Daily Practice: Do the Inner Work

Whatever you are doing right now, you should stop. It’s time to check in with yourself. Even if you do no other inner work or meditation, take just a few minutes to do this every day and it is guaranteed to make a difference in your life. Find a place to sit or lie quietly and ask yourself to examine the four parts of yourself one at a time, using the following guiding questions:

I.

First, check in your with your mind. What is the state of your mind? How would you describe the types of thoughts that are in your mind right now? Is your mind calm and focused, busy, restless? Are your thoughts predominantly positive or negative? Do they mostly reside in the past, the present, or in the future? Accept the thoughts that you come across without trying to push them away. Just notice and observe the state of your mind in this moment.

II.

Second, check in with your physical body. What is the state of your body? Is your body tired or energetic, strong or sore? Are there parts of your body that require attention or gratitude? Is your body healthy, hungry, in need of care, or are there parts of your body that are overworked? Without trying to problem solve or apply judgement, observe and notice the state of your body in this moment.

III.

Next, check in with your heart. What is the state of your heart? What is your emotional state? Is there something missing, a feeling of loss, or an overwhelming peace or gratitude? When you look into your heart, do you find fear or love, anger, sadness, passion, or joy? Try not to tie these emotions to any one cause, but rather notice and feel each one in turn with acceptance and gratitude, no matter which emotion you come across. Honor your emotional state in this moment.

IV.

Lastly, check in with your inner wisdom, the divine or spiritual part of yourself that makes you a unique being. What is the state of your soul? Are you honoring the core of yourself? What do you know to be your personal truth? Do you feel that your authentic and divine inner wisdom is being honored? Are you on your true life path? What do you know, deep down, in the core of you, where there are no names for things? Listen to what your soul has to teach you with acceptance and gratitude in this moment.

This practice can be done quickly, for five minutes during your lunch break, before you go to bed each night, or during your morning commute. Or, take the time to devote 10 minutes or more to each part of yourself and examine these facets more closely. You might also like to keep a journal or a log of your observations. Doing this daily meditation can help you to live more fully in the space between no longer and not yet.

~Namaste