Involution
It’s late at night. Well at least for me.
I’m trying to sleep outside in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Yet, I feel used up, alone, doubtful of everyone and everything around me. Including my own perception.
What is real? Where can I find the truth and free myself from this cycle? I'm stuck in what feels like an infinite repetition of shattered thoughts and destructive habits.
As if I’m missing a part of me that got forgotten by the distractions of our highly stimulated lives.
We all aim to improve ourselves. Become the best version of ourselves. Win the trophy of personal evolution. But how do you know that you got there, you know?
Our minds need to base our image to a measurable item. Most often we compare ourselves to our peers, celebrities, an unrealistic image of ourselves, or an unclear memory of our past.
It’s unfair. Therefore it leads to disappointment or a false ego boost. In both cases it is ignorance.
It's essential to our happiness to be on a constructive path and aim to evolve. It's as Guruji Iyengar puts it, the first step in our journey to self-realization. Evolution is preparing us for involution. Moving inwards. Uniting with our true being.
To move closer to the Self, one must do a combination of three things. Personal development by advancing our good habits, care for ourselves and others and by stopping our bad habits such as drinking and overeating.
Using our will to avoid immediate pleasures that result in pain and suffering in the long term, and surrendering to a higher power.
To experience enlightenment we should stop looking for answers out in this world, there are guides that can help us, but we should not depend on them. Discipline yourself and move inwards and all is coming on its own.
“The knowledge and the effort are all within you. It is as simple and as difficult as learning to discipline our own minds and hearts, our bodies and breath.” - Light on Life - B.K.S Iyengar
Self-discipline is the key to our personal freedom.
How do you discipline yourself?