Inner voices can be very hard to interpret. Some voices advise us about the world and our relationships. Others mean to connect us more deeply to the unconscious wellsprings of self and spirit. Havoc ensues when we confuse these.

The latter concern what Jung called the animus and anima, and their exhortations, while in some sense undeniable, usually cannot be taken at literal value. For instance a voice might suggest to jump off a cliff, and it would be disastrous to take this in anything but a metaphorical sense. Yet, we are not generally adept at discerning these voices that go deep into mystery (and therefore cannot understood through literal facts) versus the voices that prudently counsel the self in the world .

Whenever inner voices tempt you to drastic actions, it is time to be prudent, take time out, and reflect if one has misunderstood. The anima and animus usually call to inner work rather than impulsive outward acts. Then outward life will bear the fruit.

The above is a resonant image from Shaney Crawford’s article, on Medium, “Your Inner Voice Has the Power To Change The World”, which is helpful. I imagine we have many inner voices and there are many ways to work with them.