The Twelfth Insight - James Redfield [54]
“Let’s get going,” he said. “We have to read this!”
I nodded, sat down by my tent, and began reading. The Document opened by saying that, in this Integration, we would see how Synchronicity actually worked.
Moments of Synchronistic discovery, it went on, feel like we are in just the right place at just the right time to receive important information. Yet if we observe more closely, we can see that these Synchronistic moments are preceded by an intuitive urge that directs us to go somewhere, or say something, that results in the Synchronicity. Following such guidance has happened all through history at moments of great discovery and accomplishment. But it has happened more or less unconsciously.
It is time, the Document continued, to wake up and bring the intuitive part of Synchronicity more fully into consciousness. The key to doing this is to broaden our habit of expecting Synchronicity to include expecting the intuitions that are part of this process. And in order to do that, we must adequately identify such guidance by learning to distinguish our “guiding” thoughts from ordinary “ego strategy” thoughts.
I looked over at Wil. “This is similar to what was said in the Prophecy at the Seventh Insight.”
“Read a little further,” Wil replied. “It explains how to actually do it.”
Ego thoughts, the Document clarified, are words we say to ourselves about our situation in order to logically assess how to get things done in the world. These thoughts come up spontaneously from years of learning.
However, the Document says that if we observe closely, we can begin to distinguish another kind of thought, one that appears to be more spontaneous. It feels as if it merely drops into our minds, usually without any direct connection to logical analysis. These thoughts often come with an image of us doing something, or a feeling that urges us to take some action that we feel in our stomachs. These are thoughts the document is calling guidance. Once followed, they usually lead to an important Synchronicity.
I thought about this for a moment. That is exactly how it happens. How many times when we suddenly think to call an old friend, for instance, does the person say, “I was just thinking about you,” and then present a Synchronicity of some kind?
I looked at Wil, who pretended not to notice but gave me the hint of a frown. I knew what he was saying to me: don’t talk, hurry up and read.
The rest of the pages wrapped up the Integration by saying, again, that the key to becoming fully conscious of these thoughts is to stay as much as possible in this state of alertness for the next guiding intuition to arrive. The key was to not let a hunch or an image go by without at least seriously considering it. It did reiterate, as before, that since we were in a transition, adding spiritual ability to a rational, logic-oriented worldview, we should use logic first in finding a way to act on the intuition.
One tip for being on the alert for a guidance was to constantly ask yourself, “Why did I think that now?”
I put down the papers, realizing I already asked that question of myself from time to time. How did I get into that habit? Then I remembered: Wil had told me to do it while we were in Peru.
As I read on, the Document mentioned another technique to use when one needs a guiding intuition, or higher perspective, on a given situation in a hurry. Instead of just waiting, one can actively seek guidance by “tuning in.”
For instance, when facing a decision whether to go somewhere or not, we can just imagine ourselves already traveling to the place and arriving there. The point of this method is to see how easily the journey can be visualized. If you can see yourself going there easily, then that means it’s a good idea. If the desired images are difficult to see, or fail to appear altogether, we should take precautionary measures.
The Document reiterated that when we see the right course of action, there is a corresponding elevation in energy, or an “urging” feeling, as though one is “inspired” to take the action.
I stopped