Every person must live the inner life in one form or another. Consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or involuntarily, the inner world will claim us and exact its dues. If we go to that realm consciously, it is by our inner work: our prayers, meditations, dream work, ceremonies, and Active Imagination. If we try to ignore the inner world, as most of us do, the unconscious will find its way into our lives through pathology: our psychosomatic symptoms, compulsions, depressions, and neuroses.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of engaging with one's inner life to maintain mental and emotional health.
Robert A. Johnson's quote highlights the necessity of acknowledging and actively engaging with our inner world, suggesting that whether we choose to confront it or not, our subconscious influences our lives. By embracing practices such as prayer, meditation, and reflection, we can cultivate a healthier relationship with our inner selves; conversely, neglecting this aspect can lead to various psychological issues manifesting in our daily lives.
In practice
In a seminar about mental wellness, you can use this quote to emphasize the importance of inner work.
The most peaceful thing in the world is plowing a field. Chances are you’ll do your best thinking that way. And that’s why I’ve always thought and said, farmers are the smartest people in the world, they don’t go for high hats and they can spot a phony a mile off.
Unwearied ceaseless effort is the price that must be paid for turning faith into a rich infallible experience.
Men have been taught that it is a virtue to agree with others. But the creator is the man who disagrees. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to swim with the current. But the creator is the man who goes against the current. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to stand together. But the creator is the man who stands alone.
Be aware of your breathing as often as you are able, whenever you remember. Do that for one year, and it will be powerfully transformative. And it's free.
"Softly, softly, catchee monkey," is the West African rendering of a very valuable precept. An awful lot of men fail through lack of patient persistence.
My favorite definition of an intellectual: 'Someone who has been educated beyond his/her intelligence'.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.