In-spiration !

"That was really an inspired performance by the Indian Cricket Team!"

How many times would we have come across the word "Inspiration", like in the context above.......I bet quite often!

I personally see the word being freely & commonly used in modern day affairs (sometimes even in a complete wrong sense – due to lack of proper understanding of the word !); especially in the current scheme of things in global economic affairs (Well...the one thing which all the world's stock markets would vouch for is some "inspiration" - pun intended).

But quite frankly, I see the word "Inspiration" being used quite too often in day-to-day scenarios, which really made me sit back and think what this really means, since I personally felt a complete definition for this word is not quite possible (somehow being a spiritual seeker, I feel the dictionary definition restricts the capability of this word, quite literally!)

That's precisely why I wanted a few thinking intellectuals like you to join me in finding more about inspiration and forming a framework to know how much each of us relate with the word "Inspiration" or the word "Inspire"

(Intellectual...aren't you ? )

Well then....Let's embark on our 10-minute journey through the bare basics of the word inspiration!

(A deeper insight will follow in my next blog though ....)

Inspire/Inspiration - The Etymology :

Inspiration – as in the English word etymologically took its roots from the greek word "enthousiazein", sometime around 1000 B.C.

The literal meaning of the word was "god breathed" – quite logically flowing from the spiritual concept that something divine breathed into individuals helped the individuals achieve higher ideals/goals. Earlier, somewhere around 500 years before this, in the Indo-european continent, the word was coined in a even simpler fashion as "speis" or "peis" which had a slightly different texture to its meaning compared to its evolved greek counterpart – "speis" or "peis" was considered to be synonymous with the "sound of breathing" in that part of the world!

Slowly over the ages, the word changed sizes and in approx. 1300 A.D in latin took shape as "Inspirizione" (which later in old English became "enspire" and of late finally in modern day English – "inspire").

Although the word gained weight (one can clearly observe the letters getting added to it since the early ages!), the meaning more or less remained the same – Inspire was the verb form which meant "to breathe into" while inspiration was the noun form of the verb.

To breathe into ?? – Intellectuals....do you get the link why, where & how this word is used?.....think !

Inspire/Inspiration – The meaning:

To breathe into – sounds very simple for a meaning........but let me caution you.....it is not that simple!

Sample this – If I say that "I was inspired by Swami Vivekananda's speech at the world parliament of religions" what does it mean by using the literal menaing of inspire ?

You would say – "Vivekananda's speech – an articulate act – was the object which breathed energy into me to help me in some way achieve something"

We now are in a position to frame a proper boundary for understanding the word "inspiration"

Point 1 – Inspiration is being "perceived" to be an action wherein an external object or individual/living being influences tendencies in a individual and motivates the individual to go beyond the norms – with regards to setting ideals and reaching goals !

I think most will agree to this definition since it would hold good for the current usage of the word in the society...........but one common question I am sure all intellectuals would have is - why on earth have you highlighted "perceived "?? J

Well...the reason is simple.....you would find out if you think and answer this question of mine:

"Is Inspiration always found outside? Or is it that we keep searching for it outside? have we ever made an attempt to search it within ourself?"

Deep question and I am sure it will incite deeper thoughts....hmmm.....got the answer?

Well......Inspiration is being wrongly perceived to be in the world objects and beings external to us, external to our "self"

"Then does it come from within me ?"

"Yes it does"......surprised !

I am sure you would again think of the large majority of the world population who may think –

"Naah.....how the hell can something like "Inspiration" be within me......bloody hell I have been made to look upto so many idols, so many inspiring moments to reach this summit....they have been inspiring me- letting into me a lease of fresh thoughts and perspectives, egging me on and cheering me wherever I panicked along my path to success....Inspiration cannot be me.....this guy must be joking"

Sad .....but how true.......how true that we do not realise the immense potential of our own selves !

Well I hope this definition of "Inspiration" would help you think over once again !

Point 2 – "Inspiration" is a spark of zeal – equal to the spark generated by a matchstick which is enough to lit up the lamp – similarly the spark of zeal is enough to awaken the enormous capabilities lying dormant in an individual

"IT MAY/MAYNOT BE SOME EXTERNAL ACT/AGENCY WHICH GENERATES THIS SPARK, BUT THE SPARK CAN NEVER BE SUSTAINED OR CAN NEVER AWAKEN THE DORMANT CAPABILITIES IN THE ABSENCE OF SOUND INTTELCUAL & EMOTIONAL CONVICTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL !

Think on this my friends......

"Inspiration" as a spark lasts only for that one moment.......a life changing moment (that moment could come once or more, mebbe for a second, a minute or continually like we use one matchstick after the other – that's if you are lucky enough to have a lot of full matchboxes !)

It is up to the individual to think about sustenance of the spark forever, so that the inspiration never dies off ! (or going by the matchstick example....it is upto the lamp to see how well oiled it is to get the spark/light onto it permanently)

And how do you think that sustenance of the spark of Inspiration is possible ?................Think !

Sample this – Lot many people talk about life changing experiences when they have met really inspiring individuals......most of them who have agreed that the spark of zeal or inspiration stuck onto them at that very moment and helped them achieve their life goal, have been all the past and modern day greats who can be counted on the fingers! ......such individuals who always operate with a high ideal and goal, or a self-motivated self do never need more than that one life changing spark of zeal to transform their lives !......however you may be fooled into thinking that these greats did not require sustenance of the spark.........they did !

How to keep Inspiration - "Spark of Zeal" lighted up forever?

Simple....by maintaining a level of equanimity and balance in thoughts, purity in intellect and clarity of goals and ideals for the same !

And how is that ?............We shall "think" further on this in my next post !