Following The Subtle Intuition

Yesterday was my first full day on Maui. There's a beautiful beach area that I always go to that has a nice walking path and easy parking. I've been looking forward to going to that beach again since I left here last February. All last week I kept thinking about it and how relaxing it is, how beautiful the scenery is and the ease of walking on the paved pathway that weaves in and around the resort area. There's great spots to relax and write and really it's been all I could think about in my anticipation of coming to Maui. So, naturally that was my plan for my first day. That being said, I had some chores that needed to be done where I'm staying at my brother's place. He and his wife live up country just below Haleakala in Makawao. The beach I wanted to visit was clear on the other side of the island near Kihei. So I finished my chores, packed my beach bag and headed to Starbucks where I was going to get some online work done that I needed to get caught up on for my business. I was still thinking about my lovely beach walk, but knew this needed to be done first. On my way down the mountain heading into town I noticed a small brush fire in the distance. I didn't pay much attention to it, other than noting that it made sense given how hot it has been lately and all the dry brush on the fallow land was a big tinder box waiting to ignite. I could see the helicopters running water over to the area in massive giant buckets. I figured it would be out before long, as it seemed like they were catching it early. So I grabbed my Starbucks and opened up my computer to do some work. Once this was finished, I could head to my beach and really enjoy this beautiful sunny day.

So I started working. Everything seemed to be going at a snails pace. What I thought was going to be quick easy tasks were taking me forever. A guy comes and sits right across my table snorting and coughing all over the place. "This is odd", I thought to myself. "Why am I attracting this..." I centered myself and took a couple deep breaths. Nothing to concern myself with here. There's a table that just opened up and I can plug my computer in over there. I sit down at the table and plug in my laptop, ready to finish up this work again. I wasn't even sitting there 5 minutes when a lady comes and sits right across from me talking obnoxiously loud on her cell phone and sniffing and sneezing. I thought to myself, "odd... I don't feel misaligned, just attracting some strange Starbucks companions for some reason." But, I had to get this work done and this was no longer comfortable, so I decided to head back up to my brother's place and finish my work out on the porch. I wasn't upset, maybe slightly disappointed that my beach adventure was being delayed, but it was a long day and I knew I could head out later. So, I got back to the house and sat on the beautiful screened in porch and enjoyed finishing up the work I had to do in peace and quiet. Phew, finally done... I could go to the beach now... but do I really want to? I was actually feeling kind of tired, maybe a nice nap would be good right now. I've got no schedule to follow, the beach isn't going anywhere and that bed is looking mighty comfortable. I laid down and slept for a good hour.

When I woke up I was feeling refreshed and invigorated. It was almost 5, but I thought I still would have time to make the beach for sunset. I jumped in the car and headed down the hill, only to discover what had been a small brush fire earlier that morning had turned into a raging blaze that covered the entire side of Haleakala in a cloud of smoke. When I first saw the cloud I thought a huge storm was coming in, but on closer inspection realized this was the smoke from the fire I had noticed earlier in the day. I couldn't even see that side of the island through that thick cloud. I looked at my phone to see if there was news and what had started off as a small brush fire this morning was now raging through 4,000 acres soon to be close to 10,000. Roads had been closed from the thick smoke and people were being evacuated. Suddenly it hit me. That's where I would have been! If I had gone to the beach earlier in the day as I had originally planned I would have been stuck on that side of the island with no place to go billowing with smoke and ash. Now, I'm certain that I would have been protected and I would have found whatever shelter I needed had I actually been put into that situation. However, as I looked back on my day I started to recognize the 'subtle' intuitive hits I kept getting. First the 'annoying' companions that lead me to choose to go back to my brother's place, then the subtle suggestion to 'take a nap', which felt soooo good. Each step of the way I was doing nothing more than following this inner guidance, this inner knowing, to move from one part of my day to the next, with ease, grace and flow.

So many times in my life I have found myself FORCING into a situation or idea or experience JUST BECAUSE I PLANNED IT THIS WAY! Much of my life I have lived trying to control the circumstances around me through planning and ordering and organizing my life. But, it wasn't really until this last year that I started to recognize the absolute power in following the still, small subtle intuitive vibrations. If you can truly live every moment of your life in this way, Spirit will guide you and direct you toward the best pathway for you. Guiding you TOWARD what is beneficial and AWAY from that which might harm us. And it's not always a loud screaming NO or a big booming voice from on high, it's sometimes just a subtle suggestion, "Do 'this' instead...", "Take a nice easy, relaxing nap.", "Wouldn't it feel good right now if you did this..." IF we're not so strong willed about our PLANS and our DICTATIONS for the day and how every little thing should turn out we can take these subtle suggestions with ease and grace and everything will move forward for us much easier. I know my guides would have directed me out of the path of that fire had I somehow pushed my way into that situation energetically, but knowing that I was in tune enough to get the messages so that I didn't need rescued at all was really big for me. Trusting the flow, that still calm inner voice can be way more powerfully beneficial than I think we even realize. How many disasters have we been subtly guided away from and how many beautiful experiences are we being quietly moved toward. Open and allow. Trust and listen. Your guides ARE there easily helping you flow through this life. To all those who were/are affected by the Maui fire I'm sending my love and support your way and prayers for quick and easy containment of any remaining outbreaks.

Big Hugs & Aloha - Brian