I often get asked what is this “inner-work” I speak about.
Well, it’s different for everyone. For some people, inner-work is about healing while for others, it’s about finding.
Inner work is any form of deliberate and ongoing reflective practice that increases self awareness and awareness of others.
It is the psychological and spiritual practice of diving deep for the purposes of self-exploration, self-understanding, healing, and spiritual transformation.
It brings light, compassion and awareness to the conscious, subconscious and unconscious realms of your being.
It’s about going inward: speaking to yourself and your Creator, being in connection and dialogue with yourself and As Samee’ ( The All-Hearing), seeing yourself the way Al Baseer (The All-Seeing) sees you, knowing yourself to know Him and His attributes and loving yourself the way Al Wadood (The Most Loving) loves (i.e. unconditionally).
Is it easy work? More often than not, NO!! It’s the hardest work you’ll ever do. But I will say this; it IS the most rewarding work you’ll ever do. Because at every depth you dive within, you’ll meet a more wholesome version of yourself and you’ll find the resources of light, healing and love that wasn’t accessible to you before.
Why is inner-work important?
Doing the inner-work reveals your hidden feelings, memories, thoughts, beliefs, prejudices, wounds and other emotional conditions that influence your ability to transform and feel whole at a core level. Because, lets face it, our nafs and shaytaan have a lingering effect on our emotional and physical state. By doing inner work, you’ll be able to move past fears, limitations, depressions, loneliness, and the feelings of unworthiness that tend to plague us as human beings, because we find the uncapped resources from Ar Rahmaan and Ar Raheem (The Most Compassionate and The Most Merciful)
The good news is that the potential for change and growth is not in some distant place. It is as close as your own imagination, just like Allah is closer to us than our jugular vein. When you start to cultivate your inner life and do your inner work it can have powerful transformative effects in all areas of your life. Here are some suggestions for ways that you can begin to do your inner work:
- Pay attention to your thoughts
- Keep a journal
- Be mindful during Salaah
- Spend time talking to Allah often
- Choose a name of Allah to make dhikr of every day
- Paint, draw, sculpt, or spend time in nature
- Cultivate quiet and stillness
Working with a therapist, coach or wellness practitioner is always a good idea to help you forge a path to start your inner work.
