The Richness of Our Inner Life
We are very complex beings. Unlike most other animals, we are aware of our own existence. How did this come to be? Was it through evolution or through divine creation? Well, that is still up for debate for many people, but it is worth exploring how we all look to expand our inner lives and become more connected, either to ourselves, each other or to the world we inhabit.
Our ancestors used to have these philosophical ponderings way before we built civilization. Ancient rituals of our ancestors have been cataloged by historians and anthropologists for decades now and it is clear that we had this rich inner life way before we started creating complex societies. Not only that, it evolved with these societies or some might argue that the societies evolved because of our quest for truth and knowledge. Again, this is also up for debate.
Sadly, most people would say that the modern life of the 21st century does not leave much space for such things. We seemed to be trapped in a vicious cycle of consumerism and superficiality. We go less to churches and we engage in more secular activities, which many seem as the main problem of our days, but is that really true? Are churches the only places where we can explore our complex inner life? I would disagree because it’s not really about the place itself, but rather how we engage with ourselves.
Today people have come up with many ways to enrich their inner life. Meditation, mindfulness, yoga, science, psychedelics, learning, reading, watching or creating movies, philosophy, mountain climbing, travelling, therapy, trainings and bootcamps, art and creativity, play, performance and sports are now modern means of becoming more connected with ourselves, with others and with the world.
They bring our life to a place of insight, a place from where we re-evaluate our understanding of ourselves, of others and of the world we live in. Each holds different keys to a much better and more connected life. We experience awe, joy, love, happiness, clarity, wisdom, sadness, fear, regret, healing or catharsis in these types of activities. They open our minds to a larger spectrum of human experience, richer and more complex.
They allow us to change our minds, thus changing our worldview and our relationship with our environment. They help us make better decisions (if done properly, of course) and we look towards a vast landscape of opportunities for the future.
Of course, all these activities imply effort, discipline and dedication and they don’t all work for every person out there. We each have our own methods and we identify with them to a certain extent, but the goal is mostly the same. We look for a heightened state of mind, a better experience of ourselves and of the world. Otherwise, why would we pursue them?
What is so fun about reading symbols arranged in a specific order for hours? What is so fun about exhausting yourself while practicing a sport, learning, becoming better at playing an instrument and so on? All these activities hold a deeper reward than the activities themselves. The inner reward of a richer inner life.
If you haven’t ever thought of going on this path of enriching your inner life, please do start as soon as possible. If you already are on this path, keep going and never think your exploration is over. There is much to learn about ourselves, about others and about our place in this huge, expanding universe.
There is an abundant inner life waiting to be cultivated and it is really worth the effort…
- Try out meditation and see what insights you get from the experience.
2. Play a sport and observe how your mind and body can work together to accomplish great things.
3. Practice science, engineering or creating anything. See how your mind bursts with wonder when you can create something that offers predictable results.
4. Dance, draw, paint, write poetry, novels, sing songs, play an instrument, perform on a stage, see how it feels to express emotions through a physical product or through a shared experience.
5. Learn and keep on learning, try out new things, talk to people you never usually talk to, go to conferences and trainings where you engage in a collective process of learning and development.
6. Travel, climb mountains, row a boat, speak a new language and engage with different cultures. Look for new ways of living, thinking and organizing the world.
7. Last but not least, love with all your heart, care for others, build meaningful relationships and cultivate kindness, empathy and compassion. See how it feels to truly love and then look to the life you lead when you hate, judge or choose not to trust yourself and others.
Whatever you choose from the list, do it with an open mind and be fully present in the experience. Do it often, do it well and do it mindfully, but most importantly DO IT NOW!
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P.S. Try out any of these experiences and then share with us the results. If you are already practicing them, tell us how do they enrich your life? How do they make your life more exciting, more complex and and more meaningful? Please share all of that in the comment section. Thank you!