How can you tell the difference between intuitive and ego advice?

How can you tell the difference from guidance coming from the ego, from guidance coming from your intuition? It's a question that's stumped me for a while while meditating or during a time of introspection. I was hoping that maybe some of you on here could help me with this dilemma and any others who might be having a similar issue.

See, the issue is that the ego can often disguise itself as intuition and the problem lies in not knowing exactly what intuition feels/sounds like. Someone once told me that the ego talks to you disrespectfully while your intuition speaks to you very soft and kindly. Ego advice is often rooted in fear, while intuitive advice is often rooted in peace/love. Is this true?

Listen to your gut and don't over think it.

Originally posted by mossme89
Ego advice is often rooted in fear, while intuitive advice is often rooted in peace/love. Is this true?

Yes.

Ego is the voice in the mind that separates. It sees a "me" versus a "them", and always it is looking to protect this "me" from any external source that it perceives as a threat. Ego will play victim. Ego will attack first as its best defense. Ego will place blame and judgment. Ego will look at any given situation and consider how the "other" involved is the one that needs to change - rather than looking within one's self. And possibly most significantly, when going through an episode of intense emotion, ego will focus all attention on trying to "fix" the problem, while resisting the emotion. So if you're feeling fear, for example, this is not a good time to listen to the thoughts in the mind and make decisions based upon them.

On the other hand, guidance - or intuitive advice - is a Voice from beyond the mind (yet still part of you) that joins. It sees Oneness, and indeed is coming from that place of peace and love. It will never lead you to defend yourself, for it sees no attack and no threat of attack. It will never play victim - rather, it will encourage you to do the opposite, which is to take full responsibility for your own experience. It will never speak of guilt or blame or judgment - because it's very purpose is always to guide you to rise above these things. And when you have that experience of intense emotion, your guidance will ask you to do nothing but focus on letting go of the emotion. If there's a decision to be made, make it when the emotion has passed and peace has returned, and it will be more likely that you've accessed your guidance rather than ego.

The ego speaks first, and loudest. Guidance speaks in silence - your silence, when you're able to calm the mind.

reply to post by TruthCharmer


Thank you! That was very helpful

reply to post by TruthCharmer


Enjoyed this response truthcharmer...its nice to meetcha.

Cant say I have all the answers for the opening posters question...but I would agree that the difference is going to be based in the place of 'for the self' or 'for the all'. Are you coming from a 'I' perspective or from a 'unity/all/whole' perspective. Think of 'life' not as yourself...but as 'all life as a whole'.

I walked several paths of what I thought were spiritually sound...and I came to find out (through my own limited understanding within) that those spiritual paths fed the 'I' of me, the 'ego' of me. It was tricky to see this for those paths often talked about serving others and to be more for others then the self. That was something I resonated with but in the end of those 'paths' there was a 'idea' that these works led to something for the 'self' to gain...such as heaven or ascension ideas.

Something didnt seem right with that. How can I really be in service to others when in the end, I seek something for the 'self'.

I then had to go back through all of those years of things I thought I learned due to 'intuition' of what I THOUGHT was resonating with me due to 'inner seeking'....when it was really resonating with me some of the times due to the fulfilling of the 'self', the 'I'.

None of it was 'wrong' for it all taught me something about 'me'. I try to see all things from 2 different perspectives. From a 'I' perspective and from a 'all' perspective. For me, the 'all' perspective seems to go along more with what the intuition of the inner spirit would be.

Consider that your not a 'I' at all...that the idea that you are a separate self amongst other separate selves...is an illusion that you are a part of kinda like a dream. Consider that we all share ONE TRUE SELF, that we are all of ONE SELF...and it only seems we are separated. Then consider all questions or ideas from this 'true self' view point. As an 'I' we have such limited views, we all have our own ideas of what is right and wrong, what we desire, what we need, what we fear. Know these things about yourself. Be honest, when looking deep into your own personal desires for yourself and the world...as well as looking deep into your own personal fears for yourself and the world. Get to know...how those manifested in 'you'. Be honest. Your inner intuition is not going to be rooted through the filters of personal desires and fears...but your ego will be connected with those, the personal facets of 'you'.

Often...its not so much in the moment that we can know we for sure are using intuition...but more so for me, its been as I look back that I see a difference between the two. Alot of the work for myself, had to come through honesty about my own personal desires for 'life' and the world. Just because I desire certain things to be so...does not mean that on a 'all' level, they are needed.

Know your personal desires and fears...you need to be honest and know yourself, to discern between the 'ego' and the inner intuition. There are some things you may not be ready to let go of, that are personal desires that you need for comfort....but as you 'live' you may become more and more aware that you are leaning to certain ideas as a 'truth' all for that personal desire that you felt you needed to have.

Much love
LV

The ego is a second-phase distortion of your core instincts, however, it creates a delay time between your instincts and your perception of your instincts, so its interpretation of your instincts occur to your awareness before your true instincts are able to take hold.

In order to separate the ego, you have to create your own "delay time" and this means creating a mental "buffer" between your ego and your actions - usually contemplation of the signals from the ego, creates a significant buffer, you can then intercede in your own ego, and isolate the core feelings that the ego is feeding from, then create a program to extract your true feelings, and repress the ego.

It is very difficult - essentially, you have to instruct your instincts that the signals from the ego, if followed, would result in death or injury, only then can the instincts override the ego, and the body will start to reject the ego, like a body rejects a virus. It requires a certain level of thought, as the ego operates at a high frequency that the natural brain can only access in moments of extreme panic.

