The Positive Results Of Introspection
The What’s And Why’s Of Introspection
Look within! Have you heard that expression before?
It’s something that people say when they are trying to make you figure things out for yourself.
Maybe you have a question, or maybe there is a specific problem occurring in your life and nobody else is able to help you with it.
Introspection, or looking within yourself, can be a really useful tool for figuring out what you need to do in those types of situations.
However, there is a much more powerful and profound reality to introspection; When you focus completely on your own internal state, you are able to find, develop and cultivate the resources that you need to face all of life’s problems.
Doesn’t that sound great?
Or are you thinking that it too good to be true? Well let’s take a close look at introspection, what it is and why we do it, to see if we can get to the bottom of it.
This vs That
To gain a deeper of understanding of exactly what introspection is, let’s first take a look at its opposite.
Extrospection
– this is the action of observing your experience of the external world. This is more commonly known as everyday sense perception.
Introspection –
this is the act of internally observing one’s own mind.
Ignoring the argument of whether or not these are two separate states, it can be seen that our internal mind responds to everything that happens externally.
Internally, we have a model for everything that we see, feel, touch, hear, and smell. This is what allows us to think about those things, and to talk about them.
If you’re having difficulty grasping this, just think of the words delicious green apple.
Those words, which you have thought about internally represent a real world physical object. The words though, and the images and sensations they conjure up are happening internally, insider your brain. In all likelihood, there is no actual green apple in front of you.
So, introspection then takes place while one is observing the contents of one’s own mind. It is a fundamental aspect of all meditation disciplines, and it is also essential for those who wish to develop greater understanding and mastery over their internal worlds.
Our internal worlds govern how we feel about ourselves and the world we live in. If there is chaos and frustration in our minds internally, it will be expressed and experienced externally.
If there is peace and harmony in our minds internally, then that is what is expressed and experienced externally.
Introspection is very important when we want to understand ourselves at a deeply fundamental level. Without it, we are left only really paying attention to the external world and the situations that it presents.
However, if we pay close attention to our minds, we will see that it is not the external world that makes us feel happy or sad, confused, or excited, it is actually how we are responding to those things internally that determines how we feel.
Again, if this is difficult for you to grasp, consider why one person loves his delicious green apple, and another person despises it.
It’s not the apple that’s making them feel that way, if it was they would both feel the same way; the apple isn’t giving off any actual feelings.
The difference between the two is that they have different internal representations of that apple. One likes green apples, one doesn’t.
Introspection is a wonderful thing, and it is very deep and immensely rewarding. If you haven’t yet entered the world of introspection, you are missing out on a full 50% of your being.
Now would be a good time to get to know yourself on the inside. Look deeply enough and who knows what wonders you might uncover.