In our everyday lives, we experience a wide range of emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations. These experiences are a result of the interaction between our internal and external realities. External reality refers to the world around us, which we perceive through our five senses, while internal reality encompasses our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
Most of us tend to focus on external reality and its impact on our lives. We often attribute our emotions and reactions to events and circumstances in the external world. For instance, if we lose our job, we may feel angry, anxious, or depressed, assuming that the external event is the direct cause of our emotional state. However, this is not entirely true. Our internal reality plays a critical role in shaping our experience of external events.
Internal consequential reality refers to the ways in which external events impact our inner experience, including our thoughts, emotions, dreams, and physical sensations. It is not merely the event itself but our interpretation of it that shapes our internal reality. For example, if we lose our job, we may feel anxious if we perceive it as a threat to our financial security. However, if we perceive it as an opportunity to pursue our passion or spend more time with our loved ones, we may feel relieved or even happy.
Therefore, understanding our internal reality and how it interacts with external reality is crucial for our well-being. When we become aware of our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, we can better understand how external events impact us. This self-awareness enables us to develop resilience and cope with challenging situations effectively.
One way to deal with internal consequential reality is through inner work, which involves exploring our inner landscape, including our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. By reflecting on our internal reality, we can identify any unhelpful patterns and reframe our beliefs to better serve us. This can help us to shift our experience of external events and reduce our emotional distress.
However, sometimes it may be challenging to change external reality, such as the death of a loved one. In such cases, we can work on accepting the reality and finding ways to find healthy expression of the associated emotions. It is essential to remember that we can always influence our internal reality, even when we cannot change external events.
I write this to help in understanding the relationship between internal and external realities and why it is crucial for our well-being. By helping clients become better aware of their internal landscape and how it interacts with external events, they can develop resilience, cope effectively with challenges, and begin to lead a more fulfilling life.
Modified from Healing Inner Conflict – David Bhakti Gotleib
Jacob Montoya