know how to listen

This letter came from Ananda LA:

Dear Donna Mccullough, 

Receptivity is one of the most important qualities to develop on the spiritual path. When someone asked Paramhansa Yogananda how his foremost disciple, Rajarsi Janakananda, reached enlightenment so quickly, his simple response was:"He knows how to listen."

God tries to speak to us in many many ways, each and every day... through our intuition yes, but also, more simply through our daily interactions with others - friends, family, complete strangers. 

The tricky part about intuition is that until we've transcended the ego, it sometimes muddies the crystal clarity of our intuition and gets us into trouble.

If we think of our intuition as a muscle, as Swami Kriyananda has suggested, we need to be honest with ourselves. How often have we worked out our "intuition muscle" and how has it proven beneficial in our daily dealings with the world around us?

Those who lift weights, have a general idea of how much they can carry. They slowly build up to that amount and they know the importance of having a spotter; someone who can lift the weight off if the burden is too great. The spotter encourages the weight lifter to push his boundaries but also can see the reality of the situation and steps in when needed.

In the same way, spiritual community should encourage us to use our intuition and find the answers within, but it also acts as a great mirror for when we might be going astray. If we "know how to listen" as Yoganandaji said, we can be truly blessed by those who are walking the path with us!

Love,
dharmadevi & narayan

As I continue with my spiritual practices of meditation and living mindfully my intuition is developing and I find that I am listening more. Sometimes I notice the intuition after the fact, like when I failed to listen to the inner voice that said "move that vase" about 30 seconds before the cat jumped up onto the table and knocked it over.  There is a harmony and a flow to life and when we are willing to listen we will be guided. 

When the tsunami hit a few years ago there was a tribe of people who knew to get to higher ground before anyone else knew that a tsunami was coming.  These people lived close to nature and they noticed things like the tide flowing in an unusual way, the fish swimming in erratic patterns, the birds and other animals being restless, and the children in the village acting crazy. Because they were watching and listening to what was happening around them and within them they were able to avoid disaster. 

Noticing the still small voice within, listening to others, and noticing what is happening in our lives are all important ways of listening to God.  It has been said before "Stop telling God what to do and start listening to what God has to say to you."