How do you calm the babble in your mind that prevents you hearing your own voice of inner tuition? Can you identify your own voice, and/or identify the voices of others?
I was asked by a very wise man: “Why do monkeys chatter?” Suspecting that this was a trick question, I kept very quiet and waited. The answer was, simply, “Because they do”. It’s the same with us. Why do our minds babble? Because they do. The trick is to give that endless voice in our head something to babble about – something that is beneficial. The babbling is inevitable, but the mindlessness of it – isn’t.

So often, when we talk to someone, while we are listening, we are also hearing the crazy dialogue that goes on inside the head. This falls into roughly six categories:
*There may be a running commentary comparing the story you are hearing, to your own – and, naturally, your story is far more exciting, dramatic, interesting, painful or intelligent than the one you’re hearing. You can hardly wait for them to stop talking so you can share your experience.
*Or you know exactly what the other person needs to solve their problem; you can barely wait for them to stop talking so you can instruct them as to what to do.
*Or you feel tremendously threatened by what you’re hearing and, in order to be considered adequate or worthwhile, you desperately search for some way to help – effectively not hearing a word they’re saying.
*Or, of course, this can sometimes be too much, and the internal voice is saying, frantically, “I don’t want to hear this, I don’t understand, this is too much for me” and we simply disconnect and don’t hear.
*Or you are so conscious of focusing and listening intently that you begin to anticipate what you’re going to hear – that you finish their sentences for them, saying what you are thinking instead of what they are saying.
When we listen, what we hear is filtered through our experience of life. When you speak to me, you are speaking through your education, your culture, your belief systems, your childhood, the opinions of friends and family, and your own experience. In turn, I am hearing through pretty much the same filters. So, dear reader, I am willing to guarantee that you are not reading what I am saying – you are hearing your own version of it. And, I assure you, the louder the babble, the louder the fear you carry. This fear can vary from fear of disappointment to fear of success … but it is fear that creates the babble.

In addition to this system of filtering, you have a background cacophony of other people’s voices; other people’s opinions and judgements, other people’s ideas, demands and expectations. You are witnessing other people’s lives. And you are not living your own. And you only have one chance to listen to your life – don’t waste the opportunity by constantly listening to everyone else’s words.

So, if you REALLY want to hear what I’m saying to you, now or whenever, take a moment to identify those filters and those voices, put them to rest … and then you will hear what I’m sharing. Begin to listen from a still place, then you will hear so much more; you will hear between the words, too. And you’ll hear intuitively what is not said. This is a truly powerful place to be

It is quite simple, when you think about it. By listening to your own Inner Tuition, you will be able to hear mine.