Gut Feeling
Gut Feeling Meaning: How (and how not to) to Listen to Your Intuition
Our life is a combined outcome of the decisions we currently make, the reactions we give to any situation we face, and our destiny (Prarabdha). We can say that most of the above is governed by our mind, which is most often let loose and has no direction or purpose due to our very own ignorance towards the power of a channelised mind. Only until we come into the holy company of those who have mastered their own minds and currently lead their life by example, exhibiting joy, peace, calmness, and divinity, do we begin to understand about the powerful instrument that we are capable of utilizing well upto a 100%, but hardly even use 1% of it-the mind.
To understand more about the mind, our master has explained about the chitta (storehouse of the mind), which contains characteristics, emotions, and attributes from all the births taken till now, and thereby the smallest of things about us as to what we like/dislike ,do/not do is governed by. The one who is a realized soul, would only know that an empty chitta is when divinity will dawn upon and to reach that state of being ,we have to set out on that path and continue to be a curious seeker ; And while on that path of cleansing, as and when the layers of the mind get removed, the power of the inner mind voice, the Intuition, the gut feeling, is enhanced making it clear, ensuring we don't miss that subtle cue its giving us, thereby helping us navigate through life and it's scenarios easily, where we are left to make a choice or a decision.
As mentioned by our Guru, we can listen to our intuition only when we are on the path of mind cleansing, because that process results in purifying the mind which will give rise to sujagi (alert mind), which in turn will ensure that the mind voice is not only heard but also well understood and executed. There will be an alignment in our thoughts, actions and deeds, thus bringing balance in everything we do and an innate sense of peace will prevail always-that is what we all crave for eventually.
Since we've only been used to throwing our mind in multiple places (vaasanas), its bound to lose its potency and become weak, but if we learn to focus on the single truth of the higher self, it attains its basic and true characteristic of being powerful yet peaceful. Multiple layers of thoughts (overthinking), likes and dislikes, judgements,opinions,definitions-even the smallest thing like preference of a colour and dislike towards a particular thing ,are all the unnecessary baggage the mind holds,which act as an insulation to the gut feeling ( prerna ),not letting it flow freely. Our limited intelligence ( buddhi ) also interferes with this mind voice, which is when there is room for confusion in our lives. For instance, if while doing your daily chores, suddenly something within tells you to do something out of the blue, and instantly if that's done, without using our logical brain of raising questions or doubts of its outcome, that particular action would most likely be needed to be done and would prove to be beneficial indeed. That's the power of listening to the gut feeling. In the same scenario, if we use too much logic and think it through too much and eventually let it be, we could be missing out on something important that the universe was trying to indicate to us, because in someway the Intuition can also be taken as the subtle ways Mother Universe communicates with us. But as our Guru rightly says always, this of course cannot be generalised and has to be done in accordance to the place, time, and situation (desh, kaal, paatra), and by using common sense, just like the concept of AC/DC current where a balance needs to be striked between both, keeping in mind no one is harmed in anyway by it. The best benchmark of our action being the right is a good feel factor, a good night's sleep and peace of mind. Because the knower knows that what it knew has been executed correctly without any barriers of the mind.
Hence in life, when we are at crossroads and have multiple choices to choose from, a mind that has been evolving by letting go of its old stubborn attributes towards becoming empty and plain will be able to do the thing that is right for that moment by catching the inner mind voice (intuition) without being worried of the end result, living life more confidently and stress-free. A clean mind would also automatically be more confident and less confused, making it easier to move on in the journey of life.
