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Awareness
“[…] it is awareness of both our shared pain and our longing for happiness that links us to other people and helps us to turn toward them with compassion.” Sharon Salzberg
Awareness is defined as the quality or a state of knowing, knowing and understanding that something is happening or exists.
Just like self-awareness, our awareness sits on a continuum and it is measured by its quality.
If we are to be honest, moments of awareness are missing from our life working in circles from Sunday to Sunday.
We’re caught in a spin, trying not to lose our way, moving from errand to errand to get the job done.
What is the quality of what we do, how aware are we to that quality, how connected are we?
For us to properly assess our level of awareness, we must first connect to the moment and watch ourselves in action.
Shall we stop to check? What are we thinking about now? How much of that has to do with what we’re doing?
If we delve into the content, we will find that our thoughts migrate from here to there, and our awareness follows.
In a state of distraction, we are physically present but not really here, cut off from the present.
Awareness of the motion ~ conscious of the emotion
What is the importance of awareness?
“Emotions that simmer beneath the threshold of awareness can have a powerful impact on how we perceive and react, even though we have no idea they are at work.” Daniel Goleman
When we operate out of habit, repeating the same routine over time, we tend to disconnect.
In mind training we call it forgetfulness, a state of mind set on cruise control cut off from emotion.
As long as things work smoothly, we just keep rolling that is until problems arise…
When we face changes, professional and personal crises, it usually affects us greatly.
The fear of tomorrow, the anxiety that arises, the tension it produces in the body and the thoughts it accompanies intensify.
From that point on, we operate under pressure, primarily focusing on silencing the inner voices, so what we do lacks quality.
The more emotionally involved we are, the ‘closer to home’ it will feel, the harder the experience hits us.
Awareness of the emotions that befall us in those situations, recognizing their presence, prevents those emotions from growing.
Awareness of our environment
“Intelligence and awareness depend on the heart.” Michel Odoul, Thierry M.D. Médynski
Awareness is particularly important in our relationships with the world, it helps us keep our eyes open.
Our level of involvement with others may be dependent on closeness, but that doesn’t necessarily mean our hearts are attentive.
When attention travels around, we’re not really aware of our environment, we’re less sensitive to what’s happening around us.
Our lack of awareness makes us impervious, the reality we meet is somewhat vague, and we are not attentive to others.
This reflects in the quality of communication, of our listening, of our availability to others both at home and at work.
Adding stress to the mix only makes us more prone to impatience, we respond out of nervousness.
We unintentionally hurt others, mainly because we don’t really see who stands before us.
We may not be guilty but we are still responsible for the result, which also hurts us.
Are you sure?
“Establish your awareness in defenselessness.” Deepak Chopra, David Simon
Mind training in the Buddhist spirit brings us to recognize that our mind has penchant for certain objects.
This affects how we approach things, matter of fact we meet events and people when we are not neutral.
Lacking awareness, we stay oblivious to the fact that our judgment is purely based on an impression.
Consequently, care is reserved for our close ones, irritation for those we despise and inconsideration for those we don’t know.
Our attitude also follows accordingly, if we choose dismissal or antagonism, it shows.
When we’re not attentive, making out the bias that directs our perception of events turns out difficult.
Bias expresses itself in our level of openness and patience, our defensiveness or our closing-up, on the chances we give others.
Given that no one purposefully wishes to fall into error, before every response we will ask, ‘Am I sure?’
Awareness of the moment
“Remind yourself to practice present moment awareness in all your actions.” Deepak Chopra, David Simon
Mind training is the commitment to keep mindful while in motion, remembering to stay in the present.
To do this we practice mindfulness, which also accompanies us outside of formal practice.
We are asked to tune-in the content that accompanies experiences, the movement of thoughts, to the tone and sensations that arise.
Thus, we are quick to discover that we cannot keep track of everything, most often than not we rush into judgment.
At first, we find difficult identifying the elements that make up our choice, so practice is vital.
Analytical meditations open a window to our world of conscious and unconscious views and intentions.
We learn to stop and ask how things feel, we try to uncover what’s stands behind our choice.
We deliberately turn our attention to the first signs of rejection, enthusiasm and dismissal which drive the dynamics.
Taking things AS IS
“Believe and trust in your own awareness — then the dust will be removed from your eye of wisdom.” Dudjom Lingpa, Alan Wallace
Every situation can become the stage of our practice, an opportunity to appreciate what energy we’ve contributed in that moment.
We will place our attention on what’s happening and make sure we are truly in the present.
If we suspect that our opinions have come into the room with us, we’ll stop and check if these are truth-based.
By paying attention to the nature of messages, to signs of nervousness, we’ll try to discern how reality enfolds before us.
Keeping aware is a skill, so we have to remember that it must be called upon every time.
This way, we will we come know the many facets and various roles our perspectives hold in the spheres of life.
We generally see what we want, hear what we grasp and react accordingly.
So we don’t miss, we’ll remember to check if doubt knocks at the door, and ask ‘What’s going on here¿’
Stay connected, everything you need is right hereॐ
Nathalie Bizawi, founder of Wisdom & Mindfulness meditation center. Senior Meditation, Mindfulness and philosophy instructor, From Wingate Academic College. M.A in Education from TAU University, Tel Aviv.
Wisdom & Mindfulness your meditation center in Tel Aviv