One of my earliest childhood recollections is the persistent thought, “This can’t be it. There must be more to life than this”.
I was born into a middle-class Indian family, with an older sister, engineer father and schoolteacher mother. As a young child, I remember having panic attacks during exams, in anticipation of that dreaded sentence in my report card, “he has more potential”. I remember the intense pressure to be somewhere near the top of the exam results pyramid, primarily for social respectability.
The architecture of the society that I grew up in, and I sense that most of us do, is based around the premise that thriving is an external accomplishment. When I get that elite degree, that prestigious job title, that beautiful life partner, the perfect house and so on, then I will thrive. I got all that and still, that undercurrent of panic attacks remained. Like a hungry ghost, none of this felt truly satisfying. I still had to prove, I have more potential.
The Shift in Awareness
The simplest shift in awareness by just a millimeter, has made such a profound difference. I feel deeply grateful to master teacher Sri Yogacharya Nandakumar, who entered my life in my young adulthood, to show me an entire world just under the skin. It was like Alice going through the looking glass and discovering her magical kingdom, that was always there, waiting to be noticed.
It became so experientially clear to me that this inner world is the cause. How I navigate through life, is the effect. Just one millimeter under the skin there is a world of profound energy, information and intelligence. It speaks in the language of sensations. It is the place where all thoughts, ideas, impressions, and emotions hang out.
What is remarkable is that there are simple practices available to all, that give us full access and deep understanding of this world. What is even more remarkable is that these practices also cultivate the power of our attention and intention, to take care of this inner world and make it a beautiful place. It is very much like turning on the lights and looking after your home.
When this inner world is a beautiful place, life becomes an expression of thriving, and not a seeking of it.
Ready to discover what makes us truly thrive?
Join me on my 7-day Journey “The Inner Game of Thriving”, and together we’ll explore our human experience from the perspective of energy, information and intelligence. Like astronauts, we will explore our inner space through various practices, deepen our understanding of what is this mind / body system called ‘I’.
Go on a journey of self-discovery through our guided coaching experience. Start today. Download the Huddol Journeys App now.
Huddol helps you wake up to your very best self:
- Overcome negative self-talk and shift your mindset
- Build life-changing habits that nurture well-being and help you achieve your goals
- Cultivate deep self-awareness and learn the art of self-mastery
- Build relationships and family connections that nurture gratitude
- Say goodbye to pain, fatigue, burnout and stress and access boundless energy
- Explore the ancient practices of meditation, stillness and mind-body alignment
