5 Ways to Pursue a Rich Inner Life

Why do you need a deep, healthy inner life? For increased self-confidence, more compassion, better health, and an easy acceptance of the ups and downs of life! These five practical ways to pursue a rich inner life will help you cope with the irritations of daily life, without being consumed by them.

“It is those who have a deep and real inner life who are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life,” said Evelyn Underhill.

And who doesn’t have irritations to deal with? Even the most respected spiritual teachers and powerful spiritual leaders get annoyed sometimes…but it’s their rich inner life that protects them from the uncontrollable emotions that lead to unhealthy behaviors (for instance, feelings of insecurity can lead to emotional eating). For more information on developing a rich inner life, read Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao(pictured). And, here are my five tips for producing positive energy and growing your inner garden…

5 Ways to Pursue a Rich Inner Life

1. Realize that the irritations of daily life will never end. Did your cat throw up on your favorite rug first thing this morning? Mine did. Did a preoccupied driver hit your car from behind while you were already running late to pick up your kids from school? That hasn’t happened to me – but those are both perfect examples of “irritating details of outer life.” Accepting that these types of irritations (and bigger, more difficult ones) won’t go away is one of the first steps of pursuing a rich inner life.

2. Look for the opportunities in the irritating details. Instead spiraling downward into a frustrated angry funk, look for the opportunities in those irritations. For instance, look at your cat’s deposit as a reminder that all creatures have moments of weakness and frailty. Instead of annoyance, remember the last time you were ill…and tap into your feelings of compassion. Instead of anger that your car was rear ended, remind yourself that the driver is a human being with fears, frustrations, and frailties of his own…and he simply made a mistake. The more you access the lovingkindness in your soul when irritations happen, the easier it’ll get…and the happier and richer you’ll be.

3. Let go of unrealistic expectations. Even the Dalai Lama experiences negative emotions, disturbing thoughts, and distractions when he’s meditating – else he wouldn’t be human! Don’t confuse pursuing a rich inner life with being perfect, or with responding with perfect spirituality to every situation. You will get fidgety when you’re praying, meditating, or visualizing. You will get angry or frustrated with the trivial irritations of daily life. But, if you keep pursuing a rich inner life, you will experience more calmness, peace, and emotional freedom.

4. Bring your inner life into all your activities. It’s easy (and I daresay common) to leave your spiritual life at church or with your like-minded comrades. It’s not so easy to be spiritual at the grocery store, in the dentist’s chair, or when you’re depressed, exhausted, or defeated. I challenge you (and me!) to bring your inner spirituality to your outer life – even in the most mundane activities, such as cleaning up after your cat, kids, or other creatures.

5. Read up on the subject of a rich inner life. How can you pursue something you know little or nothing about? You don’t have to memorize books like Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life. You need only read a little bit every day or every week. You’ll absorb the qualities of kindness, sympathy, and patience – and you’ll find that they leak out of you even when you’re not trying to be nice.

What can you add to my five ways to pursue a rich inner life? I welcome your comments and questions below…

~ Nurturing Your Spirituality ~

Manifest a Miracle ~ Law of Attraction

Sensitive to People's Energy? ~ The Complete Empath Toolkit

11 Forgotten Laws ~ Law of Attraction

Tags: acceptance, benefits of meditation, creative visualization, Dalai Lama, health and spirituality, pursuing a rich inner life, spiritual energy, spiritual leaders, spiritual teachers, spiritually grounded, tips for praying, Wayne Dyer