IS IT EGO, FEAR, OR INTUITION?

How to tell the difference between ego, fear, and intuition, is about learning to listen to—and differentiate between—the different voices in your head, says Natalie Miles.

You Are Intuitive Natalie Miles Numinous Books Intuition quote

It’s the question I get asked the most: “How do I trust what my intuition is telling me? How do I know it’s real? Is it all my imagination? Is it my ego talking? Am I making this all up?”

Learning to differentiate between the different voices in your head is often the key missing piece when it comes to trusting your intuition, as it will help you tune into and prioritize what it’s telling you. The thing is, all these voices sound just like you. Let’s take a closer look at the role of these three inner voices.

Your Ego Voice is the voice of your external identity, or how you see yourself in the world. It is also the part of you that keeps up a running commentary of the fears, worries, desires, needs and judgments you generate daily just by being a human in the world. When this chatter is running the show, it’s very hard to hear the softer, gentler voice of your intuition.

It’s easy to see why common wisdom in the New Age community is that the Ego is a “negative” part of us, and that we should do our best to try to transcend it. And it’s true that paying it too much attention can be the cause of so much suffering. But if we truly lived from a place of no Ego, we’d be denying the fact that we’re still humans having a human experience on this planet. Not to mention that when we suppress our fears, desires and the emotions connected to them, it ultimately causes us more pain and suffering. It’s actually when we accept the duality that lies within us, no longer viewing the Ego and its concerns as either good or bad but simply a part of our whole self, that we truly step into our authentic truth and power.

This can also be said for the Fear voice, which is the voice of our inner survival instinct. We are all programmed with a fight, flight, or freeze mechanism to help us respond to danger. The Fear voice is the Ego voice with the volume turned up, and it kicks in during times of panic and acute stress and discomfort. Although this mind is programmed within us to help us survive in these moments, more often than not, it can be hard to distinguish between what is real and our Fear mind causing even more chaos as we lose all perspective. This is why discovering how to use and trust your Intuitive voice during these times is a skill to relearn and master.

Meanwhile, your Intuitive Voice is here to support you and guide you. It’s important to stress again that all these voices will “sound” like you. You’re not going to suddenly hear strange voices from another realm or the “voice of God” in your head. But unlike the Ego / Fear Voice, which is like your personal trainer barking at you, your Intuitive Voice will sound confident, gentle, and calm. You’ll also hear it from the “back” of your head, while the Ego / Fear Voice will come from the “front” of your mind. The Intuitive Voice also isn’t hung-up on things happening on any particular time frame, or on any specific outcome. This can make it feel riskier to trust, as nine times out of ten we want the Intuitive Voice to show up when we need an answer quickly! What actually happens, is that your Intuitive Voice will deliver its message and then disappear —the skill being learning to listen when it speaks to you, versus trying to make it show up when you want. The Ego / Fear Voice on the other hand, is ever-present, chattering away in your head and urging you to act NOW.

This is actually a key way you can distinguish between an ego / fear based message and your intuitive guidance. Notice: what message has been playing on a loop in your head the past day or so? What would happen if you just let the need to act on this go, and trusted that the “real” time and course of action to pursue will simply let itself be known?

Now let’s look at some other ways to tell the difference between ego, fear, and intuition.

 

QUALITIES OF THE EGO VOICE

-You can’t stop thinking about something and the voice keeps going ‘round and ‘round in your head. Am I doing enough? Should I do something different? Is this going to work?

-The voice has an agenda, expectation, goal, or plan. When am I going to get that job? I need to know if they’re the one. My five-year plan says I should be doing this by now.

-There is a desire for a logical and obvious “solution” to fix a situation or get guidance. I must work out a detailed, step-by-step plan for how to proceed and make changes in my life

-It wants an answer NOW! I should have worked this out by now! I don’t have time to wait! I have a deadline to make a decision.

-The ego voice often uses the words “should,” “would,” or “must.” I should do it this way. I must act now. How would that be perceived?

 

Location

The Ego voice comes from the front of the head.

 

In the body

Can make your body feel tense or tight.

 

Quality of Voice

Chattering

Fast paced

Fearful

Foggy

Easily led

 

Emotional Guide

Anxiety

Panic

Confidence

Motivation

Overwhelm

Confusion

Frustration

Anger

 

QUALITIES OF THE FEAR VOICE

-Wants to control everything around them including the actions and emotions of others. The more control I have the “safer” I will be.

-Suspicious and paranoid. Wants to question everything and everyone.

-Kicks in during stressful events, conversations, relationships, uncertainty or trauma. It’s time to get into survival and protection mode.

-Fear of the unknown, uncertainty, and not knowing. What might happen to me? I don’t have a plan. What will this mean for the future?

-Feels like it’s missing out on something. I might miss out on that opportunity. I don’t want to fail at any cost. I want to feel differently from how I am feeling right now.

 

Location, Emotional Guide, and Quality of Voice

Just like the Ego Voice it comes from the front of the head. It will have the same voice quality and emotional guide as the Ego Voice, but amped up—like having a military general barking orders at you or the volume dial being turned up to MAX. Your whole energetic intuitive body feels like it’s on overdrive, and everything seems overwhelming, chaotic, and out of control.

