Beware of the snake oil salesman!
We all look to each other for guidance, social cues, direction, advice and right from wrong. Our parents and family members are there at first, showing us the ropes on this journey of life. Then as we grow up, become more independent and are able to take care of ourselves we take on more of these cues from others, our friends, colleagues, community members and so on. All of this is a natural evolutionary progression and how cultures and societies form at a bigger scale. We all know that not everyone has our best interests at heart so how do we know when someone is trying to pull a fast one on us or cover up their true intentions? Well, it's not always easy to spot, and us humans have been playing the game a long time! So, what is the one thing that can help you sniff out the proverbial snake oil salesmen?
DISCERNMENT.
(The power or faculty of the mind by which it distinguishes one thing from another; power of viewing differences in objects, and their relations and tendencies; penetrative and discriminate mental vision; acuteness; sagacity; insight.)
In Yoga, this is Buddhi, wisdom/intellect. It is something which can be developed through practices like mindfulness and meditation. It requires us to look in, into the depths of the workings of our own minds. By understanding ourselves deeply, where our thoughts and feelings come from, and we can better understand why others behave the way they do. Much of what we do, the ways we react, respond, what we say, what we think, our 'habits' are governed or influenced by what we consume, and I don't mean just food, I mean everything else! TV, social media, the news, our religious beliefs, our friends, the hobbies we choose to engage in, our upbringing, chosen vocation, even where we live will influence how we engage with and perceive the world around us.
Take a few minutes to think about WHO YOU ARE? Why do you like the things you do? Why do you like rock music but not classical for example? How much have you sabotaged yourself over the years by doing, or not doing something because you've allowed others' opinions and ideas to overshadow how you really feel?
I'll share a short personal story/reflection on this. I've always said to myself from teenage years "rap music is so crap, all they sing about are gangs, guns and ho's, not for me!" without ever really bothering to listen to much of it, usually changing the radio station when I was in the car, and I never really asked anyone who did like it, why they did. So basically for 30 years I cast aside a whole genre of music because I had created my own preconceived (negative) idea around it. I can't pinpoint exactly why I decided one day the beginning of this year to find a Spotify playlist of Old Skool Rap and Hip Hop BUT, here I am, now a fan!
In my last newsletter I touched on how our lives today are heavily influenced by information overload and the substantial array of decisions and choices we need to make on a daily basis and how this can lead to paralysis and confusion. Intelligence is the application of information and knowledge, the ability to think critically, and unfortunately most people don't know how to apply what they learn. They put nothing into practice, ideas are useless if nothing is planned, and steps or action taken. So, in order to live a balanced life filled with confidence and clarity, it is imperative to develop discernment and be adaptable.
It’s your responsibility to create an environment that demands you to show up. All you have to do is start acting. Start being more honest with yourself and others. Start seeking more responsibility. Start being more proactive, keep learning new things. Powerful actions create changes in situations, relationships, outcomes, your life.
Build your buddhi and make the most of your time here in this human experience.
Until next time, I'll leave you with a few quotes.
“Being quick to observe is an antecedent to and is linked with the spiritual gift of discernment. And for you and for me, discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark.” (David Bednar)
“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.” (Les Brown)
"As you become more present in your own life, you will begin to enlighten others by your example" (Germany Kent)
xxx Kirst