Deep States: Why Do We Need Them?

Each of us has probably asked ourselves at least once: “Why all this? What drives me? What am I striving for?” Really, why? Why does a mountaineer climb a mountain, a billionaire buy a new factory, or a child stubbornly argue with their parents? It’s not just for the sake of it! What drives them? What are they seeking?

It’s not just the desire to eat and sleep—we all know that for something more important, we can skip sleep or go hungry. So what is that more important thing? Why do I do what I do? We can ask ourselves this question—and after a lot of dodging and side-stepping, we might get an answer:

– Why did you get into a fight?
– I wanted to prove that I’m worth something!

But then you can ask again: Why do you need to prove it?

Behind every important goal, there’s an even more important one. And behind that, another one. Does this go on forever? The funny thing is, it doesn’t. This chain actually has an end. After a few “steps up,” a person suddenly starts to care about something internal. If at first most people are after a career, money, or a new car, closer to the end it’s happiness, freedom, harmony…

Freedom might be more important than happiness, and harmony more important than freedom (for some it’s the other way around, or they use different words—everyone has their own). And then—stop! That’s it. This thing is the most important. Nothing is more important.

Have you ever wondered what happens if you reach the ultimate goal? What if you find the limit of your desires? Want to find out and try?

When people talk about this most important thing, they’re talking about certain inner states: Harmony, Wholeness, Freedom, Love, Happiness… With a capital letter, a breathy voice, and a serene face. Of course, these are just words, but they point to That Most Important Thing. And That Most Important Thing is a state. Something inside. Something so big, overwhelming, and all-encompassing that nothing else matters. The goal of all goals.

This Most Important Thing is called a Deep State. It turns out, though, that a person can have several of these—usually about five. Someone might build a career to ultimately achieve Wholeness, and play sports to feel Freedom. These Deep States are more or less equal—one isn’t more or less important than another. And it turns out that Deep States are just a given, a human trait. It’s not something you have to earn or deserve. It’s just there, inside everyone. You just need to look within.

“That’s cool,” you might say. “Deep States sound great! But what’s the point for me? Am I supposed to make soup out of this?”

No, you can’t make soup out of it. I admit it. But… Once you reach these Deep States, that’s when things get really interesting.

• First, you can learn to manage them and “access” them whenever you need. Being in them is… well, it’s something else.
• Second, you can use them to your advantage in everyday life. They’re so big, powerful, and important. Won’t they just swallow up all those little fears, grudges, irritations, and depressions? They will—and leave nothing behind.
• Third, when you act from these Deep States, everything seems to work out faster, better, and more smoothly. Whether it’s communication, decision-making, or fixing your car.
• Fourth, they provide a strong inner core. When you feel it inside—or even just remember it’s there—you can look at the world, at all the scandals, arguments, grudges, and betrayals differently.
• Fifth: These first four points aren’t just abstract ideas—they’re real, trainable skills. You can try them, practice them, and use them in your life. There are clear techniques and exercises for this.

In short, this gives you:

• The ability to understand your true goals
• Greater self-confidence
• The ability to do what really matters
• The skill to solve your own problems
• The ability not to create new problems for yourself
• The ability to manage your own state
• Inner harmony
• The chance to be who you want to be

“Okay,” you might say, “I’ll reach my Deep States. But they’re the ultimate goal. What will drive me then? Maybe I’ll just want to stay in them forever!”

You can stay in them for a long time. A very long time. But motivation doesn’t disappear—the engine keeps running. It just changes. The frantic urgency goes away. Motivation starts coming from within, not from outside. You start doing what you really need to do. And it happens more naturally, with more joy and meaning. All the other nonsense—the stuff you didn’t really need anyway—just fades away.

“Oh,” you might say. “This all sounds really hard! I’ll never reach these Deep States, let alone bring them out!”

Don’t worry. It’s not hard. You’ll have to put in some effort, but in the end, everyone gets to their Deep States. And after that, accessing them is actually pretty easy. There are a number of simple but highly effective techniques to help you do it.

“What if I don’t like it?” you might ask. “Can I quit?”

You can. In fact, you don’t even have to quit. For these things to be present in your life, you have to use them regularly. If you don’t, they just fade away on their own. They don’t work without your active involvement.

“Can I do it myself?” you might ask. “Or does it only work with a guru or some kind of sensei from Avatar?”

No, here everyone is their own guru. A coach is only needed to show you the way—you’ll have to walk it yourself. Once someone shows you the route in an unfamiliar part of town, you can find your way on your own, right? Same here. It’s all yours, inside you. So use it.

This is just a brief look at something as big as Deep States. But it’s something you can try, use, and manage. Those who have gone through Deep States training say their lives have changed. Each in their own way (everyone’s life is different), but always for the better. Some get less irritated, some finally find a job they love, some improve their family life. And most say they simply became happier.