When I was younger, I attended a Protestant church. I thought it was a good way to work on my spiritual path, my relationship with God, and to join a wholesome community. I attended an adult Bible study group, and I remember a series about discovering the gifts of the Spirit. I thought I understood the meaning of “gifts of the Spirit,” and I was certain that my “gift” was music. I helped the church by singing in the choir, performing solos, and playing the piano for services.

The day after our study meeting, I stayed to talk to the pastor. Our conversation led to my gift. I shared my thoughts and awaited his eager validation. Instead, he disagreed. He said that my music was important for my service, but that my true gift was discernment. I thought I knew what that meant, and I didn’t think it applied to me. It also sounded kind of stuffy, even academic or theological, and I didn’t view myself that way. I walked away thinking the pastor didn’t know me well. Or I didn’t understand what the Gifts of the Spirit were. I didn’t think about it much after that, and the conversation faded from memory over time.

Jump ahead to the present day. I completed my certification as an Intuitive Energy Healer. I am ready to launch my intuitive coaching practice. That early conversation has returned to memory. In my training, the word “discernment” came up in a different context, and it took on a new relevance for me. I understood it to begin with as the ability to know when to listen and when to speak. I learned that the seat of discernment was in the throat chakra. It was between the listening center at the back and the expressive center at the front. It made so much sense to me in that context. Discernment is the deep knowledge of when to listen. It means knowing when to listen to the self, the soul, and divine guidance. It also means knowing when to express that guidance. When to listen to someone, or when to offer a suggestion. When to be still and know, and when to express our knowledge. I know that discernment is the ability to know if something is true from deep within the soul.

My new understanding of discernment is to view it as a “superpower of my soul.” I realize that each of the seven chakras has a seat of discernment at its center. When I use my gift of discernment in the chakras, it is a powerful tool. It helps me know my truth and make choices for my highest good.

Root chakra

In the root chakra, the seat of discernment is at the center of a “four-petalled flower.” It sits in the middle of health, safety, belonging, and abundance. It corresponds to the balance of these four elements of trust in myself. My discernment tells me if I am in balance or if one of these areas is lacking. That prompts me to deepen my grounding. I choose whatever aspect of my life force energy is necessary to balance that chakra. Many believe each of the seven chakras links to the seven “laws of the universe.” At the root, the principle is generation. When I draw in life force from the earth and divine light from above, the root chakra blends those energies. It generates the right mix of health, safety, and belonging. It’s enough for a balanced foundation. Without using my judgment, I miss the opportunity to keep that balance.

Sacral chakra

Discernment is a key to balance in the second, sacral chakra as well. In this center, discernment tells me when to trust my intuition and when to seek information. As a spiritual being in a human body, I must rely on both my intuition and my worldly knowledge. The gift of discernment is the understanding of which one is appropriate. The hermetic principle of the sacral chakra is that of polarity, or duality. It’s the “both/and” idea. It helps me believe in being both human and spirit, and in having both feminine and masculine energy. It also helps me make sense of paradoxes in life, and helps me accept things as they are, without judgment. It helps me see that without sorrow, I would not appreciate joy. Without hardship, I would not appreciate ease. Discernment in the sacral chakra helps me see challenges as opportunities. I must not let difficulties overwhelm me.

Solar plexus chakra

The solar plexus chakra is the masculine center where I experience my sense of self, my healthy ego. It is a place of action, striving, doing, and accomplishing. Tuning into the seat of discernment in this chakra, I am able to know when to act and when to lean back and observe. Sometimes, we need to take action. But, it’s often best to consider our actions and their consequences before acting. My gift of discernment reminds me to seek wisdom and clarity before acting. It helps me tame the ego. The hermetic principle in the solar plexus is that of cause and effect. I weigh a situation’s risks, observing all the information before acting. If I forget to use my discernment, I may act on ego and suffer unnecessary consequences.

Heart chakra

The heart chakra is the center of heart consciousness. My heart’s discernment keeps my interactions with the world healthy. It helps to know when to lean back and receive love and grace. And, when to lean forward and send love and grace into the world. This chakra’s balance point matches the hermetic principle of rhythm. I understand rhythm as the ebb and flow, the dance of give and take in the heart. When I am tuned in, I use my gift of discernment. I know when to lean back and source myself before giving to the world. I have all that I need, and I don’t end up depleted in a state of all give and no take.

Throat chakra

I referred to the throat chakra in the opening paragraph. It is the power center that helped me understand discernment. We often hear the phrase “listen more, speak less.” That applies to the gift of discernment in this chakra. It is about balance between listening and interjecting my own thoughts. It is also about choosing the right words when it is time to share them. The hermetic principle here is vibration. It is not only the vibration of words as sound, but also the quality of the vibration. I intend for my words to vibrate at the highest frequencies of love and gratitude. I want them to heal. My discernment helps me avoid speaking in a way that carries low, hurtful vibrations.

Third eye chakra

The sixth chakra, or third eye, is the center for vision, insight, and clarity of perception. In this power center, discernment sits between “looking outward” and “looking inward.” My gift of discernment helps me know where to look. Should I look inward for guidance or outward for information? If we look inward all the time, ignoring what’s out in front of us, we struggle to know what’s in our world and how to serve others. Some would say it makes it hard for us to be relatable. When we look outward, the human experience limits our perceptions. We lack the depth of divine vision. The hermetic principle of correspondence aligns with this power center. As above, so below; as within, so without. Using our sixth chakra with discernment, our outer self reflects our inner self.

Crown chakra

Finally, there is a seat of discernment in the center of the crown chakra. This is the center for faith. It is my prayer channel’s gateway. It’s a place for only my soul and the divine. My gift of discernment helps me to know my truth. It shows me which beliefs align with my soul and which do not. Again, it can be a delicate balance when living as a spiritual being in a human experience. The external world tends to project its own beliefs about truth on us. It promotes materialism and self-interest, not spiritual growth or service to all. Our discernment helps us to know, deep down, whether something is true, that it resonates with our soul. It does not ask us to judge or reject others’ beliefs. It encourages us to align with our own beliefs and to be true to ourselves. At the crown chakra, the universal law is mentalism: all is mind. This is the power center that helps me control my own thoughts for the highest good. I can tell if my thoughts are of the highest, loving vibration, bringing good to all, or of a lesser vibration.

Remembering that conversation years ago about the gift of discernment shows me how much I’ve grown. I do have the gift of discernment, but I don’t believe that discernment belongs only to some. We all have access to discernment, at the center of each chakra in our energy system.  We can use our discernment to make wise choices in any situation. We teach our children to be careful of their words and actions, telling them to ask themselves, “Is it true? Is it helpful? Will it lift someone up, or tear them down?” We are wise to do the same with ourselves, no matter where we find ourselves on life’s path. The gift of discernment will always help us make a wise choice, and the more we apply it, the wiser we become.

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