[Daily Om]: It's funny to imagine our lives as
something we spend a lot of time avoiding, because it seems like that
would be impossible to do. Our lives consist of everything we engage in,
from showering to sleeping, but also a lot of busy work that distracts
us and keeps us from looking at our lives. Experiencing our life from
the inside means taking time each day to simply be alone and quiet in
the presence of our soul. Many of us are so out of practice that it's
almost unnerving to have a moment to ourselves. As a result, we may have
stopped trying to carve out that time to take a seat at the center of
our lives.
One of the reasons it can be uncomfortable to sit with ourselves is
because when we do, we tend to open ourselves to an inner voice, which
might question the way we're living or some of the choices we're making.
Sometimes the voice reminds us of our secret, inner yearnings, dreams
we thought we had forgotten. When we already feel overwhelmed by our
busy schedules, the idea of hearing this voice can be exhausting.
However, its reflections are the chords that connect us to our authentic
selves, and they are the very things that make our lives worth living.
When we continually avoid connecting with our life, we risk losing out
on the very purpose of our existence.
To begin the process of being more present and less absent in your life,
you might want to set aside just a few minutes each day to simply sit
with yourself. This doesn't mean watching a movie or reading a book, but
taking time each day for self-examination to avoid the avoidance, to be
with yourself in an open way. After a while, you may start to enjoy
this part of the day so much that you make less busy work for yourself,
so that you can spend more time at the center of your own life, rather
than hovering like a planet around the sun.