Inner Eye Publishing Articles Creativity Intuition Empowerment

Ebb and Flow

By Nancy Marie

Our family moved to the seashore when my daughter was three and for several years our life revolved around the constant ebb and flow of the tide. Early each morning we would walk on the beach to see what "gifts" the ocean had brought to us. Sometimes we would find shells or smooth pieces of glass, while other times we would find interesting seaweed, a broken toy, or parts of an old boat. We would collect our treasures and head home for breakfast.

Over our morning meal we would make up stories about where the different treasures had come from, and how they ended up in the ocean. It was great fun, each story becoming more elaborate than the one before. In the late afternoon, at low tide, we would hide gifts in the sand or build a castle using the treasures we had found in the morning. Then the following morning we would run like children on Christmas day out to the beach to see what was taken and to see what was left behind.

The ebbs and flows of any difficult challenge can rip things from our grip in a second, but it can also bring us unexpected gifts-just as the ocean does. Sometimes when our view of life becomes too fixed, it takes a major force of nature to release us from what we no longer need (or need to be) and in its place leave us with new life opportunities. During such a time hold your intuition close, for it can be your greatest ally.

Even if you haven't cultivated a strong relationship with your inner voice, times of transition offer a wonderful opportunity to strengthen that bond. Simple abdominal breathing can help still your mind, while your sixth sense, your intuition, will speak to you through your other five senses. Pay close attention to your five senses, for through them you can receive subtle messages on how to handle your current situation. You only need to slow down and pay close attention.

The gentle flow of intuitive information usually arrives first through your most highly developed sense. It doesn't really matter which sense it is. Just take notice of how, when, where, and why the messages are transmitted. Then when you need to get some information fast, you will know where to look to regain your clarity and move forward more effectively.

Some people feel they aren't intuitive because they don't get pictures or voices telling them what to do, but inner guidance isn't that black and white. It is more like a treasure hunt. You need to be an active participant and embrace this inner dialog like an adventure. If you don't understand the instructions, ask more questions. Don't expect all of the information to be dished out all in one nice little package. Instead view it as an ongoing conversation between your body, mind, and spirit. Then, like the ocean, it will bring you unexpected gifts and help you let go of what you no longer need.

Nancy Marie is a driving force for self-actualization and the creator of the I Create What I Believe! Self-Awareness Art Program. This groundbreaking program, which is based on the research of Dr. Bruce Lipton, introduces children and adults to the art of transforming their stifling subconscious beliefs with the mere flick of their pencil or crayon. Ms. Marie is also the author and illustrator of: Out of the Box and Into Yourself!, Passage of Change, A fable based on the research of Bruce Lipton, Ph.D., and The Beckoning Song of Your Soul, A Guidebook for Developing Your Intuition.