Have you ever wondered what the difference between feelings, instinct, thought, and intuition is? Events of this past month have caused me to do just that.
Our sweet old dog, Serena, has been experiencing painful eye, nose, and gland problems. After a couple bouts of antibiotics and eye drops didn’t work to resolve these issues, her veterinarian began to speculate about possible underlying causes (including a cancerous tumor) and recommended an invasive diagnostic test which would have been painful, expensive, and require general anesthesia. In addition, she suggested I take her to an opthamologist.
I listened, discussed, researched, thought, sought other opinions–and prayed. Though I certainly wanted to resolve Serena’s problems, the speculations and recommendations proffered by her vet, except consulting with an opthamologist, just didn’t feel right to me.
To make a long story short, in spite of my “better instincts,” I called to make an appointment with the internist who would perform the dreaded test. Fortunately, he was out of town.
I then made an opthamologist appointment. As it turns out, our girl has a severe case of “dry eye.” Her ducts can no longer produce tears and this, in turn, affects her nasal passages and glands as well as her eye. Though she will require eye drops and a food additive the rest of her life; and, if left untreated, could lose her sight, this is a manageable condition and a far cry from cancer.
The opthamologist and her diagnosis “felt right” to me, immediately. After one night of prayer to St. Francis (I definitely believe in prayer) I woke up with an intuitive certainty that the problem was with her eye and was being exacerbated by allergies. Without seeking approval, I began to give her Benadryl and made an appointment to have her top coat shaved, which always alleviates her worst allergic symptoms.
The eye specialist agreed with these decisions, explaining how pollens and other pollutants are especially painful and destructive to eyes and nasal passages that cannot produce a protective barrier or flush these out.
This is what I was reminded of by this experience: NEVER IGNORE YOUR INTUITIVE PERCEPTIONS; NOT EVER!
Every single regret I’ve experienced in life has been the result of over-riding my intuition with intellect, “feelings,” or simply ignoring it.
So, why is intuition more true, pure, and reliable than feelings, instinct or intellect? The distinction is explained simply and clearly by Abd-Ru-Shin in The Light of Truth–The Grail Message (Bernhardt, 1971):
“Feelings” are produced by the physical body–which generates “instincts” in order to survive. These “instincts,” guided by “intellect,” produce “feelings.” Therefore, feelings are bound by time & space, and are, like the intellect, a product of the physical brain and materiality.
“Intuitive Perception,” on the other hand, is above and beyond the confines of time and space. It emanates from Spirit and will always remain pure and clear. It speaks to us through that “still, small voice within” which, though always active, is often ignored.
Unfortunately, most of us don’t hear this voice until a strong emotional surge– brought on by extreme grief, suffering, or joy–pushes through the crust of intellect or cloud of emotional feelings and allows it to be heard.
The goal of most spiritual practices is to put us back in touch with our Immortal Self–through prayer, contemplation, meditation, and discernment–so that we will once more be able to recognize and connect with our Intuitive Perception.
I can’t think of a more valuable self-gift than to learn one of these disciplines and practice it on a daily basis.
