Insight as a means to develop understanding features strongly in a range of Eastern and Western philosophies as well as the arts and sciences. Developing insight for example is a main component to developing Buddhism which is often called vipassana.
Essentially, insight is the best way to learn more about a subject, about life and if we are specialized, to end stress and understand the mind and body dynamic as a whole, rather than bits of our emotions, thoughts and reactions.
Insight in essence is both knowledge and understanding derived from an “inward sight”, or more simply, looking inside your own mind and body and observing it. It can be a natural process, or an intentional process as sometimes you need to see things differently to see them clearly, but most important is knowing which lens or style to use to make it clear.Seeing a sample under a microscope is a lot more detailed and focused than just looking at the sample in the hand. Developing the mind through meditation as well as other methodologies both sharpen your focus and gives you a clearer boundary on the thing you focus on.
Try not to rush things. This is another common challenge as people hope to find a magic switch to gain personal insight. As the metaphor goes, when the “penny drops” in the mind and things make sense, this often takes time to happen naturally. However, repeated observation and testing not only helps the penny drop sooner, but also the extent of our insight is broadened and many different facets of the same experience can become clear. In this way, a person can learn to think and act more creatively and skillfully based on yes, insight.
Peace and Love, Jim
