Self-Knowledge - Discovering Oneself
Self-Knowledge - Discovering Oneself
Our life is in constant motion. We meet the professional requirements, feel challenged in the family, cultivate our hobbies. There is always something going on. We are there for others, we bring in, give information, organize, are confronted with fatalities. And after a busy day, the mountain has not necessarily shrunk in terms of tasks.
If we are trapped in this treadmill, it is hard to see what touches us. All the externals claim so much attention that there is little time for reflection and self-knowledge. But how do we seek to gain insight into the things that matter to us when we barely bother to see what moves us? And maybe the way we handle the uncertainties of life so far is not the only way to find peace and serenity.
What do your thoughts revolve around?
Our interest in reality is often surprisingly low. We ponder, analyze and plan constantly. Do it again and again, because we are used to it. We try to protect ourselves, we want to understand what is happening. Of course, it makes sense to analyze situations, to think ahead and to plan ahead. But when we start to ponder our thoughts get something compulsive. We turn and apply the problem hundreds of times. And we primarily believe that there is a problem that needs to be resolved quickly.
But what we often do not know is how we relate to this problem. We want to quickly get rid of the unpleasant feelings and easily overlook the deeper meaning. Silence and mindfulness allow distance, a release from old habits. And in this detachment is often a new solution.
"Slow down your pace and enjoy your life. Not only do you miss the landscape if you go too fast - you also lose the sense of where you're going and why you're going there. "- Eddie Cantor
Try to recognize your thoughts for a moment. It's not about having no thoughts, or especially good ones. It's not about lightning, not about enlightenment or any spiritual highlights. Just look at what's going on, how fast thoughts come and go.
What happens in the moments of self-knowledge? We get away from our inner drama, all the (supposedly) important and urgent tasks. This can create a space between stimulus and reaction. And we have the precious opportunity to realize that I give meaning to the thought. Our thoughts really appear. This seems quite normal to us, so that we have hardly questioned it so far.
How does your body feel?
Take a moment for your body as well. How does your forehead feel? How do your eyes feel? Your lower jaw? What do you feel? Do you feel pressure? Stay there for a moment. Go on to your arms, your hands. Feel yourself, at least for a moment. Feel your feet, the ground that carries us.
Where in the body are your feelings, your mood? In what form are your impressions expressed? Is the tension especially in the neck? Or in the legs? Where is the joy, the joy of life? Get in touch with yourself in a new way.
Self-knowledge enables contact. Not to lean back complacently, but to better recognize the moment. Because only he is concerned. When the waves calm down, we can look deeper, we have the opportunity to look to the bottom of our thoughts and feelings.
Feelings are more wonderful hints. They give feedback on how I relate to the events. But feelings like thoughts are neither good nor bad. The question is much more, how I perceive it, what meaning I can give to them.
Room for the essentials
The noise of everyday life, the noise of our thoughts and expectations can be very loud, so we easily lose contact with us. If we simplify the situation for a moment, we have a chance to see ourselves. And that is fundamental to our well-being, to our development. Once we get away from the externals for a few minutes, we have a chance to be more conscious.
"The most modern form of human poverty is having no time." - Ernst Ferstl
Practice carefully. The first few times it feels probably still unfamiliar. Again, doubts show. If I do it right, what am I doing here anyway, what good will it do me. That's fine, after all, we venture into unknown territory. You may know this from vacation. The first days you feel a certain restlessness. But with time, much of you will fall off. You can enjoy the moments increasingly and live carefree in the day.
You can make these special moments very different. Maybe you can make yourself a special place in your own home or sometimes you prefer a place under the open sky. Try out what suits you. Look, whether you are sitting more relaxed than light movements such as walking. This is very individual and can change over time.
Dare self-knowledge
A new programming is not the goal. We have enough of that. Rather, we are allowed to recognize our conditioning. Perceive how they guide our gaze and often have little to do with the moment. Give yourself time to discover your own. The current feelings and thoughts are an expression of how I can be now. And as we practice, we begin to understand that the desperate desire to become better is itself a source of suffering. Our insights, our skills grow in the course of life.
Being with one another, even satisfying oneself, can be very liberating. Let go of all the bustle, the constant actionism. Feeling that we need to fight much less, that it's an impossible task to keep things under control. These moments give birth to fear and joy. Fear of loss of control, fear of the unknown. But fear is not the end. With a little courage, it continues.
Behind the old concepts new possibilities await us. Many limitations that restrict us are fantasy images and fears. We can go through it and sometimes it is not even painful. With self-knowledge comes the joy, because we have come one step closer. And most of all, we are becoming increasingly aware that it takes much less effort in life to be happy.
Visit Box of Inspiration to read more articles!