Connecting To Yourself

The most fundamental practice to anchor our well-being and ongoing personal development is making time to connect to oneself on a daily basis. Such daily practice is called an inner work practice. For some people, it’s connected to a religious tradition, for others it’s spiritual but non-religious. The common element among various styles is making it a time of self-remembering, beyond the roles we play and activities that we engage in.

Although I started years ago with just one daily practice, I’m now committed to both a morning practice and an evening practice. I allow myself to be flexible about when I do them, and for how long each practice lasts, but they have to happen. It is extremely grounding to start each day with this practice, and to end the day with a time of self-observation before going to sleep.

What does an inner work practice entail?

It can take various forms and flavors, but the core of it is connecting to your true self or Essence. In order to do that, there must be a physical, emotional, and mental component, so as to connect to all three centers of intelligence. Personally, I like to start with a few mindful breaths, engage in a physical movements and stretches, and also check myself at the emotional and mental level. Setting up an intention can also be part of a lovely morning practice.

Being committed to a daily practice truly supports living an intentional life. It naturally prevents overwhelm and burn out because it reconnects us to who we truly are. These times of checking in with myself allow me to get back to my core, beyond the demands and intensity of daily life. There is a lot of noise and distraction, and my daily practice gets me anchored into the part of myself that can observe and be with all of it without being swayed by any particular event or strong emotion. From this place, there is a greater access to inner guidance, freedom of choice, and joy.

How about you give it a try?