Too often, most of us live somewhere other than the only place and time we have – Here and Now. We live driven by the incessant chatter in our mind; in the memories, longings, and regrets from our past; or in the plans, hopes, and fears of the future. An authentic, connected, and purpose-full life demands pausing the chatter, gifting ourselves with attention in the here and now.
We live in a culture that is filled with distraction, a gazillion things that keep our attention on the external and superficial. We are shaped by our conditioning and the deficit of subconscious needs. Most of us struggle with the demands of internal voices, have difficulty identifying feelings and needs, vacillate between blame and shame.. We are too often trapped in drama, the longing of unmet need, and the demands of the surrounding culture.
Self awareness is the foundation for a healthy psychology and authentic spirituality. The study of Emotional Intelligence places awareness as the key factor in healthy management of emotion and relationships.To be aware of our surroundings, our internal condition, and our relationships, without judgment, is essential to a heart directed life. It is the path to deepening authenticity, connection, and purpose.
The study of neuroscience has shown that what we pay attention to shapes the pathways of communication in our brain. What we pay attention to creates the patterns in our thinking, which then shapes our resulting behavior. Without adequate attention, our brain can be shaped by emotional triggers and reactionary behavior.
A growing self awareness requires a pause from endless demands and distractions of life, from the endless chatter of our minds, from the story and judgments that fill our days. Self awareness requires the space for observation without judgment, to notice “what is” without evaluation. The pursuit of awareness requires the gift of attention..
Don Miquel Ruiz Jr, in his book the Mastery of Awareness, identifies four areas for the focus of awareness as the foundational step on the path for healing our wounds and transforming our story.
- Physical Sensation
- Thoughts & Emotion
- Reaction & Story – triggers, judgments, defences
- Unique Perspective (Worldview)
Daniel J. Siegel MD, in his book Aware and accompanying workbook Becoming Aware, presents a Mindfulness practice using his Wheel of Awareness to pay attention to four primary areas for shifting our consciousness
- FIve Senses – hearing, sight, taste, smell, touch
- Body Sensation
- Mental Activity – feelings, thoughts, memory
- Relational Connection
Resources
Aware by Daniel Siegel. MD and/or companion workbook Becoming Aware