ACTIVATE INTUITION

1. Ever since Gutenberg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Gutenberg ), the publishing industry has effectively monopolized what books the world reads. Why? Producing printed books from written words requires capital and the expert knowledge of many businesses, including print manufacturing, book marketing, and distribution. However, recent events have rendered this key intermediary between reader and writer no longer exclusive.
2. Many online facilities (like Kindle Direct Publishing, https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin), now provide an easy way for anyone to upload an ebook in an hour and receive a 70% royalty on sales, indefinitely. Contrast this with a typical traditional-publisher scenario: one year to find an agent/publisher; a publishing contract that (after the agent’s fee) nets the author 10-15% of the book’s sales price; another year for the traditional publisher to actually publish the book; a substantial portion of the marketing effort for the book expected to be learned and performed by the author (http://bit.ly/cvKOfU ); and the book allowed to go out of print by the publisher after a year or two.
3. On December 15, 2011 Amazon reported sales of one million Kindles per week. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1640193&highlight= .
4. The publishing industry is being shaped by the same Internet pressures that shaped the music industry. When is the last time you bought a CD instead of downloading what you wanted from the Internet? Can books be far behind? A convincing (free) analysis of the inevitability of ebooks over print books may be found here: http://davidgaughran.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/lets-get-digital-by-david-gaughran6.pdf . And book length, one of the traditional barriers to publishing, is likely to fall. Amazon has a special category (Kindle Singles, http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_356729702_1?ie=UTF8&node=2486013011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=16V2W84QTW0WKWNGXNJE&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1309830742&pf_rd_i=1000700491) for “compelling ideas expressed at their natural length.”
5. A writer-published ebook with a striking cover, professional editing, expert formatting, interesting blurb, and a readable story is indistinguishable from the ebook offering of a traditional publisher, except that the traditional publisher’s overhead will never allow it to compete with the writer-publisher’s ebook on price.
6. The Internet has provided marketing insight never before available to book publishers: keyword tools (like https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=8494762518&__u=3577777158&__o=cues&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS#search.none) show the specific topics that known numbers of readers currently search for worldwide. Knowing exactly what topics quantifiable numbers of readers are most interested in is far better marketing knowledge than guesses as to what readers would like to read about or writers’ knowledge of what they’d like to write about. Writers can now quickly find out what readers want to read about and write books that satisfy those needs.
7. For the first time in human history, anyone can now easily make a lasting contribution to humanity’s collective thoughts and experiences. That contribution is why writers write (http://activateintuition.com/why-writers-write-2/ ) and why readers read. And why to publish an ebook.

So, my intuition is to take the plunge, publish an ebook, and blog about the experience. Why not join me and read about the journey?

Jim Wawro, author (Ask Your Inner Voice), executive coach, and former senior partner in a 1400-lawyer firm, discovered while trying cases that some people have learned the secret to actively calling on their own intuition whenever they need it. Jim’s books and coaching reveal proven methods of accessing your own inner wisdom to know what you really want and how to get it. Learn more at www.ActivateIntuition.com.

 

Are you creative? Do you know how to call on your own intuition whenever you need it?

Your Creative Solutions

Many lawyers quickly dismiss the thought that they are creative or that they can receive a useful insight just by calling on their own intuition whenever they need it. But those same lawyers also do just that on a regular basis without even thinking about it.

How do they do it? We all work at jobs with challenges. New issues regularly arise in our work requiring new solutions. In fact, think of a situation at work where you were presented with a problem that you didn’t immediately know how you were going to solve, but that you ultimately did solve. What did you do? Did you give up? Did you sweep the problem under the rug or shift responsibility to someone else? Likely not. If you’re like most lawyers, you take pride in accomplishing your work competently, and you likely have enough confidence in your ability to know that you will probably be able to solve most problems that crop up in your practice. That’s why you became a lawyer in the first place. So, what did you do solve the work problem that first seemed impossible?

Creativity’s Four Steps

Creativity studies indicate that you likely went through four stages in solving the problem: Research, “Kick Back,” “Ah-ha,” and Manifestation.

First, you studied the problem to understand why you couldn’t solve it quickly. Then you gathered the facts necessary to understand as much as you could about why the problem wasn’t susceptible to a quick solution. Perhaps you studied the problem visually, talked to a colleague, reviewed precedents in the files, or looked it up on Lexis or the Internet. Perhaps you experimented with quick solutions to see if one would work. If none of those approaches worked immediately, what did you do then?

Second, you probably set the problem aside for a while and went on to something else. You “forgot” about the problem, or “kicked back,” or otherwise turned the focus of your conscious attention away from the problem. What happened then?

Third, the solution likely suddenly “popped” into your mind in plenty of time to solve the problem, as answers had on many other occasions when, for example, in conversation with someone you had forgotten a name and said “give me moment, it’ll come to me.” And it later did.

