Inner well-being comes from the connection and harmony between our inner life and the outer world. In other words:
- it is the feeling of belonging and connectedness with the world
- it is the feeling that we are part of something larger and more important than the issues, stresses, and challenges of everyday life
- it is having inner peace
However, modern economies systematically drive individuals away from inner well-being by manipulating their values, beliefs and behaviours.
“[Carl Jung] was staunchly opposed to the collectivism and materialism of the modern world, which encourages exploitation of physical resources of the planet but neglects the creative resources of the Self. In his view, we are collectively committing the same fallacy as the alchemists projecting our spiritual aspirations into matter in the belief that we are pursuing the highest values. By denying the soul [our inner self] we treat each other as economic commodities. Instead, [Jung] believed, we must pay due attention to the inner life of the individual if we are to change the soullessness of European culture”
– Anthony Stevens – On Jung
The way to inner well-being involves acceptance of the world and transcendence of our everyday lives. Being engaged, being creative as well as practices like meditation, rituals, and yoga help develop inner well-being.
Also, your values, beliefs, principles, and morals help to define and express your inner self. Take time to consider what these are and if your behaviours and actions are in accordance with these factors. By cultivating creative values and principles like compassion, love, forgiveness, acceptance, trust, kindness, empathy, altruism, joy and fulfilment in our lives we help foster our inner health, and the inner health of others, and the world.