Inner Googling: How to Access Greater Wisdom with Automatic Writing

By Matthew Joyce

A Google search can provide almost a million hits when you want to know about the weather, your favorite baseball team, or how to plant petunias, but the all-powerful internet search engine isn’t so great when it comes to questions like: What do I need to do be happy in my life? Or should I really marry my fiancé?

When you have questions like these the vast wisdom of the internet is virtually mute. Fortunately, you have access to a far more powerful search engine than the good folks at Google will ever be able to build. It’s called your inner guidance system.

You possess a treasure trove of inner wisdom that is far smarter and more relevant than Google, and it is just waiting to be tapped. One of the easiest ways to access it is through a process called automatic writing. Automatic writing involves a process of setting your conscious mind aside so you can access a greater wisdom and creativity via your subconscious.

Unleashing Your Inner Google Search Tool

In the days before the internet, seekers climbed mountains to find the sage sitting in his cave. There they asked tough questions like, what is the meaning of the life? And the sage in his great wisdom provided answers to even the most vexing of questions. Although the image is a bit cliché, it serves as a useful metaphor for automatic writing and the inner Googling process.

To conduct your own inner Google search you’ll need to do a little role playing as both the seeker and the sage. Chances are the seeker role won’t be much of stretch since you may already have a question or two in mind. But let’s take a moment to talk about your role as the sage who has accesses to that treasure trove of wisdom.

That wisdom may seem a long way off from your conscious mind, but you can access it as long as you don’t block yourself with skepticism or self-doubt. The trick isn’t to know the answer to your question in advance, but rather to simply give yourself permission to access the answers that will best serve you at this time. Once you can do that, you’ll be ready to follow these steps for the automatic writing process.

How to Do Automatic Writing

1.    Find a quiet place free from distractions.

2.    Set yourself up with your computer or with a pen and notepad. Which you use will depend upon your preference. If you are a fast typist the computer may enable you to better keep up with fast flowing ideas. Pen and paper may lend themselves better to images, symbols, and other forms of nonverbal messaging.

3.    Close your eyes and take three deep breaths to relax and clear your mind.

4.    When you’re ready, write the date and then write the question that you most want the answer to. As you write your question act as if you are an earnest seeker who expects the sage to provide a worthy answer. When you finish writing the question, give thanks for the answer to come.

5.    Then shift roles and prepare to answer the question as if you are the sage who has the highest and best answer to your question. It’s OK if you don’t feel particularly sage-like. The important thing is to just pretend that you are, since it is your act of taking on the role of the sage that brings out the wisdom.

6.    When you are ready, begin typing or writing your response. Don’t worry about using your conscious mind to think of an answer. In fact, try not to. Instead listen to the silence within your mind for words that just come to you as if dictated by the sage you are.

7.    Allow the response flow out of you. If it is halting at first so be it. Stay with it. The faster you can write the less time you will have to think about what the next words will be. Let them tumble out and don’t worry about spelling errors or other typos. They can be fixed later.

8.    Stop writing when the message is complete; when you feel tired; or if you begin to feel uncomfortable for any reason. When you are done writing, take a moment to thank your inner sage for the wisdom you’ve just brought forth.

9.    Then take a break for a few minutes before you look at the answer. If you drink a cup of tea before you look at your sage advice, you may find that the few minutes gap helps provide some distance and perspective on the answer.

10.    When you are ready to review the answer, remind yourself to look past the inevitable typos and to read with the attitude of an appreciative seeker. The answer may be profound, mundane, or silly gibberish. No matter how it looks, adopt a sense of gratitude for the advice of your inner sage. It is through such gratitude that you cultivate your ability to access your inner wisdom over time.

Making It Work for You

If you feel less than satisfied with the results, you might want to try asking a yes or no question first, such as, Should I accept the new job offer? When you finish the question, quickly, without thinking, write out yes or no. Then ask why. Keep writing just as quickly and allow the response to come.

You can use this method to Google your inner wisdom at any time. The more you practice the easier it gets.  I started with automatically writing decades ago and gradually developed the ability to ask a question, take a single breath, and receive an answer on the spot without writing at all. I may only get one answer instead of the millions from Google, but I know it’s the right answer for me.

Next Step

Read more articles, and if you haven’t done so already:

(That’s a hint!)

If you like this article

Please feel free to share it with your friends or your mailing list, reprint it in any print or electronic magazine, and post it on your website or blog. Our only requirements are that you cite the author and that you don’t change anything, including the links.

And that you include the below paragraph at the end of the article:

© Higher Self Guides, LLC. All rights reserved. Wouldn’t you love to discover a secret library of practical spiritual ideas? Find simple, yet powerful ideas on spiritual exploration, meditation, personal growth, health and healing, relationships, and more. Visit http://www.higherselfguides.com today and explore it for yourself.

Oh, and please be sure to let us know if and how you use it.