Fourth, if you’re like most, the excitement of solving a problem that had no apparent solution likely energized you to actually solve the problem, to make the solution exist in the world and to not just exist in your mind. Besides, it was part of your job to solve such problems, to make the obstacles in your work disappear, which you likely then did. And, if the problem was tough enough, and your solution effective, you probably shared the problem and your solution with a co-worker.

Creative Intuition

What went on here? You were presented with a problem that you didn’t know how to solve; you asked your intuition to work on the solution; your intuition delivered the solution in time to solve the problem; and you made it exist in the world. Aren’t you in fact creative?

Do you think that your creativity is limited to solving problems at work, or can you call on your intuition whenever you need it to solve a problem, to gain a creative insight, or to simply make a wise decision with confidence? How would you go about finding a creative and effective answer to a most pressing question, like a question about finance, a relationship or your health?

Intuition on Demand

Why not follow the same four steps you used to solve the problem in your practice: study the problem, learn all you can about it, and research possible solutions to the problem. Then forget about the problem for a while and wait for an idea for a solution to pop into your mind. When it does, act on the idea and make the solution exist in the world. You are creative. You can call on your intuition whenever you need it to find answers to your most pressing questions.

Try it.

Jim Wawro, author (Ask Your Inner Voice), executive coach, and former senior partner in a 1400-lawyer firm, discovered while trying cases that some people have learned the secret to actively calling on their own intuition whenever they need it. Jim’s books and coaching reveal proven methods of accessing your own inner wisdom to know what you really want and how to get it. Learn more at www.ActivateIntuition.com.

This is a guest post by South African metaphysical teacher Jimmy Henderson.

The use of symbols

As in the case of dreams, images and visions received intuitively can also sometimes have a symbolic rather than a literal meaning. In other words, if the message or image does not initially make sense, it may be necessary to examine it using our own set of personal symbols. Personal symbols are visual forms, patterns, objects or images which point to, or represent a deeper meaning and are usually formed from our own past experiences, memories and the framework of ideas, beliefs and values (paradigm) through which we normally view the world. Any symbolic intuitive image or vision would therefore contain elements or clues to its message and meaning hidden within its context, structure, form and composition.

Interpreting our intuitive visions

Each symbolic intuitive vision has a number of different dimensions from which we can recover the answer to the question we originally posed to our intuition, as well as other messages and information. The key is to consider how the background, layout, activities, characters and objects presented in the intuitive vision relate metaphorically to our problem or represent possible solutions.

The dimensions of the intuitive vision

The context of the intuitive message would be symbolically presented by the general framing of the vision. In other words, we should seek a connection between the background in the vision and our question, problem or circumstances, by examining the symbolism and metaphors involved. For example, the sea is often seen as a symbol of the ebb and flow of everyday life, and a view of the sea could be suggesting that the problem or solution exists within our day-to-day lives. Likewise, a glimpse of a desert (isolated and desolate), may be pointing to our own state of mind and represent our feelings of isolation.  Finally, a vision cloaked in shadows or darkness may be indicating that we are experiencing a severe crisis (metaphorically having trouble seeing our way forward).

The actual content would provide additional information. Any building or structure which appears in the vision would be a metaphor for ‘where we are’ in the situation. And windows would be symbolic of how we are actually seeing or approaching the problem. For example, a vision or image of a house in shambles could suggest that our present approach or state of mind is disorganised or chaotic. And small windows could be a message that our present view of the situation is too limited and narrow.

The next symbolic dimension requiring interpretation, is the activity taking place in the vision or imagery. The type of drama being enacted sends a clear message and once again, we need to relate this symbolically (metaphorically) to our current situation. For example, an image of travel could be a call for change, the broadening of our boundaries or the opening of our minds. A battle or conflict could be pointing to a similar conflict situation within ourselves which is giving rise to, or aggravating the problem. In fact, any threatening activity may be an intuitive warning that the matter requires resolution urgently, as it is a danger to our emotional or mental well-being.

Persons (figures) appearing in intuitive visions or imagery could represent either aspects or characteristics of ourselves (our personalities), or others involved in the situation. This can be established by examining the attributes of the figures. For example, are they large (powerful) or small (insignificant)? Do they appear aggressive or loving, threatening or supportive? The interaction between the figures will suggest our relationship to these other persons and their roles in our current problem or situation.

Finally, objects appearing in an intuitive vision also have a particular symbolic significance and add detail to its final meaning. Objects can be interpreted in terms of their practical uses or effects in everyday life and applied (metaphorically) to the situation or problem. For example, a large boulder in the imagery would suggest an obstacle to be overcome (in real-life one would actually have to climb over the boulder). Likewise a view of a crossroads would suggest that a decision has to be made.

Once all these dimensions have been fully explored and interpreted, the final content of the intuitive message should be quite clear. This method of interpretation will apply equally well to dreams, as we are using the same symbolic processes.

Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. His books ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’ (2010) are available on Amazon.com and can also be ordered via his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com. He is currently completing his Masters degree in Cognitive Psychology.