5 Misconceptions About Introverts
Being a little bit more on the introverted side can be tough. When everyone is clamoring to stay out late, hang out in huge groups, or meet lots of new people, being extroverted starts looking very good. In fact, others who don’t understand introverts might start assuming things about them, either through stereotypes or by observing their behavior.
There is a lot more going on underneath the surface, however, and a lot of misconceptions about introverts that should be broken:
Shy
“Shy” is a general term we call people who are quiet, don’t open up in crowds, and maybe even a little bit afraid of social interaction. This doesn’t cover the whole story of introverts. The core of being an introvert means being energized by being alone and being drained by being around other people. Just because someone is an introvert doesn’t make her scared of being around others. Instead, it’s something that happens inside. It is more of an internal energy shift that happens when an introvert is surrounded by people not already admitted to her comfort zone.
Snobby
True blue introverts find themselves challenged to just slide their way into groups of people or to strike up conversation randomly. Their nature urges them to simply keep to themselves. Although some may look at this and think that the introverts feel superior to others, it isn’t true. It just means they aren’t comfortable in these situations; remember, they’re the ones getting their energy drained by big groups. You’d be uncomfortable, too.
Hatred of Being Social
As mentioned, there is a distinct “circle” of people who are no longer in the energy drain category for introverts. This means that an introvert is entirely capable of being just as loud and fun as any extrovert, but only when with this “safe” people who they are comfortable with. Socializing with the right group can actually offer lots of positive energy to an introvert. However, bringing even one stranger into the group can cause an introvert to retreat back into her comfort zone, so keep this in mind.
Comfortable Where They Are
If you seem confident and easygoing in a group, chances are good that you’ve caught an introvert’s envious eye. The mere idea of easing into a strange group of people can be an extreme challenge, even to the point of being painful to some introverts. That doesn’t mean that they don’t occasionally wish to be capable of including themselves in these situations.
Introspection
There’s not just empty air wafting around between an introvert’s ears! Just because she’s sitting quietly doesn’t mean that she’s not very active mentally. Deep thoughts are most likely running through the introvert’s mind at any given moment. Sound weighty? It is! All this thinking adds to the difficulty of jumping into a group of people. An introvert’s mind is very powerful, and quite often an introvert thinks too hard about a situation (“What should I say? Should I smile more often? What is he thinking about?”). This makes it hard to relax and let the good energy flow.
Throw away all of your labels the next time you meet anyone of any age range who may seem snobby or shy to you. Like all human beings, introverts need understanding. Be respectful of the fact that we are all different, and we all need a little love. So be friendly (in a calm, unintimidating way) to the next introvert you meet. Or if you are an introvert, smile knowing that you are unique, special and perfect just the way you are.
Want to understand introverts and extroverts’ hard-wiring even more? This infographic breaks it down very nicely:
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Ancient Practice Lets You Explore Deep States of Consciousness in Your Sleep
Roughly a third of our life is spent sleeping, or at least attempting to get some rest in order to take advantage of the other two-thirds in wakeful consciousness. Ideally, this state is rejuvenating and accompanied by pleasant dreams, allowing the body to clear out all the toxins and amyloids that build up throughout the day.
But what if you could get some of that time back, or use it more productively, while also getting the regenerative benefits of deep slumber?
Don’t worry, this isn’t some new biohacking regimen with bizarre, intermittent naps, but rather a method referred to as dream yoga. Despite its name, dream yoga isn’t an attempt to perform asanas in reverie, but instead to meditatively explore the myriad levels within our minds.
A number of enlightened, spiritual masters are said to have achieved an interminable state of consciousness during their lifetime, in which they maintained awareness while they allowed their bodies to rest at night. These gurus took advantage of every minute of life to explore their inner sanctums and spelunk the deepest caves of consciousness.
Other contemporary dream state explorers, or oneironauts as they’re sometimes called, have attempted to map out the topography of the mind based on eastern philosophy, namely John C. Lily. Lily’s psychic explorations led to his development of the sensory deprivation isolation tank, in order to cultivate a dissociative state where one could detach from the body and explore the levels of satori-samadhi.
But according to Andrew Holecek, a student of Buddhist philosophy and evangelist for dream yoga, one needn’t be an ascetic or employ an expensive float tank to delve into the depths of the mind on the nightly. Instead, a little discipline and technique can allow a dreamer to travel through cosmic consciousness while still getting a good night’s rest.
Holecek says there are up to nine nocturnal states one can enter in preparation for and during dream yoga. The first of which is called “liminal dreaming,” otherwise known as hypnagogic dreaming; a state in which one is not quite awake nor asleep, but in an in-between state before dozing off.
This state is when things become blurry, but by intentionally maintaining a modicum of awareness, one is able to become active in the dream state — a practice known as lucid dreaming.
