The Forgotten Art of Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat… or did it?
Perhaps you’ve heard that famous expression, uttered by mothers worldwide in an attempt to rein in their children’s inquisitive minds.
Curiosity has had a bit of a bad reputation as something naughty, like the image of the nosy, curtain-twitching neighbour.
I for sure did see this in myself: instead of trusting my innate sense of curiosity for people and life, I desperately tried to keep myself safe. To me, curiosity was a ‘waste of time’ that would only lead me down a useless and unproductive path. Away from who I though I needed to be: a successful, deserving and productive member of society.
And so I shut it down, remaining trapped in a kind of a bubble, focused intently on a made-up and imaginary destination. But shut off also from the beauty, magic and wonder of life.
It’s only been recently that I’ve been observing and understanding the incredible gift that is curiosity, and how it offers the key to profound presence, continued expansion and to deeper connection with others and the world.
You just need to look at children to see how it is an incredible aspect of our nature that comes from deep within; an innate expression toward openness, expansion and growth.
What I’ve learnt:
- Curiosity is expansion. Being curious about something is like pouring water onto a flower or plant: it beings to expand it. Try it with an object, or with this present moment: become curious about it, and notice how it seems to grow.
- Curiosity is connection. When you become curious about something or someone, you stop focusing on your self for a while. You open yourself up to new experiences and new wisdom. And you experience deeper and natural connection with places and people — and your own true self as a result.
- Follow your curiosity no matter how crazy it seems. Deep inner curiosity is like a whispering from the soul, an impulse to explore and discover more of what was previously hidden. Whether it be about a certain art-form, an obscure topic or a faraway place… dive into it as much as you like!
- Take a curiosity-only day. As an experiment, plan an entire day where you are driven entirely by your curiosity. May that be wandering the streets (unless you’re in Coronavirus quarantine!), reading up on subjects that inspire you or just sitting and observing the moment as it comes. You’ll be surprised at where you end up!
Originally published on www.thetemple.love by Edward Pike (https://thetemple.love/content-all/the-forgotten-art-of-curiosity)
