wisdom

Last week Charles asked, “How do you know when the message is from God and The Universe and not just from your own mind?”

I Thought this was a great question because first, it implies that we can be so connected with God and our higher self that we can get information from on high.  And second, because it suggests that there is a difference between our normal everyday thoughts, experiences, and information, and the spiritual information that is always correct.

I gave an example of how when I had my bookstore I needed more customers and had tried many things to acheive what I wanted.  I tried radio ads, popular publications and other sources.  I tried a light-up sign in the window.  I was not allowed to put a sign on the building.

I put the question to God and The Universe asking “What do I do to get more people coming in?” I meditated for a long period hoping for an answer.  The next day as I entered my printer Roy’s print shop he said “you know what Craig? ” As soon as he spoke, I got a chill and said to myself “Here comes my answer.”

Then he said “When I had my shop on Northwestern Highway I had all kinds of walk in traffic because of my sign. You could see it from many angles and far away. Now I don’t get the walk in traffic because I sit far back off 12 mile and people don’t know I am here.  So I am going to get me an old van and put it out by the road.  I don’t even care if it runs. I am going to paint a sign on it and use it as a billboard for my store.  I did it in Florida and it worked well.”  I could not believe it.  I had a van that barely ran I was about to get rid of. This was my answer. To put a sign on it and keep it by the road of my store.  Roy never this did this, but I did.

I paid a guy to airbrush the most beautiful sign. And guess what? Nobody came.  I got no new traffic.  But I knew this was my sign because of how strangely the information came to me and the feeling I got before Roy even spoke to me. So I drove up and down Southfield Road where my store was and I realized the sign I paid for was too pretty and not bold enough to see from a distance.  That evening I painted the top half of the van white and placed big black letters on it from front to back with the name of the store on it, which I shortened in order to make the letters bigger.  The very next day people started coming in saying “I saw your sign.  I did not even know you were here.”  Traffic increased dramatically.

When we get information from on high, we may get a strong unusual feeling or sensation to tell us we are on track like I got when I walked in Roy’s shop. Things may line up perfectly to tell us that we are on track, like when I heard Roy’s story telling me what to do one day after asking for help. The answer can come from anywhere or anyone.  We just have to be open. Often it helps to step up our meditaton and positive or spiritual works to help us catch the message. And if we are not sure of our answer or sign, we can ask for another.