I was saying to a friend of mine the other day that one of the big differences I see between humans and AI is that AI is really good with information – far better than any human at sifting through vast quantities of information and synthesizing it for us. Where AI falls short, and where I think humans have the potential to really shine in using our wisdom.
Yet, many of us have become so busy with the stress of modern life, trying to “figure it out” through our minds rather than tuning into our bodies and cultivating our ability to tap into our inner wisdom, that we’ve forgotten that we already have everything we need inside of us. Our society keeps telling us to look outside of ourselves – for the money, the success, the love, the recognition. We’ve been told to reach for the big house, the new car, the next shiny, new gadget. We’ve been taught to look to others for love and acceptance. We’ve been taught to look to the authorities – doctors, leaders, policy makers – for answers. We’ve unknowingly outsourced all our power. It’s now time to take it back.
All our answers are within. It’s been said that “The longest journey you will ever take is the few inches from your head to your heart,” and it’s so true. We’ve been taught to use our mind to find the answers. That we need to “figure it out”. That the only real security is in what’s known, concrete, mapped out.
In my experience, the exact opposite is true. When I burnt out and made the very difficult decision to leave my practice, I didn’t have anything “figured out”. At the time, I was the sole income earner for our family. I am definitely an over-achiever/over-giver and had overfunctioned for so many years that I was carrying the entire financial weight of our family, working really long hours, and spending the vast majority of my time caring for everyone else. Putting myself last. Gaslighting myself into staying on the hamster wheel to prove my own value to myself. I did my best for a really long time, but eventually I couldn’t do it anymore … but I had NO idea how I was going to make ends meet if I left my practice. We had some savings, but not nearly enough for me to stop working, and I have a mental health exclusion on my disability insurance because I’d had “postpartum depression” (which was actually overwhelming anxiety and suicidality, but that’s another story).
Sitting in my back yard, on Aug 12, 2020, I knew I needed to leave my practice, but I had no idea how I was going to pay the bills. Fortunately, I have had a lifelong connection to God/The Goddess/The Divine/Source energy, so I got really quiet and prayed/asked for help. As I did, I could feel an energy supporting me, encouraging me to trust. That I’d be okay. That I’d be guided.
That was the beginning of me really leaning in and tapping into my inner wisdom in a much deeper way. I’d tapped into it before when I really needed help/guidance… and then I’d go back to my busy life and use my mind to “figure it out”. Since August 2020, I’ve been on a journey of consciously cultivating my connection to my inner wisdom. My intuition. My inner wise woman. My soul. My spirit. The part of me that is connected to something greater than myself.
I’m not going to lie and say that it’s been all rainbows and unicorns, because it hasn’t. Things were REALLY hard from 2020 to about 2024, and have been getting better and better since then. Shortly after I made the decision to leave my practice, I was guided to part time work assisting in the OR for a really nice orthopedic surgeon and I found two lovely young doctors to take over my practice so I was able to leave my patients in their capable hands 9 months after making the decision to leave. Over the years, I’ve been guided to so many different opportunities that have really shaped who I am today. More importantly, by showing up for myself and believing in myself and my own resourcefulness, I am SOOOO much stronger, healthier and more alive than ever! My relationship with my husband is much better (and he’s helping financially now too!). I’ve become a much more accepting mother – allowing my daughter to have her own unfolding journey of growth and discovery. Standing back and letting her discover who she is and choose her own path instead of jumping in to “help” her “fix” her “problems” with what I think is “best”. I’m still doing part time work in clinical medicine that continues to change and evolve. I’m training to be a Priestess and I’m building a community with all of you. I would NEVER have been able to “figure this out” with my mind! There is NO way I would have come up with even half of the opportunities that I’ve been guided to, nor any of the twists and turns my life has taken along the way by trying to map it out with my mind.
The other day, I was at an event with Sarah Jenks, an Ordained Priestess in the 13 Moon Mystery School. She said “sacred work is more like a treasure hunt than a linear path”. It’s so true! For me, this unfolding journey has been far from linear or well laid out! It’s been more like I’ve been walking through a fog with a head lamp that lights up a path about an inch in front of me. What I’ve come to understand is that the source of this light is my inner wisdom, and as I tune into my inner wisdom the light burns a little brighter. The path is still not all laid out in front of me, and it continues to take plenty of twists and turns, but my inner light now shines bright enough that I can often see several feet in front of me now. Looking back, the path to where I am now seems so clear and is so beautiful in its elegance. As though I’ve been weaving a gorgeous tapestry, winding colourful threads from all different aspects of my life. As I was in the process of weaving it, it didn’t make any sense. It seemed like I was all over the place. None of it made any logical sense. Now that I look back on what I’ve been weaving, I’m in awe of what I’ve created. By following the threads laid out by my inner wise woman. It brings tears to my eyes as I really “land” in the beautiful life I’ve created for myself and how vastly different it is from what my life was like 6 years ago.
It has been a winding path with many twists and turns… and it’s all unfolded by putting one foot in front of the other. By taking one little tiny baby step at a time in the direction I can feel I’m being guided. Allowing the journey to unfold. Step by step.
What about you? Where has life been guiding you? What inner nudges have you been getting? Do you notice yourself waiting for certainty before taking the first step or are you able to trust your inner guidance and allow the path to unfold?
In my experience action breeds clarity. As I tap into my inner wisdom and follow the threads, taking the little tiny actions that that I feel intuitively guided to take, the magic and miracles begins to unfold. It almost always looks very different from what I was imagining in my mind… and when I truly follow the guidance of my inner wise woman, it always works out far better in the end. Even if it doesn’t seem like it initially and especially if it doesn’t “make sense”.
Sending you so much love sister,
Until next week,
Shana
* I understand that these newsletters and audio messages offered by Dr. Shana Johnston are designed to help me tap into my own inner wisdom and find my own answers. I understand the information presented by Dr. Johnston is based on a combination of her personal experience and current medical knowledge in a constantly evolving field where a variety of different opinions exist. I understand that the ideas and information presented should not act as a substitute for the individualized advice of my qualified and licensed healthcare practitioner. In reading/listening to the material presented, I agree to accept full responsibility for my interpretation of any content I consume, and thereby release Dr. Shana Johnston from any liability related to the information and ideas presented in any of her offerings.