Self-awareness is arguably one of the most profound insights a person can achieve. Yet, ironically, many of us lack a deep understanding of ourselves.
"You can't move forward if you don't know who you are."
Sure, we know the colour of our eyes, our strengths, weaknesses, and perhaps some of our dreams and aspirations. But when it comes to the deeper questions—how our minds shape our thoughts and reactions, why we act the way we do, or what motivates our decisions—we often find ourselves in the dark.
Many believe they consciously make decisions. However, more often than not, we react unconsciously to both external and internal stimuli. When life brings pleasant experiences, all seems well. But when we encounter challenges, we often respond with negative emotions like anger, fear, or jealousy. We bounce from one moment to the next, hoping for more pleasure and less pain, moving between attachment and aversion, ultimately spiralling into stress and despair.
It’s during these times of crisis that we start questioning our way of life, searching for ways to live more fully and meaningfully.
The good news is, there is a way to find more calm, positivity, and joy—even in difficult times. This path begins with the understanding that your life is not shaped by what happens to you, but by how you respond to it.
Countless individuals suffer because they fail to recognize this truth. They react impulsively, without pausing to consider their response. In some cases, this leads to serious consequences—lost relationships, health, jobs, or even freedom.
As Victor Frankl, the renowned Austrian psychiatrist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, wisely noted:
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
To this Frankl's wisdom, one needs to incorporate two key principles:
1. Your experience of life, including happiness and misery, is shaped by the gap between stimulus and response. It’s within this gap that your thoughts, behaviour, and mind take shape. This is why ancient spiritual traditions, modern psychology, and psychotherapy focus on this space—it holds the key to personal transformation.
2. Your success in life depends on how you manage this gap. Learning to expand it gives you more time to think, reflect, and choose your best response.
Imagine how powerful it would be to master this space—don’t you agree?
That’s exactly what we’ll explore in the "Meditation for the Rational Mind" course.
In this course, we’ll dive deep into the mind’s mechanisms, uncovering how to identify and manage the space between stimulus and response. You’ll learn how to expand this gap, cultivating calmness, wisdom, and joy—qualities that will enrich your life, benefit your relationships, and positively impact society.
We’ll introduce key concepts and practices that will enable you to view life more objectively, free from bias. You’ll strengthen your ability to resist stress, overcome anxiety, and navigate unpleasant situations with greater ease.
By participating, you will not only gain a better understanding of yourself but also develop greater empathy for others, laying the foundation for healthier relationships and a better society.
But let’s keep it real—this isn’t about lofty ideas or abstract theories. Think of the course as intellectual entertainment. We won’t be twisting our bodies on a dance floor, but we will be stretching our minds, exploring one of the most essential questions of human existence: Who are we?
