This is undoubtedly one of the most common questions in spirituality. The way to identify if a particular thought is intuitive or your own ego mind is by observing yourself when you receive such a message/thought. It also largely depends on the situation. If you doubt the response you received for a particular question you asked someone in spirit, you will have to observe the energy flow of the response. If you sense that the energy seems to have come from your head or heart, then it is most likely your own ego mind. However, if you sense that the energy inflow seems to have come from outside of you, it is less likely your own contribution.
Another way of identifying it is by observing your actions and thoughts when you received the response. Were you longing for a particular response while you asked the question? If yes, then your ego mind has the ability to interfere with the response from spirit. A better way to test the source is by asking a series of questions which also include those that you do not know the answers to. At some point, like with everything else - you will learn how to feel the energy difference between your own responses and that of spirit
In the case of reliving random messages from spirit, it is easier to distinguish the difference because you only have to find out what you were doing or thinking when this message came through. For instance, if you were busy with some other activity and had no reason to be thinking of that particular person or thought, it is very possibly a message from spirit and not your ego mind. Quite simply, if you did not think it, you did not create it.
A random thought, mental image or any song/visual that suddenly gets your attention is that of spirit and not your own. Our brain is not designed to create independent thoughts that are not connected to any given situation. The signs appear more prominently when you begin to pay attention to them. If you doubt them, they will keep trying but you and I do have plenty of distractions in life and they understand this.
There is no need to feel guilty or sad that you may have missed messages. The signs and messages will always surround us and spirit can find more ways to intervene if the situation is urgent. The more you trust the signs around you, the more you will experience them. By becoming more receptive to them, you pave the way for a new level of communicating with the other side.
There is no need to be hard on yourself. We all need to be graceful with our spiritual experiences and understand that over time it will get easier. When we are overwhelmed with emotions over certain issues, it does become harder to trust these signs and messages. This is something we all face and it is during such instances that we seek the support from others in the spiritual community. That is what we are here for and so it is perfectly fine to seek for validation or guidance from another gifted individual when you cannot bring yourself to do it on your own.
Namaste
