There are many ways to know who you are. But more often than not, who we are is profoundly shaped by the society that we’re in. As behaviorists suggest, the society that we’re in influences the choices that we make.
As such, this presses a problematic issue: are we truly free? Is our conscience ‘in control’? If not, can there be any meaning to our existence?
The answer to these questions challenges the very foundations of human life. If our choices are determined by the external factors around us, then can there be any freedom at all?
In this case, we can see that freedom is at the center of understanding ourselves. Without freedom, we are nothing but mere products of processes and forces around us. Like plants and animals who operate strictly under the laws of nature, our choices can be determined instead of made by us.
Such a premise leads us to the point that without freedom, it would be impossible to find our true self. If we live our lives no different from a predator catching its prey, then there can be no ‘I’ amid all the things happening in this world.
Whether we like it or not, a lot of us has been living this way. By merely being there to pay our bills while filling out our social roles, we become automatons instead of autonomous human beings. By being less aware, we can be absorbed by the trivialities and worldly affairs of life, like a bird with wings yet forever caught in a cage.
And so, such premises necessitate that we search for our true self. How do we know who we are?
One answer to this question is meditation. This process involves an internal resting state – a time wherein we can empty ourselves from unnecessary thought. By meditating (regardless of the style used), the basic premise is emptying our minds from idle and active ideas. Such a technique allows our mind to breathe in the fresh air, as we disengage from confusion and stress.
With the process of meditation, we get to mentally sit-back and reflect internally. Like a soda kicking in, such a process will heighten the level of our consciousness which restores our inner control. Meaning, as we do meditation, we also see our lives at a distance allowing us to become more than the result of processes and forces around us.
Going back, meditation is a concrete way of regularly and effectively finding our true self. As we continually engage in this simple process, we train our minds to be consistently conscious not only of our thoughts but also of who we are as individuals.
By making this habit of self-reflection through meditation, we are in conversation with ourselves. This brings us closer to who we were and who we can be, both of which will influence who we are right now.
Thus, make sure that you allot enough time each day or week to do your own personal meditation. By setting aside time for it, you allow yourself to rest and be active both at the same time. Continually doing it will enable you to reap the long-term benefits of knowing yourself.
Author Biography:
Chris is the head writer at Individualogist.com, a spirituality and self discovery website that uses its proprietary archetype quiz to identify people’s dominant personality types.
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