If you can accomplish it, you will regain your connection to the natural energies of the animal/biological grid, and you will start to be able to channel energy from the living ecosystem as opposed to the artificial grid. From that point, you have to develop your true intelligence (as you call it intuition) and return to the natural state (pre-ego).

For example, I have to do much "work" spiritually before the Earth/environment "feeds" me with energy. Most individuals take from the artificial grid, that is trying to hijack the planets natural matrix.

Although I should not say it, I fear that the planet itself is attempting to disconnect the human ego-system, as a virus is rejected from the body.

Another thing you could try, as your discerning things.

Ask yourself, to look at a question or thought...through the mind of a child.

Great thread and replies. I find that my mind is so cluttered that I wouldn't know intuition if it hit me in the head. Are there such things as omens or signs or intuition and how would I recognize them or it when it comes? As I take my spiritual journey, I often get sidetracked with these questions and then confused as to what I'm really supposed to be doing on this earth. As I start to fall into self pity, depression, confusion and inaction my (ego?) or something else kicks in and I just take Nike's advice and "Just do it!" What "IT" is doesn't matter as long as I'm taking action and moving forward and creating my own destiny. I've become a community leader because of this and then BAM...back to my spiritual journey and I always seem to be back at the same questions. Frustrating. It's a cycle that keeps repeating itself in my life. It's almost like I've had 10 or so distict lives, each one different then the other. But am I really getting anywhere in life? hmmmmm

reply to post by amazing


Great honesty amazing

Over this last year or two...I have become comfortable with the idea that "I do not know". It makes me lol at times to say Im ok with NOT KNOWING. What is it that I dont know for sure...well...I dont know what IT is...but I am OK with it what ever it is.

lol

But...I will speculate, in knowing, with the not knowing. The ego seeks so much to KNOW KNOW KNOW. Then a different part of me comes in and says its OK to not know.

Sometimes its best, to just 'be'.

reply to post by amazing


Any time you second-guess your actions, it is the ego attempting to take control of "what you were going to do if the thought not-to-do-it had not occured."

every time i use logic i get screwed.


but then again, every time i walk out of a subway exit i go in the wrong direction.

even if i try to mess myself up.

your brain is over rated.

oh yeah, sometimes it's right by saying "don't go home with her, she is not a real girl, is that a 5 oclock shadow"

but she is so hot and knows a ton of stuff about football!

we go for 1 drink.

basicly the difference is who has the last decision.

All you to have to do is believe, and when you believe, ask.

Originally posted by onequestion
All you to have to do is believe, and when you believe, ask.

Still, how does one tell, for sure, that its not just their personal desire that is offering the answer? Something that will comfort the person or something that will allow a fear to lay to rest?

Its hard to be honest with the 'self' in what we desire, what we have accepted already as preconceived ideas as well.

If we have preconceived ideas, if we think we already know something...then is there room for the true self to 'speak' so to say?

Doesnt one need to know their personal individual desires, fears, needs, and be aware of those...as well as be aware of preconceived ideas they have already accepted as a truth...to then place those aside and see with new inner eyes of their 'inner true nature and self'?

I know many times I believed...and then asked...but I still was following answers that were feeding the ego, the self, the 'I'...things that pleased 'me' personally.

Im not saying to doubt the 'self'....or to not believe in the 'self'.....but it takes work and time to really get to know the 'self' to be able to discern from that...and a inner nature we all share, that inner light that is often covered, with our own desires, fears, wants, ect.

What ever one is ready for...is what they will see. If its the self they are still in need of pleasing and fulfilling...then the 'ego' is what will lead the way. Its not bad or a mistake..its meant to be this way. So in a weird way, I agree ...because there is no wrong, in what we are in need of or where we are at in our path and journey. It may sound like I was disagreeing...but was just posing more questions and continuing the convo.

I must call it a night...Ive been rambling
LV

reply to post by TruthCharmer


I agree. In silence you can discern the difference between the ego and guidance. I like to think of guidance is that which comes without thought or reason. In fact much of the time ego tells me to do the most logical course of action, and spiritual guidance tells me to do something entirely different then everyone else is appearing to do. Intention is also everything. Whatever action you perform be it spiritual or ego based decision intention is very important. Intention can shift midway through some action.

when i go to the casino's (i play the slots)this is so on topic!


i do great following my gut, when i chase, i always loose. couple beers and some ego. make me arrogant.

if it don't put out on 3 rolls, i'm off to another machine. remember that!

if i chase, i always loose. throw good money after bad.

my gut has paid the rent in 20mins many times. i go and have a beer or 2 and subsidizing the wife.

reply to post by LeoVirgo


When you truly believe in something its real. Ask yourself deep down inside if its real.

reply to post by mossme89


I think Whatmatters2u and Systemresistor have nailed it.

listen to your super ego, not your ego.

Originally posted by kirstiehughes
listen to your super ego, not your ego.

How do you do that?

I guess I have a lot more reading to do. Any book suggestions?

Originally posted by onequestion
reply to post by LeoVirgo

 

When you truly believe in something its real. Ask yourself deep down inside if its real.

Funny thing is, I have learned over time, that there are many things of the 'self' that can block what is 'deep down'. That what I thought 'was' deep down...turned out later to be something the 'ego' was in desire of, so I saw it as a 'truth'.

So this is why I talk about the need of honest in the 'work of self, knowing the self' so one can come from a clean slate aside from the preconceived ideas, desires, and fears that we as a 'self' are attracted to.

Getting to know one's own personality, intellect, ideas that they grew up thinking were a fact, preconceived of what is truths...getting to know these things and being honest about what they are...is important.

Just adding thoughts....I have found out over the last few years there is alot of personal work that needs to be done, daily discerning and learning of the self.

All my best to you
LV