It’s the final week for a new free preview of Pilgrim Principles: Journeying with Intention in Everyday Life, and we end with the seventh principle: “A pilgrim seeks to know his Inner Witness.” The seventh principle is all about the place where the true self and Divine meet, a place that no-doubt breeds intuition, which this preview explores today. Other categories discussed with this principle in the book include acceptance, awareness, insight, and enthusiasm (one of my favorites, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why!).
Before you dive into this final preview, be sure to catch up on the other six! And of course as the day of release draws near (less than 3 weeks!), you can always find all things related to the book at pilgrimprinciples.com (it’s the site where you’ve been sending all your friends, right?). You can even be entered for a chance to win a signed copy if you sign up to get updates from A Sacred Journey!
1. “A pilgrim looks for the Sacred in the Quotidian” // Home
2. “A pilgrim practices somatic spirituality” // Taste
3. “A pilgrim is a good steward of resources” // Possessions
4. “A pilgrim immerses herself in culture” // Language
5. “A pilgrim creates daily rhythms to ground himself” // Body (guided meditation)
6. “A pilgrim carries herself with curiosity” // Delight
MORE PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
Some more words of praise for the book before we jump into the final preview, this time from Dana Reynolds of Sacred Life-Arts (listen to my interview as part of her Women of Wisdom series here):
“Through her practical, invitational, and inspirational Pilgrim Principles, Lacy provides holistic guidance to experience daily life as an earthly pilgrimage. This book is a field guide for the pilgrim’s soul and a sacred tool for transformation for those seeking ways to enrich their inner and outer journeys.”
Sybil Dana Reynolds, Spiritual Director
author of Ink and Honey
sacredlifearts.com
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pilgrim principles free book preview: delight
Often regarded as the sixth sense, intuition is natural and essential, yet so elusive and mysterious. But then again, the Inner Witness can be as well. If our journeys are led by the rumblings and desires of the Inner Witness, then it’s our intuition that guides us to the places of Sacred Encounter.
When people talk about following their intuition, they often use phrases like, “I felt that it was true,” “I had a sense that it would turn out that way,” or “I can’t explain it, I just know it.” Intuition is a deep knowing, but often unlike the world’s definition of knowing. Typically intuition’s message can’t be outlined neatly with facts or figures or even expressed in words. It is a knowing deep within our hearts and in our bones—a message stemming from our subconscious, our true selves, our Inner Witness. Some might say it is a message from God.
Being able to tap into and reap wisdom from our intuition can be beneficial in many ways. It can guide us in decision making and let us know where we stand. It can warn us of what lies ahead or tell us what action to take in the present moment. It can also be an indicator of the state of our relationship with our essential self. For example, many of us are plagued with bouts of self-doubt from time to time. When we pause to explore these feelings, our intuition can serve as a spotlight, shining light into the darkness, speaking truth into the chasm that has separated us from our true selves and our inherent worthiness.
For the pilgrim, intuition is like a lantern for the journey—a light in the darkness, indicating to the pilgrim his next step and guiding him along the path. When he holds it closely, he too will be in the light. And if he is separated from it, he can always find it again if he searches for the truth. So how can the pilgrim pick up this lantern at home? How can you bask in its light and search for its truth within the darkness? How do you begin to recognize and use this sixth sense in everyday life?
Like many practices of the pilgrim, it starts with awareness. Intuition often appears as a sharp and sudden feeling or a deeply-seated yet indescribable certainty. When you have these experiences, pay attention. What are they telling you? If it is indeed a message from the Inner Witness—a glimmer of light in the darkness—then it will be a message that moves you in the direction of truth, life, and love. If this is the case, then the next step in following your intuition is to take a risk—a step of faith by the light of your intuition, even when the path ahead is still dark with uncertainty.
I could say more, but it would be of no use, for our intuitions are each as unique as our true selves and our Inner Witnesses, and so your intuitive path lies in your hands only. To begin to follow it is an act of intuition within itself. What comes next is up to you.
PRACTICE
When you notice that you have a certain feeling about a particular decision or situation, but you can’t necessarily explain it, pick up your lantern and look closely to see what your intuition might be trying to reveal. It can be risky to act on things based on a feeling, so as you determine what steps to take and which voice to follow, remember this: the Inner Witness—the intuitive whisperer—is always wanting to lead you toward life and your true self.
REFLECTION
Do you feel in touch with your intuition? If so, what happens when you act on your intuition? If not, what are some ways you might begin to explore and act on your intuition each day?
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This post was an excerpt from Pilgrim Principles: Journeying
with Intention in Everyday Life, releasing January 6, 2014.
Learn more about the book and enter to win a signed copy
at pilgrimprinciples.com.
