I cheated on a personality test. What does that say about me?
Well let me explain. In design school, we all had to take a Meyers Briggs personality test. As I was filling in the multiple choice answers, I could tell which answers I thought I was “supposed” to mark to be the upbeat popular girl I always thought I “should” be.
Growing up, I thought being an extrovert was what it was all about — being able to light people up with my presence and enjoy big parties. In my mind, being an introvert was akin to being a loser with no friends. No one would want to be an introvert, right???
And so, surprise surprise — I got my test results back and I was an extrovert. But no one who really knew me believed that test. “Of course you’re in introvert,” my dad said, “as a kid, you would spend hours alone in the basement entertaining yourself.” (I had a whole workshop in the basement and would only come out of it for meals).
For the longest time I thought being an introvert was a character flaw. It wasn’t until I learned how to connect to nature that I began to see my introverted tendencies as being my superpower. I had to restore my relationship to the Earth in order to understand myself and also be better able to relate to others. I haven’t taken the Meyers Briggs test again, but I have a feeling I would be a proud introvert now.
Truth is, all of us have an introverted side — sometimes it’s just not that well-developed. When we nurture our introverted side, we develop intuitive abilities and tap into the magic that surround us. Here’s how anyone can begin to develop their superpowers:
Empty out the thoughts in your in head
It’s impossible to tap into your intuitive abilities when you’re mind is clogged with other thoughts. If you’re like me, you might be highly sensitive or empathic and may take on stuff from other people without realizing it. When you’re not aware of your own sensitivity, it can feel like you’re getting a lot of confusing messages. To clear it out, imagine that you’re emptying a thought with each step that you take until you feel completely free. (This may take a while!). Another way to do this is to go into child’s pose on the Earth and imagine all the thoughts in your head draining back into the Earth.
Say a prayer from your heart
Spontaneous prayer in Nature is a great way to tap into your personal Truth and see what’s really going on for you. Pray to a tree or an open field. Share your gratitude and then ask for something that you’re yearning for. You may be surprised at what comes through. After your prayer, pay attention to see what starts to unfold.
Cut chords to anything holding you back
Pick up a stone and use it as a chord cutter to energetically cut any ties to relationships or ways of being that are not in your best interest. Make a big cut through the air from the top left to the bottom right and from the top right to the bottom left. You can do this again and again. Imagine what you’re cutting yourself loose from. When you’re done, place the stone back down and step through a portal embodying yourself who is free from all that is holding you back.
Absorb the good vibes from negative ions
Walking on the Earth, absorbing the fresh air from waterfalls and the ocean, and being on mountaintops are all ways to absorb negative ions. When we get our share of negative ions, we feel good. Our energy is restored. If we’re introverts in an extroverted world, we could always use some of this restoration. When we are filled up, we’re better able to share our gifts.
Connect to the sun, the moon, and the four directions
Introverts aren’t lonely! It’s disconnection from Nature and our true selves that make us lonely. When you’re connected to the trees, the spirits, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the elements, you feel like you have a lot of friends with you at all times (super important during these socially distanced days).
Make a practice of connecting to the elements and beings of the more than human world. Greet them daily. Talk to them. Talk back to the birds. See what happens when you invite Life in.
Play make-believe
In western culture, we’re pretty cut off from our imagination. From a young age, we teach kids the difference between make believe and the real world. In other cultures, there is more grey area. Where does imagination come from? I believe that if we can imagine it, then it is real. When we do shamanic journeywork or spirit journeys, we practice “suspending disbelief” and strengthening our connection to the imaginal realms. Being outside supports that childlike sense of wonder and play — so give it a try! Eventually you will learn to trust what you cannot see and therein a lot of your intuitive abilities exist.