One of the most important ways of leaning to listen to the still, soft voice inside is through meditation.  Indeed, if you want to truly cultivate a dialogue with your spirit, it's necessary to practice a relaxed, receptive alpha brain wave state of meditating everyday.  Beyond meditation, it's also important to practice opening up to your inner voice during your waking life.

You can start with simple questions, which don't necessarily have to carry heavy emotional weight.  "Which row has a parking space for me?"  "Will the person I'm phoning be home?"  Or even, "Which class is best for me?"  Any question at all will do.  Then, just "listen" inside for the first answer you get.  It's important to be spontaneous with this and not get attached to the outcome in any way.  These frequent questions simply allow you to practice your listening (or clairaudient) abilities many times each day.  And although some of these situations seem incidental, over an extended period of time you will find many benefits that would not otherwise be available to you through alpha level experiences only.  Spontaneity is the key.  All you have to do is trust the very first perception you experience — even if it is only a little piece of a symbol and even if you don't immediately know what it means.

Here's a little exercise you can do now and many times throughout your day to touch in:  Close your eyes and ask your spirit to give you a word  — just one word right now.  Trust the first thing you get.  What is it?

You can change this little process in many ways.  Ask for a sound, an image, a song, a symbol, or a feeling.  Just keep it simple and spontaneous. You'll find that your regular outreach to your spirit will bring you insight and other benefits you couldn’t have imagined.

Benefits of Active Listening Every Day

Even if you find the significance of your intuitive messages growing, it is not a sign for you to discontinue your little practices with the smaller "less important" dialogues.  Daily communication about little things will allow you to open to a greater and more intimate relationship with your own spirit and with your guides.  And let's face it, sometimes it's more fun just to be together with spirit.  (After all, do you discuss the meaning of life every time you go out for coffee with friends?)

So, keep taking little moments to invite your spirit into your life throughout your day.  In little ways and large ways you will know the blessings of a vision that knows no bounds.

(from The Journey Magazine, Learning To Listen To Spirit, by Sharon Anne Klingler.  All rights reserved.)