Listening is not merely a passive activity but an active engagement with the world and oneself, leading you to greater spiritual awareness and personal growth.
~ Wisdom Evolution
In a world brimming with noise, social media chatter, cell phone alerts, and the everyday demands of life itself, it’s easy to lose touch with the deeper, quieter voices that guide and ground you.
True listening is a sacred art. It’s a willingness to slow down, to pause, to intentionally open your heart and tune into the symphony of life beyond the obvious. When you slow down and listen—not just to the outer world, but to those whispers within, you can begin to uncover profound layers of connection to yourself, to others, and to the world around you, the seen and the unseen.
Your inner thoughts are like an ever-present guide gently nudging you toward clarity, confidence, and your own authentic truth. Ahhh…but this voice doesn’t shout. It whispers.
It’s that feeling of “knowing” without evidence, a spark of insight that arises when you least expect it. When you create a quiet space that allows you to truly hear yourself, be it through meditation, journaling, or quiet reflection like when you are drifting off to sleep or just awakening to a new day, you align with your intuition.
Think of your intuition like it is the compass of your soul, always pointing you toward your highest good.
Do you listen to and even have conversations with your ancestors? They are not as far away as you might think. Their wisdom flows through your very being, encoded in your DNA and carried in the stories and traditions they left behind for you.
Call out to them, then listen with intention. You may find their guidance in unexpected ways: a sudden thought that feels ancient, a dream that lingers, or even a synchronicity that feels too perfect to be coincidence. My dad has often answered questions for me when I have had a problem pop up that I know he would have had a solution for.
It happened one time when I was building a pond and there were no instructions on the cement bag for how much water to add or how much sand to use. I heard his answer loud and clear just as though he were standing next to me – seven to one. He reminded me one sunny afternoon as I sat stuck in a roadside ditch, to “rock it!” Both left wheels of my car were stuck in a muddy runoff ditch on the side of the road – “drive – reverse – drive – reverse – hit it,” I heard.
He could have just reminded me to put it in four-wheel drive I thought later, but left side covered in mud, I rocked that car back and forth until I got it back on the road and off I drove.
Reminder… don’t stop to take pictures mid-road, uphill, on a muddy dirt road after a rainy day… unless you drive a four-wheel vehicle and remember to engage all four wheels.
Inviting the presence of your ancestors through thought, ceremony, prayer, or just in those quiet moments of gratitude can open pathways you’ve never imagined to their teachings and strength.
Talk to and then LISTEN to the allies in your life, the seen and the unseen in whatever form they come and connect with them in ways that may go beyond words. A trusted friend’s advice may echo a truth you’ve been avoiding. A power animal appearing roadside, on a fence, in a dream or even a vision, might bring qualities you need to embody, like courage, grace, or resilience.
These helping spirits can serve as mirrors reflecting what you need to see, and they can remind you that you are never alone on your journey. Hawks always show up for me when I need a greeting or a reminder that I am “going the right way.”
Finally, the voices of nature that are all around you are constantly offering you their wisdom if you choose to LISTEN. The rustling of leaves in a cottonwood tree, the song of a bird, the flow of water, even the rock you stubbed your toe on, all carry messages of harmony and resilience, of care and hope, of peace and prosperity.
The wind might remind you to release what no longer serves, while the steady rhythm of waves could teach you about surrender and flow. Nature speaks in symbols and sensations teaching you how to live in balance and reminds you that they have many eons of wisdom to share if you take the time to LISTEN.
To truly listen, you must be present, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. This kind of listening is an act of love for yourself most importantly, but also for others as well. By being a sacred witness (aka listening intentionally) to what is being said, you are saying, “I see you, I honor you, I am open to your truth.”
Whether you are listening to your inner self, your ancestors, your allies, or the world around you, this openness creates a space where wisdom, love, and inspiration can be received.
The next time you feel overwhelmed by noise, pause. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and ask:
- What do I hear beneath the surface?
- What is my intuition telling me in this moment?
- What message might my ancestors or allies want to share?
- How is nature speaking to me right now?
Listen. Trust. And know that in this act of deep, sacred listening, you are engaging with the profound web of love and light that holds us all.
Here’s to listening with open ears and a receptive heart.
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Vicki Dobbs is a bold and adventurous warrior walking a path of heart to manifest spirituality in everyday lives. She opens existential gateways for individuals to face their challenges and embrace these tests as the great teachers that they are.
Her goal is to see everyone walk in beauty and balance every day of their lives empowered by the voice of their own authentic truth.
Through Wisdom Evolution and Sacred Wisdom Workshops, Vicki creates opportunities for others to make deep personal changes through experiential classes, ceremony, sacred art and story. She endeavors to inspire others to create their lives intentionally. Vicki is an Inspirator of everyday awareness, an Instigator of spontaneous stories and a Connoisseur of Creativity. Gratitude and grace sprinkled with humility and humor are the medicine she brings to the world.
As an Elder, Teacher and Entrepreneur, Spiritual Coach, Ordained Minister and Crafter of Sacred Art and Tools, Vicki perceives life’s journey as an ever-upward spiraling ascension of the human spirit leading her to wisdom, wholeness and authenticity.
Her experience includes being trained in the Harner Method of Shamanic Counseling and the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition of Cross Cultural Shamanism. She is a Graduate Teacher and Mentor with the Lynn Andrews Center For Sacred Arts and Training and has been the Administrator and Writers Guide for Writing Spirit, the School.
Vicki is also an Artist of the Spirit Certified Spiritual and Energetic Life Coach, a Graduate Mentor in the AoS program and a founding member of HeatherAsh Amara’s Warrior Goddess Leadership Team and Facilitator of the Warrior Heart Practice.
Connect with Vicki here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickildobbsauthor