"As a people, we have lost sight of the profound communion--even the union--of the inner with the outer life."
-Wendell Berry
All of us exist on a threshold between our inward invisibles--our thoughts, our feelings, the things we dream, imagine, or nourish in our souls; and our outward visibles--our faces, images, orientations and behaviors in the world. In my humble experience as a Naturopathic Physician, much of the work that I do is aimed at helping people restore the balance between their interiority and exteriority in life. In truth, imbalance between the two can lead to or exacerbate almost any illness.
Think about it.
Our culture tends to place supreme priority on the outward--the image, the visual, the appearance of a thing often takes precedence over the thing itself. This kind of collective mentality tends to reward and even induce narcissistic qualities in us. Think of the last time you took a trip, or went for a hike, or travelled or did something fun; how much time did you spend posting images to your social media profiles? How present were you to the actual experience?
In addition to Western culture's over-emphasis on the outward, we have few resources that help us understand how to foster healthy inwardness. One of my favorite authors, John O'Donohue says, "In our culture, there is very little time or attention given to what you could almost call learning the art of inwardness; or a pedagogy of interiority. That's why I find the aesthetic things like poetry, fiction, good film, theater, drama, dance, and music actually awaken that inside you and remind you that there is a huge interiority within you." In my humble opinion, it is not merely the ingestion of the arts, but an allowing of the awakening inside you. To this end, it is how we ingest these experiences with a deliberate, particular kind of presence that allows the violin concerto to do its work, move us, and to lean into the depths of our humanity and feel with our souls without concern for what others might think of your weeping at the ballet.
So what are some logistical ways to practice the art of going inward?
First of all, there is no one strategy that works for everyone--we're all individuals. Therefore, experiment with a few strategies and see if any of them resonate with you, keeping in mind the important piece is to slow down and become intentional about regular time spent on your interiority.
Unplug (fast) from social media and electronic devices at regularly scheduled times, such as daily or weekly. Gradually work to increase your time unplugged.
Take a walk in nature alone without your phone.
Listen to music with your eyes closed.
Write.
Create a piece of art.
Practice yoga.
Attend the ballet.
Meditate.
Spend an entire day in silence.
Read a book.
Challenge yourself and lean in to your own interiority and you may be surprised at the riches that unfold inside yourself that you've neglected for too long in the race of life.
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