ART OF INTROSPECTION

Our needs are very strong and they drive us in direction that is unknown to our logic.

Our needs can simply be classified in emotional, physical, material and achievement or recognition needs.

All of us are entangled - "caught" in one or many such needs. This leads to an endless journey of dissatisfaction.  And one day we come across "Art of Introspection" …  Art of questioning our self as to why am I behaving like this? Why do I desire this so strongly?

Introspection is nothing but a deep examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings; Self – examination!

Introspction opens many doors within and finally lets us free from our exaggerated bottomless pit of weakness due to over dependence on these desires. 

Somebody has said this earlier that “there is enough on this planet for every man's need but not enough for one man's greed”.

When I met a North Indian girl speaking with a South Indian accent and I asked her “why was she speaking like this? From when” …. It opened so many doors inside her mind. With this enquiry she  connected with deep sited insecurities in her self.

As a counselor and psychotherapist, I have witnessed many individuals and couples who are entangled in their desires which are not known to them consciously.  They feel very weak as they depend on others to fulfill these unknown desires. Unconsciously, people drive themselves into trap of dissatisfying relationship or job. 

Many individuals, though grown in years, function as teenagers who have not become aware of themselves, their strength and weaknesses, their potentials and gifts and also their unresolved feelings and passivity.  Instead of learning and growing with each other, couples demand for changed personality from each other.

There are many who are running heather theater in search of this deeply sited unfulfilled desire. Some try to fulfill it with help of money, some with status and some by going after a love relationship … yet the weakness within increases; restlessness and dissatisfaction increases … this is a sign for "You need to Introspection".

‘Self - Awareness’, ‘Self - Assessment’ and Self- Introspection are our solutions to day to day emotional and interpersonal problems.  

Our youth need to be introduced to the art of introspection when they come across deep frustrations of their needs and need for acquisition of material gains. Each individual needs to given insight into some of these hard questions as the new year begins : 

1.    What do I want?

2.    Where I am going?

3.    Do I need to acquire this?

4.    What is my unique identify?

5.    Why am I doing what I am doing?

6.    What are my strengths and weaknesses?

7.    Who are the people arround me who bring out good feeling from within and why?
8.   Who are the people arround me who bring out bad feeling from within and why?

9.    What is my body – mind communicating with me?

10.  Do I like what I am doing now?

I have experienced that best introspection happens when we are in some deep trouble or when nothings is really getting solved with our own efforts and logic, or when you are feeling weak due to unresolved desires.

Acquisition of things is not an answer to human needs.  Sharing and coming to terms with one’s own ‘authentic self’ is the most needed quality that can be developed within us.