Taking the intuition on an outing

January 28, 7:49 AMSF Spiritual ExaminerTosha Silver

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Whenever I can,  I love to make myself receptive to how the day wishes to unfold without any planning or interference of the mind.  Since this skill grows with practice, I'll intentionally create situations that involve relaxing and letting the gut take the wheel.  Especially during stressful times, just offering  a few hours  for the psyche  to take over and meander is as relaxing as a two-week holiday.

So here's one favorite game I play.  I take the ferry to San Francisco without a plan for the afternoon, turn off my phone and start walking.  God's in the driver's seat.  i've done this as a spiritual practice for many years now, maybe a few times a month.  I figure we would make a date with a friend or companion or a new love, why not the inner Divine?

It's amazing how eagerly the intuition takes over and directs the outing, once it's given total permission.  Each journey is different, depending on the needs of the time.  I usually just put out a prayer at the beginning like, 'I offer this afternoon over to you.  Please bring what's most healing and necessary."  

Every short trip has been different.  On some, I've felt vigorous and animated, climbing every hill in sight up to Twin Peaks.  On others, I've sat on a bench staring at trees and feeding birds, craving blankness..  Sometimes I've run into long-gone acquaintances and had spontaneous meals.  Other times have been completely silent without even my ipod.  What matters is just letting the psyche unfurl without editing or interruption.

Always at the end of these  aimless journeys there's a sense of total revitalization, as if my soul got to stretch and relax completely, like a racehorse finally given a workout.  Creative inspirations and solutions to torturous problems often arise spontaneously.

I can't recommend this practice enough!  Cheaper than a retreat to the Himalayas or even a yoga retreat,  right outside your front door, the Divine is waiting to be your afternoon companion and navigator.