Most Important Engagement

In this day and age of Internet and telecommunications, our waking hours are consumed by engagements with clients, colleagues, and friends. We consider them essential, and rightly so, as they help us to relate to the world around us. However, in this endless rush, we often forgo the most primal basic engagement; the engagement with self.

A potter’s wheel is able to create something beautiful and meaningful only when its outer circumference and inner center are in balance. Similarly, without the balance of the outward with the inward, life can quickly turn into a flurry of empty activity.

Only awareness of self can provide context and meaning to our experiences. Yet spending time with the self seems like a luxury for most, given the demands of work and family life.

Even when the opportunity presents itself, we rush to fill up space with television, gaming, Internet surfing…or simply snoozing. This is because most of us are seized with a kind of internal panic when faced with the prospect of spending time with ourselves.

Why this gnawing need to escape ourselves? For many, the prospect of being alone spells acute boredom. For some, it brings them face to face with unresolved issues or painful memories.  For others, it’s simply the fear of being alone.

The fact remains that unless we are able to engage with ourselves, we can never truly engage with others. You might strike up long conversations, build friendships, fall in love, network, but unless you find it easy to engage with the self, engagement with anybody else can only be on a superficial level.

So while we are all on the journey to engage with the world, learning to engage with yourself, with your inner space, is vital.

In fact, engaging with the self can be one of the most beautiful, relaxing and uplifting experiences. The journey inwards, besides being a voyage of self-discovery, is also a powerful tool to center your energy and bring your focus back to what’s really important in life.

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