How to Let Your Inner Teacher Become Your Life-Long Friend & Coach

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Reflections

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Posted On June 7, 2024

(Note to readers: This is the third of a 3-part Simple Wisdom reflection series.

Here’s the links to the earlier reflections:

How to quiet your ego

Who are you?

and here’s a link to a video about these reflections: How to experience God directly video

InJoy!)

“You’ve got this, boys!” our basketball coach encouraged us at half-time as we huddled in the locker room.

It was a tough game. We were a team of Catholic school eighth-graders filled with defeat, down by ten points.

“I know the other team’s players are taller than you. But play with your heart. Trust what I’ve taught you. Listen to your inner teacher. You get to choose which voice you hear—the voice of fear and defeat that says we can’t do this, the other team is too big—or the voice of love that says we’re tough, we’re the comeback team. Which voice are you going to listen to when that buzzer rings and we go back onto the court?”

We nodded, absorbing his words as our sweat mingled with our tears.

Coach continued, “But there’s something even more important I want you to understand. To truly succeed, both on and off the court, you need guidance. Not just from me, but from within.”

He took a few deep breaths, paused, and let his words sink in.

“I’m talking about the Holy Spirit,” he said, his voice softening. “Just as I coach you in basketball to become the best player you can be, the Holy Spirit is your Inner Teacher for life. He guides you, teaches you, and helps you become the best version of yourself if you’re willing to listen.”

Silence filled the room. Coach then explained how he relies on the Holy Spirit. He told us how he’d found inner peace and strength after a diving accident resulted in him living his life in a wheelchair. Through daily prayer, meditation, and deep listening, he said he learned to hear the still, small voice within.

“Just like in basketball,” he said, “where you need to listen, learn, and practice, your relationship with the Holy Spirit requires the same effort. You need to be open, seek guidance, and trust in the wisdom that’s always available to you. So, dig deep, boys! Ask the Holy Spirit to be your inner guide as we get back on the court.”

As we dashed out of the locker room, a mystical magic filled the air, renewing our spirits. After a courageous second-half effort, we still lost the game. But losing didn’t matter. We left the basketball court that day with a wisdom we’d carry with us for the rest of our lives.

Coach helped us discover our Inner Teacher.

Who’s Your Inner Teacher?

A Course in Miracles says there are two voices in our minds. We need to choose which one we will follow.

\The two voices represent the internal conflict between the ego and the Holy Spirit.

The Ego’s Voice

The ego’s voice is self-created, rooted in fear, separation, and illusion. It puts us in survival mode.

When it becomes our guide it often leads to turmoil and suffering.

It’s as if we decide we don’t need a teacher. We’ve got this thing called life all by ourselves. We decide life’s not a team sport. We’re the only coach we need.

Your Inner Teacher–The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit’s voice is a divine gift from God present in all of us. It’s the voice of wisdom guiding us with truth, love, and peace.

The voice of the Holy Spirit is gentle, inviting, and rooted in Divine love. It reminds us of our true nature and connection with God.

The voice promotes healing, urging us to let go of the illusions created by the ego so we can live in our natural state of unity and love.

Some call the Holy Spirit’s voice our Holy Guide, the Voice of Love, or other names.

As I wrote in my book, Finding Flow—Spiritual Practices to Reclaim Inner Peace, Balance, and Wholeness,

“Whatever you call it, however you describe it…[these names] point to this universal truth: the Infinite Being—our Creator—loves us and guides us with unconditional love and wisdom, and we can connect with [that Infinite] Being.”

Jesus promised we could hear the voice of our Inner Teacher with these words,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Why Is Listening to the Inner Teacher Important?

By listening to and following the voice of our Inner Teacher, we receive affirmation and guidance from our Divine Coach, allowing us to live our best lives.

These God-inspired gifts include:

Guidance and Wisdom

The Inner Teacher provides divine guidance and wisdom, helping us navigate life’s choices and challenges with understanding and insight.

