Inspiration Part 3 - Know Yourself

Know Thyself. Words wise enough to be engraved into the entrance of a Greek temple no less. A perfect metaphor, as knowing ourselves is the gateway to our spirituality. Through becoming aware of who we are, how we behave, what our motivations are, what our lessons have been, what trials we are working though, we can gain an emotional intelligence that can open us up to greater things. When we know how we tick, we can better control our reactions, and move in the flow of our greatest potential. We know how we best succeed, how we must overcome failure, and the skills we are working on right now. In addition to this, there are also the threads of stories which have come together to encapsulate who we are in this moment. Those who came before us in various respects are the lineage of our identity in a very special way, and understanding this can create a further opening to our inspiration.

Much has been written about emotional intelligence, though for the most part, we learn about it through trial and error, taking note and working on making positive changes. This side of knowing ourselves is of course, very important, but in this post I am going to talk about the other aspects of our identities - the ancestors of our personal lineage.

There are three main "ancestors" that I like to recognise, and would encourage you to explore to better know yourself more fully. The first is the ancestors of our bodies, our bloodline. These are the people who have given us our physical form, and no matter the quality of our relationship with our familial heritage, their line has given us certain traits and abilities that we will naturally take on. They can be positive or negative traits, but understanding them can give us a better picture of ourselves.

These traits might be phsyical - from fitness, to fertility, to a tendency towards particular illnesses, or a love of certain types of weather or activities. They might be mental - from emotional disposition, to a talent for certain kinds of jobs. In addition to these kinds of traits, there is also a rich cultural heritage that we are a part of because of our belonging to a certain group or groups of people. You might look back into your family tree to find you have relatives in an area of the world you have always found exotic and wanted to visit. Exploring these avenues in our identity can be a thrilling adventure and incredibly inspiring.

As an example, I learnt that my great grandfather was a missionary in China during the Boxer Rebellion and was rescued from harm by the people in the village. My grandfather was born there and so were his siblings. It has given me a greater insight into learning about China and one day I would love to visit the are that they were living in. What will you find out about your family?

This can sometimes be a challenge for some people. Paritcularly if they are adopted. One option in this case is to have your DNA sent away to be tested. One place is http://www.dnaancestryproject.com/. You swab your cheek and send it off to find out which area of the world your ancestors came from. It can be fascinating to find out and you will at the very least be more aware of a culture and its stories and heritage, art and history that you can be a part of, and be inspired by.

The second type of ancestor is our teachers and guides. The people who have come before us with ideas and knowledge that has shaped the way we see and experience the world. This could be from so many sources, but to understand the complexity of your own choices, is to understand a very deep and personal part of your way of being in the world. We are given so many ideas all day every day. It is important to recognise how we have come to our own way of being, and to honour that.

You might like to brainstorm it a bit. Some will be easy to identify - close friends and family and their advice, spiritual traditions you like, theories about the world you believe, movies that have influenced you, books and music lyrics that gave you insight. Some are more elusive - like a holiday when you had a realisation, a meditation that was meaningful, an artwork that changed your mind about something, a relationship in which you learned an important lesson. Our teachers come to us in many forms. Maybe you would like to write some of yours down in your journal?

The third type of ancestor is of the land. The places we live and visit have such incredible histories. Each and every place has a story and an energy, whether it's human, biological, geological or even cosmological. It is amazing to look into the past to see how many things have come together to create the very moment you are experiencing right now in time and space.

Some things to consider when thinking about this could include: what is the history of this area? Who has lived here? How did it come to be a park/housing estate/city etc? What was it before? How did people live here? What was important to them? Were there any wars or battles fought here? Any celebrations or commemorations in this place? Maybe you can find old photos or read about the lives of indigenous people in your area. If you live in a place that has an indigenous history, you could look that up too. Maybe visit sacred sites or other places of beauty and honour their part in the story of where you are.

Another thing to do is to understand what kinds of animals, plants, rock formations and weather patterns tell the story of the place you are in. Understanding nature in a place is an incredible way of becoming inspired by it. Learning about a  flower and when it blooms, or finding out that you can eat the berries of a tree that grows in your street, or knowing where to find beautiful stones, or noticing what time of year the wind changes direction or temperature can make you feel an amazing sense of belonging, which is really a part of who you are. You LIVE in this place. It is a part of you as much as you are a part of it. Become it and be inspired WITH it.

So now you have a bit of homework! I hope the last post encouraged you to start a diary of some kind - hopefully two - and now you have something to start writing about in it. Take some time to think about what your inspirations are, have been, or could be. Understanding who you are is the gateway to unfolding your greatest creative potential. Know Thyself -wise words indeed.