We’ve all been equipped with an internal compass to navigate the complexities of our physical reality. It is by far the most sophisticated and valuable tool you could have asked for. From making difficult decisions regarding a moral dilemma to knowing how to treat others, your inner compass points toward the most energy efficient and effective response and course of action. Trusting it will inevitably guide you toward being the best you can be. So what and where is this inner compass?
You likely have an inherent sense of what is right or wrong for you. Emotions tell you whether you feel at ease with a situation or not; whether you are in the right place or not; whether you and others are being truthful or not. Maybe you can remember how as a kid you’d question the behavior or demands of the external world that didn’t make sense to you.
Even before then, as a newborn, you were completely in touch with who you were, how you felt, and what you wanted. You demanded and expected your needs and desires to be met; and you were also open and able to trust and love unconditionally. You acted from your inner truth and essence, with no ego involved.
Yet in time you were convinced, like most people, that in order to function in the world you’d have to “follow the rules of the game” and shut the inner compass—your emotional GPS of sorts—to be accepted and blend in. So you slowly lost touch with your true feelings and desires—with your inner voice—while your ego was shaped as a self-image you considered appropriate, functional, and acceptable.
Unfortunately, living through an image, or persona, as opposed to living in touch with your true self, can never bring happiness and fulfillment, no matter how successful you may be in the external world. I’m sure you know of famous, accomplished people who have committed suicide. No matter how successful in the world, they were not able to connect with who they were, at a soul level, and find joy in life.
Harley! Don’t Be a Dog!
My daughter and I still laugh at a scene she observed at a local dog park. A woman came to the park with a mixed breed mutt and sat to chat with other dog owners while watching her dog. Every time the dog approached another dog to play, the woman would yell at a distance, “Harley! Don’t bother that dog!” If he went to the water bowl to drink, she would shout, “Harley! Don’t drink that yucky water!” If he grabbed a ball and ran with it, “Harley! Drop the ball!” If he approached a person for affection, “Harley! Leave the man alone!” If he barked, “Harley! Stop barking!” And on and on.
But this woman was more of a nuisance to the people at the park than to Harley, because he continued running, drinking, barking, and playing with other dogs. In other words, he just kept being a dog! Aside from the obvious fact that dogs don’t speak English, it is clear that Harley was unequivocally and absolutely in touch with his inner compass. No matter how much his owner insisted on making him feel bad about being himself and trusting his inner compass, he wouldn’t care and simply continued trying to fulfill his desires.
Your Compass Leads To Your Soul’s Purpose
Everywhere you look, you will find people, authorities, and institutions telling you how you should live your life: how to behave with family, friends, partners, and colleagues; what to wear, purchase, eat, and look like; and what feelings and emotions are acceptable or not—which ones you are allowed to express and share, and which ones you should deny or suppress. The same applies to your desires, goals, and ambitions.
Perhaps you’re busy trying to build a career or a business, or acquiring skills to function and make a living in the world. Yet no matter how fun it may be to learn and do all those things, none of them can give you the satisfaction and joy of knowing what your purpose is and having clarity about what you want—what drives and excites you because it connects you to the flow of life.
In truth, the soul doesn’t care about “career” or “accomplishments”; those are ego things. Your soul is only concerned with the realization of who you are and what you are here to do—through the expression and manifestation of deep, soul-guided desires—and the expansion of consciousness they bring to find your place in the Universe.
No matter what you accomplish in life, be it big or small, public or private, if it is not aligned with who you essentially are and with your soul path, it cannot bring fulfillment. The sense of dissatisfaction that this misalignment creates, in any aspect of your life, is what tells you that you need to look within and shift your direction and/or your perspective. This is your inner compass at work.
Your Inner Voice Is Your Compass
Feelings of joy and peace usually mean you are in the right place at the right time, doing what is right for you; this soul alignment will show in your environment as wonderful blessings that confirm it with a mysterious synchronicity. On the other hand, feelings of unease, of something missing, of not finding your place, of being off-center, or conflicts with others are indicators that there is a disconnection within.
It may take the shape of fear, anxiety, anger, guilt, judgment, shame, and self-doubt. You may find reasons to be discontented about your life, your family, your partner, your government, and the world. In truth, it is your compass prompting you to take a closer look at what you’re doing and where you’re at, and shift your focus; perhaps even take a leap of faith and follow your dreams, accepting and expressing how you feel, who you are, and what you want.
Deep inside, you know what would bring you greater joy and happiness; through that inner compass, your soul is nudging you in a certain direction to experience and explore deeper aspects of yourself. Social conditioning may have silenced it, but you can start paying more attention to give it a louder voice. The first step is to get back in touch with your emotions and trust your intuition to lead the way, regardless of what others may think, say, or do. The second step is to ask yourself, every moment of every day, “Is this what I really want?” If not, “What emotions are preventing me from doing what I really want or from enjoying what I’m doing?”
Have the Courage to Be Yourself
Nobody knows what you are here to do, and more importantly how, better than yourself. You came to this lifetime with a purpose, and your soul set up a road map to reach it, even before you were born. It gets shaped by the challenges you face in life that help you grow and dissolve ego, allowing your true nature to emerge—your birthing pains, if you will.
However, it is easy to get distracted with the world and doubt yourself when you lose touch with your inner compass. You may get discouraged and sidetracked, and choose to remain in your social persona, to avoid the guilt and fear that inner change triggers, instead of being honest with yourself and taking full responsibility for your feelings and your life. You must follow that small voice inside leading you to become the master of your life.
Isn’t it time to look within and remove the beliefs that prevent you from accomplishing what you really came here to be and do? Insight and awareness are your soul’s wealth. They are the best gifts you can give yourself and others. So contact me today to gain clarity about your soul’s road map, start seeing yourself in a new light, and give birth to the magnificent being you truly are!
© 2011 Yol Swan. All rights reserved.
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