There was a time in my life when anxiety was a constant companion. For years, I struggled with severe depression that left me hollow, lost, and trapped in a fog of uncertainty. My confidence had crumbled, and the simplest decisions felt like insurmountable mountains. Life became a colorless grind of tight-chested despair and anxious nights, marked by an ever-present knot in my stomach. It was as though I was suspended in darkness – what some call the “dark night of the soul.”
Yet, at the darkest point in my entire life, a faint light began to flicker. It didn’t feel like a dramatic epiphany or a life-altering event. Instead, it was a subtle, persistent whisper from within – a voice that offered both guidance and solace. At first, I didn’t understand what it was. This inner voice, as I came to call it, gently pointed out behavioral patterns I had never noticed. It brought to my attention how my own negative, defeatist self-talk had programmed my life to revolve around repetitive, aimless patterns that brought me nothing but heartache and pain.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, I had opened a door to a legendary inner source – the voice of the heart. This source is known by many names, depending on whom you ask. It has been called “The Holy Spirit,” “the messenger of God,” “the voice of the Spirit,” and “the muse,” among others. Naming it, in my opinion, is not important; what matters is its function in our lives.
It took me years to understand that function. Initially, I treated the voice with a healthy dose of skepticism and downright suspicion. I didn’t understand its source, and that uncertainty fueled my imagination. I thought it could be a demonic voice or, worse, the voice of madness. These projections were undoubtedly shaped by residual religious beliefs and accepted societal norms. They did not reflect the true nature of the voice or the quality of the advice it gave me. Nevertheless, my relationship with it was ambivalent, to say the least. I fought and distrusted it, not because its advice was unsound but because it revealed things about myself I didn’t want to see. It pointed out flaws in my logic and behavior that I was not ready to accept.
Despite my resistance, the truths in the voice’s insights were undeniable. The real litmus test for me, however, was its application in practical life scenarios. The opportunity presented itself while I was working as a senior scientist at the University of Helsinki.
I was trying to identify and clone an unknown gene that seemed to have a crucial function in a type of brain cells called astrocytes. At the time, nothing was known about this gene; it had neither been sequenced nor characterized. For six months, I tried every protocol and method available, yet came up empty-handed every time. Frustrated and nearing the end of my options, I turned to my inner voice – not because I had faith that it would solve the problem. To be honest, I felt that it was one thing to ask for spiritual or psychological guidance but a completely different thing to tackle scientific challenges, but I had nothing to lose.
The guidance I received was astonishingly simple: switch from adult tissues to embryonic tissues as the source of the gene pool. At the time, I didn’t know that this gene was more active during embryonic development. It was a blind leap of faith, but within two weeks of making the switch, I successfully cloned and sequenced the gene. My inner voice had not only guided me toward a practical solution but had also illuminated a deeper truth: the gene’s heightened activity in embryonic tissues pointed to its role in early development—something I hadn’t considered. And this is the true story of how I discovered and cloned the Astroprincin gene and protein.
This discovery was a turning point. The voice I once dismissed as unreliable proved to be more accurate than my rational mind. Slowly, I began seeking its guidance whenever I felt stuck. But the guidance wasn’t always easy to hear, as it ultimately placed the responsibility for whatever happened in my life at my own doorstep. It consistently reminded me that I was the creator of my reality – not its victim. For years, I resisted this idea, clinging to the belief that life’s hardships were the fault of others or circumstances beyond my control. Yet, as I listened, I began to see how much power lay in reclaiming responsibility for my life. This shift in perspective was both liberating and challenging, forcing me to confront truths I had been raised never to consider.
Last year, I published a book that I consider a collaborative effort between this inner voice and myself. It was written with two distinct voices. In the first part, I narrate my life’s story as it was shaped by my perceptions and struggles. In the second part, I gave space to my inner voice to offer its higher perspective on the events of my life. The book reveals how much of my past suffering stemmed from identifying with a false sense of self – a self shaped by societal conditioning and personal misunderstandings about the purpose of life.
The book, which is considered “channeled,” is a testimony to the power of the inner voice and its ability to produce tangible, intelligible results in the physical world. Of course, my book is not a unique phenomenon. Many influential works have been created through what their authors described as channeled or intuitive guidance. Jane Roberts’ Seth material, Esther Hicks’ Abraham teachings, and Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations with God are just a few examples of this phenomenon. These works resonate with people because they tap into something universal—a source of wisdom that exists within all of us.
Reflecting on what we can achieve by accessing our inner voices, I started to wonder why this is not a common practice among us. I believe it’s because society conditions us to dismiss it. We’re born with an innate connection to this inner wisdom, but we’re taught to ignore it in favor of external validation and rationality. It’s as if we’re all born with perfect vision in a society that insists we’re blind.
The good news is that this connection is never truly lost. It simply requires intentionality to rekindle.
Today, I see my inner voice as my most valuable asset – a source of guidance that complements, rather than replaces, rational thought. It’s helped me overcome depression, navigate challenges, and achieve breakthroughs I never thought possible. This resource can inspire poetry, tell stories, solve daily problems, direct us when we feel lost, heal relationships, and even lead to scientific discoveries.
This is why I feel compelled to share what I’ve learned. Imagine what could happen if more people – and more organizations – tapped into this extraordinary resource. What breakthroughs might we achieve? What relationships might we heal?
I’m now working to create workshops and talks to help individuals and teams access their inner voices. Whether you’re an artist seeking inspiration, a leader facing tough decisions, or simply someone feeling stuck, this resource can transform your life.
If this resonates with you – whether as an individual or on behalf of an organization – I invite you to reach out. Together, we can explore how to access this wellspring of wisdom and apply it in ways that are practical, empowering, and life-changing.
Let’s uncover the potential within.
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Check out my book here, and my Goal Setting and Achievement course here.
