We are all so acutely aware of our physical realities but how many of us can claim that we understand our internal, emotion and mental realities too? Our living worlds as we know it, can be categorised as internal and external or we can call them- the inner and outer life. Each of these play a vital role. Understanding both these aspects helps us live a balanced life.
I truly believe that we are mere reflections of our inner worlds. It’s the basic lens through which we experience and make sense of our outer reality.
So here’s a small yet fun activity to get a glimpse of what’s happening inside of us and what’s happening outside. All you need for this — 2 plain sheets of paper , colour pencils/crayons and a private space.
Step 1:
Once you find yourself settled into a comfortable spot, take a few deep breaths and connect with your inner self. Think of your mind as your happy place. What does it look like? What do you feel? Stay there for a few minutes.
Step 2:
Once ready, draw out this place onto the paper. It can be an abstract art or anything that gives off the same feel to you. Try and not think too much, just put those colours onto the paper and have fun.
Step 3:
The next step is to name the feelings that arose while you were at this place. Avoid the words happy or sad. Get into the details like peace, excited etc.
Now we’ll be repeating these steps to understand how we see our physical reality.
Step 1:
Take a few deep breaths and imagine your life as is right now. Who do you connect with? How do you feel ? How do you spend your day?
Step 2:
Draw out whatever you feel on the second sheet of paper. As mentioned earlier, it can be abstract. Just bring out the essence of the feeling. It doesn’t have to make sense.
Step 3:
List out the feelings that arise!
Step 4:
This is the final step. Compare the two drawings/art work and see the difference. Are they aligned? Are they starkly different? How would you like them to be? What would you like to change? What measures can you take to make either the inner or outer more appealing?
Curiosity allows us to delve deeper into our inner world, empowering us to choose how we’d like to live out our life. Through this exercise, we’re simply attempting to get a glimpse of what comes to the surface. Once you see for yourself , you can use your power of choice.
PS: This is by no means an exercise to compare with others. It is a very personal activity to start getting curious about our inner most feelings.