 

 QUALITIES OF THE INTUITIVE VOICE

-Guidance comes in and then disappears from your mind. Speak to this person. Listen to this creative idea. Do this. Go there. Take action. You will hear it once and it won’t keep niggling at you.

-Isn’t attached to any desire or outcome. Nothing is “right” or “wrong,” and it doesn’t matter what I think I “want.” 

-Doesn’t feel forced or have an agenda. I surrender up energetically to what is happening or will happen in the future.

-Feels good in your body and energetic sphere. Something just feels “right” as if I know it to be true.

-Doesn’t feel fixed or logical but you want to know more. May offer up a different path or route that you had not thought of. What about doing it this way?

-Timing is flexible or does not factor at all. It doesn’t matter when it happens, my job is to stay on the path and trust where I am being taken.

-Feels like it wants to support you and guide you. Feels like a best friend or confidante that always wants the best for you. Feels like it has your back and wants you to succeed.

 

Location

Deep in the back of the head or mind.

 

In your body

May be felt throughout your whole intuitive body, as body tingles, warmth, cold breeze

(There’s a whole chapter coming up on how you can identify the bodily sensations of your intuitive voice)

 

Voice Quality

Confident

Calm

Rational

Trustworthy

Guiding

 

Emotional Guide

Calm

Centered

Balanced

Reassured

 

Are you starting to tell the difference yet? The next step is to consciously listen out for when your intuition is speaking to you—and then take action on what it says.

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Excerpted from You Are Intuitive: Trust Your Truth, Take Back Your Power by Natalie Miles, out now with Numinous Books.

INTUITIVE TAROT: 5 WAYS THE CARDS SPEAK TO YOU

Trade the crystal ball for trust in your own voice, says intuitive tarot maven Liz Worth, and let your instincts create the future…

The Starchild Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot
The Starchild Tarot

“What I thought tarot would be like: I can see the past, present, and future so clearly! What it’s actually like: Damn, I just got called the f*** out by a deck of cards”- Recent Tarot Meme

In my 20s, I decided to get serious about tarot and, like many people, I assumed that it either required, or would provide, “psychic” abilities. I had high expectations of feeling fireworks and becoming a divine, open channel who could see and sense things before they happened.

What I didn’t realize was that by listening to myself, I was already doing the work, and it was The High Priestess herself who “called me out” during a reading. She encouraged me to look inward and not outward, and to trust in the gold-mining process for what I call “intuitive hits.”

Intuition is our instinct, the seat of our emotions, and what exists beyond our rational minds. This instinctive realm is completely unique to each of us and moves in accordance to our own specific, natural law. Intuitive hits come in all shapes and sizes; they may take the form of ideas, images, words, phrases, or simply strong gut reactions that cannot be ignored.

If you’re ready to have a conversation with your highest self—that divine connection to your soul’s path, purpose, and power—then intuitive tarot is a great place to start. Here are five ways you can begin to let tarot speak to you and, most importantly, through you.

***

1. You Don’t Have to Grasp For Your Intuition

Myth: You need to have “psychic” abilities—such as visions or premonitions—to use tarot.

Intuitive Hit: Keep a journal as you practice, and meditate on the following questions: What word or idea jumped out at me when I turned the card over? How is this card making me feel—tense, angry, hopeful, excited? What images or symbols in this card reflect how I’m feeling right now, or what I’m experiencing?

The answers to these questions are part of the card’s message!

Meditate On: The High Priestess, who can guide you back to your deepest inner knowledge.

The High Priestess, Serpentfire Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot, Serpentfire Tarot The High Priestess
The High Priestess, Serpentfire Tarot

2. First Thought, Best Thought

Myth: You have to memorize all 78 tarot cards.

Intuitive Hit: Worrying about getting it wrong is a sure-fire way to block your intuition. Next time you pull a card, write down the first thing that comes to mind, and let that thought act as your prompt for the rest of the reading.

Meditate on: The Hermit, who can help you learn from the times you doubted your intuition.

3. Re-create and Rebel

Myth: The meaning of each card should be strictly and statically interpreted.

Intuitive Hit: Let your life experiences, your upbringing, your ancestry, and your stories enrich the messages that your tarot deck holds. Journaling about your own associations and personal vocabulary when using the cards will help you begin to craft your own style of reading. Tarot is meant to evolve, just like us.

Meditate On: The Ace of Wands, who can keep you courageous, confidant, and creative as you start out on your tarot journey.

Serpentfire Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot
Serpentfire Tarot

4. Decide What Tarot Means For You

Myth: Tarot has only one purpose.

Intuitive Hit: Whether you want to utilize tarot for personal empowerment, predictive purposes, to enhance creativity, or for something else entirely, remember that you call the shots. Get clear about what tarot means for you, and how you want to work with the cards. Write your own manifesto, mantra, or intention to remind you of your goals at this point on your tarot journey.

Meditate On: The Empress, who confidently creates her own reality.

