Being Inspired

Because we live in such a fear-based society, it doesn’t take much for us to become depressed and disconnected from the things that once brought us joy. And once we become “hypnotized by social conditioning”, as I’ve heard Deepak Chopra put it, its easy for us to block out our light. That’s why a daily dose of inspirational quotes can be a much-needed antidote for the darkness.

The website: https://www.empowher.com put it like this:

“Inspirational quotes are important because they activate an emotional pulse point in our hearts and minds when we are in a distressing situation. The right quote can help us to see light at the end of the tunnel and give us that extra burst of hope and courage to persevere.”

What a powerful quote by Maya Angelou, one of my favourite poets and profound thinkers of our time. And it’s so true. I had a teacher in high school who knew how to nurture the creative side of me, inspiring me to believe I could be a writer one day. And now I am!

I remember a favourite aunt who never talked down to me as a child and always listened with both ears and an open heart. She inspired me to ask questions and seek the truth. She knew how to breathe possibility into my imagination.

With Easter only a few days away and the abundance of spring flowers reminding us of new beginnings all around us, I’ve been thinking a lot about the word inspire and wanted to dig into the etymology of it. The website http://www.merriam-webster.com put it like this:

How many times a day do you think you get an idea in your head. Which ones do you decide to act on which do you push aside?

I believe that when ideas come to us, it’s because we have summoned them from deep down in our soul. We have asked for the idea, the insight, the inspiration to help us fulfill what we’ve asked to come here to do. So why then do so many of us disregard them as meaningless thoughts or worse still, give in to the negative self-talk that says we’re not smart enough, young enough, rich enough or good enough to do anything with the idea? But as Alfred Adler advises above, be grateful for the idea that uses us. It’s a gift not to be squandered.

I love the limitless feeling I get when I’m inspired. I feel like I can do anything, and in fact I can! Think of an instance when you experienced the exhilaration of a new idea. How did that make you feel in your body, in your heart? Some people say they feel liberated, others like they are 20 years younger or even ageless.

Inspiration is such a powerful catalyst for enhancing our imagination as artists will attest to. Just read what Michelangelo had to say when asked how he could carve such incredible works of art from just a slab of marble. He simply said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” That genius talent came as a result of activating those “dormant forces, faculties, and talents” that Patanjali spoke about, through his innate ability to be inspired.