Living the Inner Life

Well, it started out as a discussion on abundance and lack but turned into a metaphor for growing new ideas. An acorn is small, but when it is planted in the ground, it suddenly comes to life to fulfill its destiny of becoming a mighty oak tree. Ideas are the same. We need to plant them in the fertile sanctuary of the inner life. Just as the seed in the soil is protected from the elements and is supplied with rich nourishment vital for its growth. Fresh ideas need to be planted, protected as well as nourished, and that earth is our own inner lives.

Intuition - what it is and what it is not. A lot of times, we get a hunch or idea from within and think it's our intuition. Often, it may just be a fear that says 'no' - and other times it may be wishful thinking or an impulse that says 'yes'. A true intuitive insight comes from deep within and is not influenced by any emotional state. But to know the difference, we must develop a relationship in our inner lives that gets us in tune with that part of ourselves. Quiet reflection and a restatement of our values and mission will help cut through the static and noise, and we can then hear that small, still voice within - and trust it.

Listening is not waiting for the other person to stop talking, or rehearsing your response until it's your turn. Listening is an art form and requires a combination of passive, non-invasive hearing, and, an active and very present 'here and now' consciousness. Or is that Hear and now? Same with the inner life. We have to listen to our bodies, our heart, intuitive impulses and other signals we get from within. Listen clearly, openly. Avoid the tendency to interpret or justify or explain what you are hearing. Just listen. Then figure out what it means.

Actually, we need a mature Ego. The ego is that part of ourselves that we feel is 'Me or I". But it's only part of our total Self. Ego will defend itself over bad decisions, justify emotions and behavior, and doesn't like to be called out. But the ego shouldn't be in control over everything - it plays a very important part, but it should not be driving the boat. Hamlet was an allegory for the Copernican revolution, where we went from a Geo-centric (or, Ego-centric) cosmology to the Heliocentric model. No longer did the universe revolve around us. Hamlet couldn't accept that in his own life and he ended in tragedy. Eventually, the public accepted this new worldview, where we are just part of a larger Universe. So the Ego really needs to become stronger, wiser, and take its proper place in our lives.

The fact that we all have a favorite food makes us all the same. We all have different ideas on what that food is, and on this level, we can greatly differ and disagree. This is the paradox that we face today. We are so caught up in our petty differences and personal identities that we lose sight of the basic, fundamental values that we all share. All the waves on the surface of the ocean seem very different. But when you go beneath, the ocean is the same and the individual waves seem to disappear. So let's celebrate our differences, not get in a conflict of them. Diversity is strength, but too much emphasis on the particular differences becomes a fatal weakness, if we don't recognize the sameness. There is only one race - the human race. We all live on the same planet and breathe the same air.

St. Francis lived around the year 1200 and may or may not have written this prayer, but that's not important. The words have so much meaning and are quite relevant today in a world that needs to not only hear them - but to live these words as a personal philosophy of life. I will read through the entire prayer, then break it down, line by line. This is as much a practical set of instructions as it is a prayer.

Just as junk food is unhealthy for the body, junk ideas and poison thoughts can lead to poor mental, emotional and spiritual health. Feed your inner life with good thoughts, harmonious ideas, beautiful imagery and soulful stories. Try to limit the news pieces and social media posts that make you angry, disillusioned and defeated. Make sure the bulk of your inner diet is healthy and pure -- then, the unavoidable bad news, discouraging thoughts, and horrific images will not have a detrimental effect. It's really a matter of proportion and intensity. Feed your soul, and your body, with life affirming, energizing and relaxing things.

Caregivers who unselfishly dedicate themselves to the service of others are the unsung heroes of society. Most are caring for a disabled child, elderly parent or other close person at home. Yet, caregivers often do not take care of themselves very well, nor do they accept and receive help that is offered to them. Like the air masks on a flight - you are supposed to put yours on first, before helping a child or other person with theirs - caregivers need this help. You can't feed from an empty bowl, nor can you be effective in the care of others if you neglect yourself. So, take care, all you care takers!

We need a mirror to see our outer self. To look within, we also need a mirror - the mirror of the other. This reflection coming from another person is a strange one - distorted and exaggerated like a circus mirror - but if we can see through the glass, we can recognize a part of ourselves that needs too be looked at. This is an often overlooked part of 'psychological projection' - when we throw our undesirable shadow traits on to another person. Then, like a movie screen, the projection is immediately reflected back. It looks like another person - and it is - but it is really a reflection of you.

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude and you will see even the smallest positive parts of your life grow into more and more. If you focus instead on lack or what is wrong in your life, you will get more of that. The tiny mustard seed can grow into a whole field of plants or make a powerful spice. So too, with the inner life. If you only have one thing that is going right, or is good and positive, be grateful for what you have. Make that bigger and stop giving your time and energy to what you don't have or what you don't like. If you aren't grateful for the good things in your life, don't expect life to give you more of them. At the time of this upload, I may only have a dozen or so listeners, but I am grateful that each and every one of you are reading this and listening to my podcast, thank you!