The Teacher leads us down the right path. It helps us correct our path when we choose the wrong road.

Inner Peace

Tuning into the voice of the Inner Teacher lets us experience an inner peace that transcends external circumstances, a peace that comes from within and allows us to live from our natural state of love instead of fear.

Forgiveness and Healing

The Inner Teacher helps us choose forgiveness for ourselves and others. By listening to the inner voice of love, we can let go of past wounds, heal our minds, and learn how to be peacemakers.

Truth and Clarity

The Inner Teacher helps us discern truth from illusion, enabling us to see beyond the ego’s deceptions and recognize the reality of love and unity, bringing a deeper understanding of ourselves, God, and others.

Love and Compassion

Embracing the guidance of the Inner Teacher fosters a greater capacity for love and compassion, encouraging us to see ourselves and others through the lens of unconditional love as we recognize the inherent worth in every person’s soul.

Spiritual Growth

Listening to the Inner Teacher supports our lifelong spiritual growth and transformation. We align our thoughts and actions with divine purpose and direction.

We learn how God’s Spirit is nudging us to grow so we can continue to become the best version of ourselves.

How Do You Hear Your Inner Teacher’s Voice?

In Chapter 6, Can You Hear Me Now? God Has a Voice. Can You Hear It?, of Finding Flow, we learn that God has a language unique to each of us.

Many times, the voice of God sounds much like our own voice because God wants the Divine Voice to be familiar to us.

We know it’s God’s voice when it’s the voice of love, the voice that draws us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with our True Selves and God.

Learning to hear the Inner Teacher’s voice involves quieting the mind and cultivating inner stillness.

\Here are key ways to develop the ability to hear the Inner Teacher:

Practice Mindfulness

Become aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Mindfulness helps quiet the mind and creates space for the Inner Teacher’s voice to be heard.

Release Judgment

Let go of judgments about yourself and others. Judgment blocks the voice of the Inner Teacher. Practicing non-judgment opens the way for clearer communication.

Cultivate Inner Silence

Set aside daily time for quiet reflection and meditation. Unplug before you plug into each day. Cultivating inner silence lets you tune into the subtle guidance of the Inner Teacher amidst the noise of the ego and the world’s distractions.

Ask for Guidance

Ask and you shall receive. Invite the Inner Teacher to guide your thoughts, words, and actions.

You can do this through prayer, meditation, or by being open to receiving God’s wisdom and guidance.

Trust and Surrender

Trust that the Inner Teacher’s guidance is always available to you and surrender your doubts and fears.

Trusting the Inner Teacher’s voice allows your connection with the Inner Teacher to deepen as you learn the unique and ever more familiar sound of the voice of love.

Practice Forgiveness

Release past wounds and hurts. Forgive yourself and others. Forgiveness clears the path for the Inner Teacher’s voice to be heard more clearly. It lets the power of love freely flow.

Listen with an Open Heart

Approach the Inner Teacher with an open heart and a willingness to receive its messages with love and acceptance.
Opening your heart and listening with love creates a harmonious relationship between you and your Inner Teacher.

Be Patient and Persistent

Learning to hear the Inner Teacher’s voice is a gradual process that requires patience and persistence. Trust that with consistent practice, you will become more attuned to its guidance.

By remaining dedicated to the above spiritual practices, the voice of love gradually becomes more familiar.

The Inner Teacher becomes your lifelong friend and guide, leading you to greater peace and clarity so you can live the life you imagine.

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.com

PS–Dive Deeper into the Divine Flow…..

Click here for a short video to discover where you might go from here.

Pick up a copy of my latest book, Finding Flow–Spiritual Practices to Reclaim Inner Peace, Balance, and Wholeness.

Click here for a 3-minute video about Finding Flow

Get your copy of Finding Flow in paperback or digital format on Amazon by:

Clicking Here to Get Your Copy

Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

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