Of course, we were also taught to give that all up. “Act your age!” “Don’t be such a wild thing!” our parents told us. Grow UP. The list of unacceptable behaviors got longer and longer, until wild part of us just went to sleep.

But wildness is still inside of us, and we all need to make connection to it to be a whole, happy person. It is there for a reason, and when we can find it, wake it up and make it a working part of our psyche, we are all better for it.

The wildness holds our deeper intuition. That sniffing and tasting to discover what a thing was… it kept us out of a lot of harmful situations! We knew instinctively when something or someone should be avoided. As small children, that instinct was not fully developed, of course, but as adults we can use that wildness to guide us in ways that we need. When we allow our wild side to remain buried and asleep we are a lot more likely to blunder into situations and relationships that are not good for us!

There are universal road signs and guideposts that help you to know when you are near, and when you have found path, however.

The first sign you might encounter is when you are not upset by something that would have upset you before. The phrase, "don't sweat small stuff" is getting to be cliché, but it is still very true. When you can stop before you react to something, and reflect on whether or not it is worth energy that it takes to get upset, you are really on your way! When you can measure an occurrence using yardstick of time (is this really going to matter a year from now?), then you are well on your way to learning how to ACT instead of RE-ACT to a problem.

Another road sign on way to inner peace is when relationships around you change. If you have people around you who are negative or critical, they begin to fall away. People who are not looking for inner peace have a very hard time being around those who are. They often try to throw up roadblocks for seeker, to waylay and mislead them. Like highwaymen of old, they will rush in and try to rob you of your successes. However, when they see that they cannot drag you off of your path they will then begin to leave. You may also find that some of your relationships grow deeper and more fulfilling. Those around you who will benefit most from your journey will begin to come along with you.

A big sign on path is when other seekers are drawn to you. There is a subtle energy around seekers of inner peace. They give off a glow that other seekers can feel. You may find yourself drawn to someone. Follow inner glow, for seekers can always help each other find their personal paths.