Awaken to Your Inner Wisdom
Honoring your Inner Wisdom
I recently returned from a weekend retreat in Topanga with one of my beloved teachers, and I returned home with a renewed sense of Trust within myself. At the retreat, we were workshopping, meditating, and “Resting in our future Selves”. But to rest in our future self suggests that we must first define what we want for our future selves. What do I want my future self to look like? To be like? What auspicious actions do I need to take to make my future self come true? And how can I cultivate trust and faith in myself to be bold enough to take those auspicious steps?
But first, let’s explore the word Trust. What does it take for you to trust something or have faith in someone? Do they first have to prove to you they are trustworthy? Is trust earned, and can it be taken away? In most cases, the answers are Yes! Even the English terms “blind faith or blind trust” suggests that it’s unworthy because it isn’t earned or informed by reality.
Unshakeable Faith or Conviction
There’s a word in Sanskrit called, Śrāddha (shrud-ha), that is often translated as Faith or Trust, but those words truly don’t capture the full felt-meaning of the word. Śrāddha is an unshakeable faith or conviction. It means aligning your mind with the Truth or reality. For example, there is no doubt in my mind that the sun will rise tomorrow.
But what prevents us from having this degree of faith or trust in ourselves? Are we afraid of being seen, or afraid of making a mistake that’s getting in our way connecting to our inner wisdom? Or are there false stories we keep believing about ourselves stopping us from having this type of unshakeable faith and conviction in ourselves?
I invite you to take a few moments now to write down or contemplate what is coming up for you when you think through this.
What’s your Antidote?
The medicine for having lack of faith or trust will be different depending on the obstacle or resistance you are feeling.
- Fear of making a mistake? Remember they are not mistakes, they are lessons. Think of them as teachers, enriching our wisdom.
- Are you listening to a negative narrative about yourself that keeps playing back on repeat? Ask yourself one question: Is that story rooted in Truth and Love? If it’s not both of those things, it’s not reality.
- Remember that Confidence is a Habit! You may have to continually lean on the “Is this message rooted in truth and love” practice as you build on that belief in yourself.
- Ancestor Honoring: Drawing from the wisdom of your ancestors is powerful medicine. Connect with them in your own way to ask for their wisdom and guidance.
The Fruits of Trusting Your Inner Wisdom
What are the possibilities for you if you started trusting your Inner Wisdom? What would clarity, confidence, and inner trust bring to you that could help you serve your family, friends and community? What gifts would you be able to share if you had this unshakeable faith within yourself? Let yourself D R E A M B I G then let it out on paper.
A Practice to Cultivate Confidence
Trusting our Inner Wisdom is a learned skill. When the world teaches us to constantly seek validation outside of us, the Trust in ourselves can weaken and become covered or hidden. We can experience this as a general lack of confidence in ourselves, or in behavioral patterns such as anxiety or the need to control.
To better acquaint you with Śrāddha, I’ve created a FREE offering for you all. On Friday, December 5 3:00-4:15 PM PST we’ll begin with contemplation of Yoga Sutra 1.20, where Patanjali first introduces the energy of Śrāddha. Followed by gentle, breath-based movement, meditation, and culminating into a deep rest of Yoga Nidra.
Click HERE to Register.
I hope to see you there! Lastly, I have a beautiful song recommendation for you. I hope you enjoy.
Love, Luna
Trust, by Alexia Chellun
