How do I know whether I am listening to my personality or my inner Self?

Especially in the beginning, when you do not have much experience on how it is to be more in contact with your inner Self, you simply do not know what it is that you are looking for. To make sure that you get a better feeling of that, you could practice regularly for a while, this will help you to become more familiar with the different awarenesses.

Being prepared to listen to your inner Self does require acceptance of a new approach. Because, for example, your inner Self will not come with rational arguments, is not in to discussions or deals, and certainly does not always follow the ways that are logical to your personality. And, more often than not, you may expect some form of inspiration on what to do, only to find that there is no real answer or inspiration, indicating that there is no action required at this very moment. Especially this can be hard to accept, because your personality is stongly focused on doing and activity. When you learn to listen to your inner Self, this implies that you will learn to open up to the feeling of the wisdom in "doing nothing".

Usually you will only look for different answers when you doubt the input of your personality, e.g. when you have to make a decision or a choice, and your personality does not see an option that will really work out, or is in doubt about the consequences. He prefers a clear, argumented order about what to do. You may already suspect some pitfals in this mindset: your personality has decided that a choice has to be made, and that it hase to be made now! The same applies to the possible choices and solutions, and the idea that your personality could be trusted with the judgment on what is good for everybody involved. Now all he wants is some backup and security, and please as less unpleasant consequences as possible.

Now when you no longer want to deal with issues this way, what is your alternative? Inspiration that comes form your inner Self is always there, although you are very capable in making so much noise and turmoil that it is almost impossible to notice. So you do not have to "do" something to listen to it, only learn to listen to it, and quiet the noises in your head. You could do that by turning your attention inward. Inspiration by your inner Self feels very good and quiet, no matter what arguments your personality may bring up to convince you that that cannot be the right solution or decision. You somehow know that this is the thing to do, even though your personality may not like it. And even when you have acted on this inspiration of your inner Self, it will still feel good, you will somehow know that this is the way it has to be. Of course your personality will stick his nose in it, beforehand and afterwards, by analysing and such, but he will somehow not get a good grip on it anymore.

One way that could help you to make the distinction, could be to really be honest about whether this idea causes even the slightest form of tension or anxiety in you. Can you really uphold the idea that the solution of your personality will not cause any of that within you? Because no matter what, a solution inspired by your inner Self will not cause any anxiety within you, on the contrary, it is always accompanied by some form of inner peace, no matter what your personality may try to do to convince you of the opposite.

Take a moment and remember a decision in the past, guided by your personality, and the enormous amount of energy it has cost you to make the choice, act on it, and make it somehow right to you afterwards. And ask yourself if this is the way that you want to continue.

Where does your Self gets is knowledge from? Your inner Self is the part from you where you are somehow one with others, even though you may not be aware of that, not even when you are listening to it. That does not matter, the wisdom it contains can be apllied in your everyday life anyway. But learning to trust that process is about the hardest thing in the world.