Discernment

So many options of what to write about this week - I thought…but the angels were very clear in the message they wanted this week: discernment. And, come to think of it, discernment is exactly how I knew which topic was right for this week.

Discernment, as defined by Merriam Webster, is a noun that means the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure; skill in discerning.

In practical terms, discernment requires tapping into your intuition. What is your gut feeling about a situation? Are there red flags you’re ignoring? Do you feel good or empowered at the thought of it or does it make you feel sick to your stomach? What does your body say? It never lies.

It seems, in my life over the last few years, discernment has most been needed when something I was involved in had run its course and it was time for me to move on. For 13 years I was a substitute teacher until the pandemic hit. I had a number of incidents that had me questioning whether it was where I was meant to be, but when weighing the pros and cons, the pros always won…until 2020! In fact, even after school was back in session and subs were needed, I played lots of mental games about whether it was worth going back. Ultimately, it wasn’t my mind that won that match, but my heart. While I loved teaching, my heart was no longer called to it. (I would learn three years later that I was meant to be teaching Reiki classes, but I didn’t know that when I gave it up.)

I’m not a quitter, or at least that’s something I told myself for years. I have integrity. I am not a quitter. I always do the right thing. People can depend on me. These are all statements that kept me in situations past their prime and kept me from using my discernment. In Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, he talks about our ego getting in the way through “I am” statements. My best friends have helped me remove myself from some overripe situations by bringing attention to when my ego has overridden my ability to discern what’s best for me through simple statements that really struck home. In one situation, I was fired up about an issue within the church and she said, “Margaret, you cannot get mad enough to change the church.” Man I hated hearing that, but she was 100% right. I was making myself sick over how angry I was over…I don’t even remember the issue anymore. What I do remember is when I let go, I found my peace. In another situation, I was going to work in a sinking ship because I had said I would be there. My friend asked me if I were going in because of my ego or because it would truly make a difference that day. I conceded that it was my ego and chose not to go (very last minute - I was within a half mile of the store where the owners had influenza and one day left to be open). As a result, I had time to go to another establishment and was offered a position the very next day!

I think we all have situations like this - some where we are being shown that it’s time to go, and some where we are being asked to choose (where to work, where to live, who to date, etc.). Sometimes the stakes are high and sometimes they’re not. All the time our guides and angels are there to help us, IF we ask. Sometimes we are asked to rely on our gut feelings, and sometimes we have friends say the perfect thing to jolt us into reality. Angels advise that we pay attention to the little things: “don’t park there - go around the block”, “go to the grocery store across town this time”, “wear the flat shoes, not the heels today”. When we start listening to the little nudges that come through that little voice, or a “feeling”, or in our gut, we will be rewarded with knowing that our intuition is leading us in a safe and healthy way. You’ll start to notice that when you don’t listen, there are consequences. When we trust our intuition for little things and are rewarded, imagine how rewarding it is for the bigger things! And conversely, not listening to our intuition can have devastating consequences. It’s up to you, as Free Will is a Universal Law that always wins out. Isn’t it nice to know that there is a way to know what to choose?!

If you are interested in more on this subject, I have a friend, Fawn Towne, who has a podcast called Every Little Bit Counts, found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, where she talks about Discernment with Your Energy and Your People, which I highly recommend. It is her February 23, 2024 Episode.

And, if you’re discerning that it’s time to reach out to me for a reading, a reiki session, or a class, I would be delighted to do that for you. March is starting to fill up, and please check out my website (upper right corner of this blog) to see about my new Connecting with Angels Class that will be held in Eau Claire, WI in April! Sign up through www.audreyvanweyacademy.com where I will be an adjunct instructor. Space is limited!

Peace and Blessings to you,

Margaret Rose

651.442.3732

peacefulsoulutions@gmail.com