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Introspection
and Self-Observation
In
this civilization of the interior life of' the individual, with
all its richness, is relegated to the last place of existence.
Man is so much caught up in the wheel of the mechanized life
that he has no more time to stop, nor the power of attention
necessary to turn his mental look towards himself.
Man
spends his days absorbed in his circumstances. The immense machine
which carries him away turns without stopping and forbids him
to stop, under the penalty of being crushed. Today, like yesterday,
and tomorrow like today, he exhausts himself in this unrestrained
race, hurled in a direction which, in totality, leads him nowhere.
Life passes almost unperceived, as quickly as a ray of light,
then, always forgetful of himself, man falls engulfed.
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one who lives under this constant pressure of contemporary life
is asked to turn his mental look towards himself, he generally
answers that he has no time to devote himself to such an exercise.
If' we insist and he complies, in most case he says that he sees
nothing. Fog, darkness. In rarer cases, the observer reports that
he discerns something which he could not define, because that
is changing always. This last observation is correct. In fact,
everything changes in us every moment. An external shock, agreeable
or disagreeable, happy or unhappy for our inner content takes
on a new aspect.
The
value of introspection, to know one's own self and to enter
within one's own self. As one progresses, one always finds out
better the real situation in which one is in .
This
interior observation, this introspection, one soon ascertains,
that our " I ", of which we are so proud of, is not
always equal to itself. That it changes. Then, the impression
becomes precise, we begin to find out that in fact, it is not
a unique man that lives in us, but many, each of whom has likings,
tastes, proper aspirations and pursues the proper ends.
Suddenly
one discovers in our own selves a whole world full of life and
complexities which even until yesterday we ignored almost entirely.
Pursuing this, we distinguish soon in this life in perpetual
movement three aspects and it's force. That, of the instincts,
that of the sentiments, that of life which is properly human,
the characteristic of which is thought and speech.
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As if there were three different beings within us entangled
in an unprecedented manner.
We then appreciate the value of introspection as a method of
practical work to know ones
own self and to enter within ones own self. As little by little
we progress, we always find
out better the real situation in which we are found. It is thus
that the real life flees
from the human being on account of the constant change of the
interior life.
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This
situation can be changed in a favorable manner. It demands work,
conscious and continued efforts. Introspection pursued untiringly
has as the consequence of inner sensibility. Therefore the shocks
which were unperceived previously will provoke live reactions.
The result of this movements will have a friction of such an
intensity that it will be possible to feel the interior fire
kindled within self.
It
must not be only a simple flame. And it is also not enough that
the fire be smoldering under the cinders. A live fire, ardent,
once kindled, must be carefully kept up by the will to refine
and to cultivate the sensibility. In this state there can be
change. The heat of the flame will be able to provoke in us
the uniting.
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