Voices - Whispering, Talking and Shouting

Strangely enough, I can hear several types of voices in my head. No, they don't tell me to burn stuff or anything like that! Generally, when I'm confused, or have questions about what's going on with my emotions or my life, I take a time out and quiet down, and ask questions in my mind. Unlike these questions, where I form precise words in my mind before I ask them, the answers come swiftly. Sometimes they are in the form of words, and other times, they are images or feelings, or instantaneous recollections to memories that have some bearing on my situation, ones I've long forgotten.

This "talking" voice helps me in my day-to-day life when I need assistance, and I'm quite grateful that it's constantly riding my butt so I don't do so many stupid and/or clueless things. The "whisper" is more like a gentle pulling in one direction or another, one that tells me if I'm saying something nasty to a friend, or if I just made a poor choice, or other advice or second guessing that is immediately relevant to my current situation.

This story, however, is about the one time I heard the "shout."

I was coming home on the freeway on my motorcycle early in the morning, some time after midnight. It was very dark, even with my headlight, but I was still booking it pretty quickly. I was merging from the 5 North to the 605 North, and since I had just ridden 100 miles, I was riding on auto-pilot. You know, where your mind blanks out from sheer boredom, and your body walks, rides, drives, etc... with little conscious knowledge or input from you.

The merge culminated in a sharp turn to the right, and under the effects of auto-pilot, I was headed straight for the end of the curve, which would have taken me off the edge. I would have ended up either in some trees, or heading straight for the median, or smashed into a railing, at 80 miles an hour. I don't remember exactly what would have happened (it's been a while since I've made the drive), but I know it would have been bad, as I was shaking after this event happened.

All of a sudden, a voice came in my head. This voice was louder than any mental voice I have ever heard before, and I have never heard it since. It shouted, simply, "Slow down! NOW!" I immediately did so, and barely made the curve towards home. I was right on the edge of it, but I didn't go over.

While the whispering and talking seem to offer advice for my life path or current situation, the shout looks to be all about life preservation. It doesn't wait before being spoken to like the talking, and unlike the whispers, it is more direct, impactful words than gentle, nudging emotion.

My family has a few stories like this. My brother once heard a voice/feeling telling him to get out of the lane he was in. He ignored it, and was slammed from behind seconds later.

My aunt once had a voice/feeling telling her to stay off of her usual freeway that day. She did so, and avoided a large pile-up that morning.

My mom says she can hear slot machines in Las Vegas "talk" to her, and uses this guiding voice to win money.

Of course, all of this is anecdotal evidence. I can't prove that any of this is true, and I'm not sure if one or more of my family members are embellishing, or are simply mistaken. Perhaps it's coincidence, and perhaps these wise counselors in my mind are simply me firing back wise things to myself. Maybe the shout was simply my unconscious mind remembering a well-travelled route and shouting a warning to my conscious self.

I personally pride myself on an open, yet healthily skeptical, mind. With all these events together, though, I find myself leaning towards something very interesting going on here. These voices and feelings have offered me plenty of guidance, and have saved my life at least once. I may raise an eyebrow at what occult meaning it could possibly have, but I won't stop looking... and I'm definitely still listening.