, today I sway on the side of my intuition. I might say to my husband “I think there’s something up with the car” and he will ask "what?" And I really cannot give him an answer that means anything to him or the mechanic. I respond, “I don’t know, it just doesn't feel right.”   And, in a few days he will say something like hm, I have to take the car in for “name the mechanical diagnosis”. I didn't know what was wrong but I sure sensed it. I love this example because I know that there is not a part of my life where my intuition does not “work”.  Often, I am inspired
with intuition in my work creating or presenting a lesson, listening or teaching.  I love living by my intuition and I love knowing that my hunches, my gut, my intuition are all part of my spiritual maturity.

So, when I find myself stuck with a question, a decision, a dilemma big or small I know I really can just stop. Stop in my tracks not because I can’t do, but because I can just be. Almost anytime and anywhere I can pause and listen. There are very few, if any exceptions.  I find there are many opinions, ideas and answers available to me out in the world and what I know is my best answers come from within. I would suggest that is true for all of us. The answer, words, direction is always known within each of us if we just listen. Listen to the voice within, listen to our heart, listen to It, our intuition.

This month our spiritual inquiry at our center is to connect to our intuition.  Wherever you are on your spiritual journey you are welcome to join us in this powerful inquiry. I’m excited to see where it takes me and to share it with you!