“Everything you need is already inside you.” Sounds good, right? But it’s a BIG idea, right? Let’s look at this concept. I’ve included a simple self confidence meditation at the end of this post to help you dig into this wisdom and apply it in a practical way in your everyday life.

So, you’ve heard all these ideas before:

You already have the answers you need.

Everything you need is inside you.

As above, so below.

Your personal microcosm is a reflection of the macrocosm.

Sound familiar?

These are sayings in the global spiritual community today.

But what do they actually mean? How do you step beyond theory? And how can you actually apply them to your life in a meaningful way?

This quote comes from The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi.

There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside yourself.
–Miyamoto Musashi

Self confidence meditation exercise

Put your cell phone aside. Unplug and find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.

Close your eyes. Focus on your breathing until your heart rate steadies and slows.

ASK:

What is one thing that I’m relying that is outside of me? How am I using it as a crutch right now?

(Say, for example, you’re relying on what other people say to validate that you are doing a good job on a project.)

How can I use my own will to be more effective instead? Imagine for a moment that this thing did not exist. How would you achieve the same result?

(In our example, imagine that you aren’t getting feedback from anyone. How can YOU yourself validate that you’re doing a good job on your project? “I can see that things are working as planned. I set out to accomplish something, and I clearly have. I am getting the results that I desired.” etc.)

And then? Listen. 

When you’re done, write down any impressions or thoughts you may have. In the days to come, reflect on these notes often. Consider how you want to move forward based on what you’ve learned.

Explore more meditations

Try different meditation exercises to help you go deeper in your spiritual practice and explore consciousness.