What is inner work?

The term Inner Work comes from Jungian psychology, and it refers to the process of getting to know yourself, your patterns, and conditioning as a means to gain, over time, the capacity to choose ways of being and behaving that are more aligned with your true nature (essence). It is INNER because it’s focused on the act of looking inside rather than outside for answers, following the principle as above, so below, a concept from ancient hermetic texts emphasizing that the laws of the universe operating outside us apply in the same way inside us. In other words, the world outside is a reflection of our own inner landscapes, hence the importance of looking within.

It’s WORK because it’s not a walk in the park. Inner Work requires a high level of intention, dedication, and commitment. G.I. Gurdjieff, the renowned Armenian mystic and founder of the wisdom school The Fourth Way, said that “a group can do what a man can never do” when referring to Inner Work, emphasizing both the scale of the WORK and the importance of joining others in this quest as a collective act. Work done in a group multiplies the effect of each individual’s efforts.

Inner Work helps us cultivate the so-called inner witness, the entity within us capable of observing us from a distance. It is the unscathed, untouched essence that is ever-present and available beneath the ego, ready to emerge when the egoic self finally subsides. For the ego to subside, however, one must first get to know what this ego is. “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom,” said Socrates. When you understand the components of the ego—its motivations, shadows, and hidden agendas—and can observe them from the place of the inner witness, you gain a chance to act differently and achieve true freedom of choice.

We often don’t know that we don’t know, and that’s the tragedy. We may think that we are free, but many times it is the ego’s agenda that prevails, because the ego represents what is known and comfortable, while true growth comes from venturing into the unknown and the uncomfortable. Walking the path of Inner Work leads you toward freedom of choice, allowing you to access the limitless potential of the human being, to be, learn, and act in ways you never imagined possible. You also gain a sense of agency over your life as you realize that your outer reality is shaped by your inner beliefs—and once those beliefs change, so too does your outer reality.

As a result, you stop being the victim of circumstance and instead become the creator of your own fortune. A sense of agency is one of the most important factors in healing from disease or overcoming difficult life circumstances. Inner Work also aligns you more closely with your life’s purpose or mission, as the ego’s agendas take a backseat and your essence steps in to guide you. In this state, life itself starts guiding you, as you no longer have self-serving agendas. You begin to serve something greater, discovering the joy of working in collaboration with life rather than at odds with it.