When I go in search of guidance I like to talk to others, read up on ideas, and listen inward. What feels most important though is the listening inward. When I tune-in I am seeking the wisdom of: my heart, my intuition, my gut instinct, and my spirit/higher self.
These four gateways into my inner knowing are each unique and here is what I mean.
The heart is the place of knowing on a feeling level. The heart is also the place of love and sensitivity. My heart tells me whether it loves an idea; it tells me what to have compassion for; and how to deepen my connection to any questions I might have. This kind of knowing from the heart is informed by love.
Intuition is a kind of knowing that comes as a quiet message about which is right for me and which is not. Intuition sits in waiting and then when I am open it shares with me what I should do, where I should go, and what fits best for me, my needs, and my values. When I listen to my intuition I act in ways that enrich my life; when I ignore these messages of inner knowing I often cause suffering for myself.
The gut instinct is very important to listen to because it is more primal then the others ways of knowing. This is a survival kind of inner message system. This keeps us alive in dangerous situations or shows us the way when instance action is needed. This kind of knowing is more an overall body wisdom that is not influenced by the workings of the mind.
The knowing of Spirit can also be known by other names such as the Higher Self and Wise Mind. This knowing is guided by the part of us that existed before this lifetime and will continue after the body is no longer alive. Spirit links us to the Great and Holy Spirit and is Divine and eternal in its nature. Higher Self or Wise Mind are linked to the wisdom beyond the recognized human knowing of the mind. This way of knowing is very expansive and connected to the highest consciousness of all beings.
Other kinds of knowing exist within all of us but the four above when listened to will more than meet our needs and have the capability to take us to new and richer levels of success and peace of mind.