The Moon, The Starchild Tarot, Liz Worth, Intuitive Tarot, The Starchild Tarot The Moon
The Moon, The Starchild Tarot

5. Intuition Might Take Its Time

Myth: If the answers you’re seeking from the cards aren’t clear right away, you should probably give up.

Intuitive Hit: Patience and practice are often overlooked parts of the tarot reading process. Intuitive hits don’t always appear immediately. Sometimes, a card’s message might not make sense for hours, days, or even weeks later. Next time you’re stumped by a card, step away from it. Go for a walk, watch for omens, or ask a fellow tarot enthusiast for a second opinion.

Meditate on: The Page of Pentacles, who knows that patience is integral to growth.

**If you want to take your intuitive tarot journey even further, enter to WIN one of five signed copies of Liz’s new publication, Going Beyond the Little White Book: A Contemporary Guide to TarotTo win, follow @The_Numinous and simply tag your next Instagram post #Numitarot—winners will be notified by direct Instagram message shortly after December 16 2016.

Liz Worth is a Toronto-based tarot reader, astrologer, author, and creative coach who helps seekers, artists, and entrepreneurs get behind the veil so they can get going.

THE NUMEROLGY OF 8/8

Felicia Bender explains how to use the powerful numerology of 8/8 to bring about your greatest manifestations…

numerology of 8/8 Daenerys on The Numinous
A day to channel your inner Daenerys

Question: What could possibly be more exciting than Leo season?

Answer: Leo season and the magical manifestation energy of the number 8!

In Numerology, the number 8 brings energy related to manifestation in the material world. It’s all about money, power, and achievement. And don’t misread the 8 as relating to “money only.” This energy is all about personal empowerment, since we really can’t fully manifest in the material world without a strong sense of self—and a consistent ability to be resilient, ethical, and hard-working.

Still, the numerology of 8/8 offers a strong vortex of manifestation energy that’s there for the taking. This is a powerful day to take a long-term view of your goals. Are you happy with your financial situation? If so, keep doing that. If not-so-much, then using this day to sit down and take a deep look at where you are, how you got there, and perhaps where you want to be instead, is mandatory.

And as a passing thought en route to the grocery store won’t cut it. This requires some concerted soul-searching and a bit’o long-term planning. Because the energy of the 8 isn’t “light.” It’s not particularly easy-breezy or “lucky.” Rather, the 8 brings ideas and desires into the material world ONLY when there is a solid focus, a plan, organization, and some elbow grease.

And when the going gets tough, the 8 gets going!

This month, the double 8 of 8/8 is a platform from which to launch our practical dreams, whether it’s a desire for a healthy and passionate relationship, a new job or career more suited to our talents, and that offers more money. This isn’t about fly-by-night endeavors. So make a plan. Tap a more business-like attitude. And most importantly, take yourself seriously!

This may cause some real “OMG I’m just not good enough” feelings to bubble to the surface. Don’t avoid them—we actually benefit when we take a look at our perceived weaknesses. We get to investigate where they originated and get serious about how we can get past self-sabotage and into our empowerment. You are the embodiment of the Divine, hear you roar!

So get ready to rumble and take advantage of this powerful opportunity to launch your “what’s next” plan of action. Take the high road and don’t succumb to defeatism, victimization, or any other negative “ism.” The 8 amplifies all that we think about and act upon, so step up and make it count.

THE NUMEROLOGY OF 7/7

The number seven is the seer, the thinker, and the seeker of truth. Felicia Bender explains how to use the numerology of 7/7 to renew your trust in the Universe…Collage: Bethany Harper Walsh

numerology of 7/7 collage psychedelic by Bethany Harper Walsh on The Numinous

Lucky number 7?

The numerology of 7/7 means the energy open for us today is indeed lucky. And yet more than this, it represents an open door to spiritual insight—and also a moment to contemplate the ways in which you place faith and trust in ourselves and in a “higher power.”

Ask yourself: do I anxiously push for things to? And if they don’t work out the way I think they should, do I find myself plummeting down a rabbit hole of despair, frustration, or cynicism?

Or am I willing slow down enough to listen to my intuitive voice, even when the direction it’s steering me might make no sense whatsoever? Or when it doesn’t give me the answer I think I want?

Well, the numerology of 7/7/ says today is the day to open up, to slow down, and to trust. To trust yourself and to trust that the Universe actually is on your side, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it. And if you feel like you’re already in this flow, then keep speeding down that open road!

It’s also the day to declare some gratitude. To be a little bit vulnerable. To analyze data and situations, and yet balance this with your heart and intuition. The energy of the number 7 supports analysis, research, questioning…and intuition.

In order to optimize the numerology of 7/7, allow yourself some time to get unplugged. To get outdoors. To meditate. To write. To read. To study. And to slow down enough to notice the magic of the Universe as it is revealed in even the smallest of synchronicities.

Yep, you get a free pass to go about contemplating your own navel today. And as you’ll discover, you can get some profound insights about yourself when you simply invite the voice of your higher self in—and are open to receiving the information.