Consciousness is…
- Being aware of what’s happening
- Abiding in your energy and experience
- Catch it when it is just beginning to arise (and letting it go early)
- Pausing when you feel anxious or tension
- “I don’t have to stay in this tiny world of my own mind”
- More glimpses
- Getting the hang of being present
- Strengthen positive habits instead of the common negative ones
Every moment when you get back to realizing the present, “milk it for what it’s worth.”
- Listen and feel the awareness of your body
“Bear Witness”
- To your personal distress (and to the distress of others)
- Rather than condemning it, fixing it, or trying to do something about it
- Abiding (being present) with the experience, situation and energy without the fear
- Translates to alleviating suffering
- “Awake” to suffering (personal chaos and what triggers it)
It’s fine if we need to zone out after a hard day’s work but not good as a 24hour lifestyle
Re-Source: Reconditioning
Being more Alert
- This happens when we start to meditate, yoga, pay attention (presence)
- Begin to have more awareness of your body, and the physical space around you.
- Be more awake and in touch
- Practice to pause and listen (to the silence)
- Begin to notice emotions before they are full blown
- Catch the emotions as they are arising
- Catch your thoughts before your reactions
- Feel the urge (to do something)
Train in attention to anything that is going on (listening, tasting, etc.)
- Let your thoughts go.
- (“I shouldn’t be feeling or thinking this.”)
“Abide in your experience” without believing in the judgements and opinions about it
- Gradually learn not to believe in the story lines
- Attitude of kindness, humor, and friendliness (especially to yourself)
- “I am angry but I don’t have to escalate, fuel, or exaggerate this”
Begin to see more clearly (yet still get hooked)
- “I see what I’m doing but still do it”
- Rejoice in this improvement (understanding and improvement of the process)
- Catch it whenever you can
craving and resource from “The Fearless Heart” – by Pema Chodran
