CONSCIOUS AWARENESS

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a kind of checklist of positive attributes for us to use to assess our own being in our own timeline. You may remember that in an early chapter, I brought up awareness of all aspects of our lives, from childhood wounds and family legacies, from cultural and religious heritage, and from our evolved outlooks, ranging from money to compassion to ego to fundies to karma.

And if I may quote myself,

‘Awareness being the first step in considering alternatives and making positive changes. It brings into play everything from cultural upbringing to social media influence to the prominence of our egos, from psychology to the self-help revolution, and from religious training to the emergence of spirituality.’

Our lives are, of course, all of these things and much more. This is just an opportunity to take stock, perhaps observe ourselves through the filter of each of these traits.

As we have heard from scriptures, sages and shrinks, the primary blockage of our natural state of conscious awareness comes from overly assertive egos, always attempting to dominate our landscape and prop up our image, fearing change, rejecting intimacy, intuition, and the entire spiritual realm.

Ego

“The human ego prefers anything, just about anything, to falling, or changing, or dying. The ego is that part of you that loves the status quo – even when it's not working. It attaches to past and present and fears the future.” Richard Rohr

“All of a man’s happiness is in his being master of his ego, while all his suffering is in his ego being his master.” Al Ghazali

“Darkness is an absence of light. Ego is an absence of awareness.” Osho

We all have an ego. It’s a necessary part of us. In fact, it has been pointed out that we need a strong ego to recognize its tendencies, and an awareness of the pull of the ego’s world to stand a chance of breaking through its cloying and forceful embrace.

For most of us then, ego, in its current state, must be restrained and retrained before it can be reinstated as the healthy synthesizer of outside stimuli and inner truth.

Consciousness

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. Dalai Lama

Initiate a habit of choosing thoughts and ideas that support feeling good and powerful and that elevate you to a higher level of consciousness. Wayne Dyer

The awakening of consciousness is the next evolutionary step for mankind. Eckhard Tolle

Consciousness, to me, is awareness in both heart and mind, that there is a significant field of our being that goes beyond the mundane and material five-sense world around us. And that it needs to occupy a significant place in the fabric and framework of our lives.

It encompasses many of the topics below: compassion, morality, gratitude, love, forgiveness, release, imagination, intuition, feelings, and spirituality.

Compassion – Morality – Integrity

“A realistic look at the problems of our times shows very clearly that we must find a sustainable and universal entry point to questions of ethics, inner values and personal integrity – an entry point that will ultimately allow us to transcend cultural, ethnic and religious differences.” Dalai Lama

“Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.” Karen Armstrong

Treat everyone with love and respect, be a part of making sure that our laws reflect that premise, shared by all of our religions. Always do the things you know are right, whether anyone is watching or not. Be helpful, generous and compassionate, and true to your word and your conscience. Life is good.

Gratitude - Generosity

“Gratitude is magnetic in its power to draw abundance to you…the more you affirm and give thanks that you already have abundance, the more unexpected windfalls you will receive…” Doreen and Grant Virtue

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” Eckhart Tolle

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” William Artur Ward

For me, nothing sets the tone for the day than expressing an ‘attitude of gratitude.’

My own day begins with variations on, ‘I AM grateful dear Spirit, for all the blessings in my life – for this beautiful day, for this wonderful body, mind and spirit, for family, friends and loved ones, for mother earth and all our fellow beings; I AM grateful that you are with me with every breath and step I take, infused into every cell and atom of my being and every other being.’

Forgiveness

“By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. It disables a person's emotional resources. The challenge...is to refine our capacity to love others as well as ourselves and to develop the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is no longer an option but a necessity for healing.” Caroline Myss

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love," Martin Luther King Jr., ‘A Gift of Love’

It is important to remember that we don’t have to forget other peoples’ actions in the past. But we must forgive it all, move past it, and move on with our lives, untethered by the toxic bond of resentment. Forgiveness frees us from emotional attachment and brings us much-needed peace of mind.

I suggest making it an affirmation, and doing it every day. Go through a list of all the people you forgive. Start with tough ones; forgive them sincerely. The nasty old boss, family members, betrayals, et al, and right on down the list. Release them with love into Spirit’s light.

And don’t forget the other side of the coin: forgive yourself for everyone you’ve ever harmed, and be grateful that they are forgiving you. Then, just flat-out forgive yourself and thank Spirit for forgiving you!

Release

“Since the unconscious nature of man is packed with unhappy memories and negative emotions, it is necessary to speak the words of release often and deliberately to gain freedom from unhappiness and limiting experiences of the past…The act of release helps you to become an open, receptive channel through which the intelligence of the universe can flow to you to cleanse your life of worn-out relationships and conditions, and make way for your new, expanded good.” Catherine Ponder

I find that release works best as a follow-up to an opening affirmation. For example, if you begin with, ‘Dear Spirit, I AM grateful that your Divine plan for me is unfolding now,’ you might continue with, ‘I now release all (any combination of these and more) anger, resentment, fear, lack, limitation, inadequacy, hatred, jealousy, prejudice, ill-health, and unforgiveness.’ And then continue on with more positive prayers or affirmations.

Love

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things that were not meant for you.” Buddha

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” Rumi

“Deep at the center of my being, there is an infinite well of love. I now allow this love to flow to the surface. It fills my heart, my body, my mind, my consciousness, my very being, and radiates out from me in all directions and returns to me multiplied. The more love I use and give, the more I have to give. The supply is endless…” Louise L Hay

However we might define love at various stages of our lives, clearly, most of us experience love first and foremost with our mother, then father, siblings, family, etc.

Love begins, then, as a heartfelt feeling of affection, a tender or passionate attachment for another person.

It morphs into passionate feelings toward friends, organizations, countries, hobbies and interests, artforms, nature, sex, language, and most any variety of human endeavor.

The further evolution is agape love, the wide-open passionate feeling of love toward all our fellow humans, toward Mother Earth and all our fellow beings and toward God/Spirit/the Universe. It’s that universal love that’s the goal, and folks, it ain’t easy.

As a for instance, I personally can’t stand Rush, Rump, Lindsay, Mitch and an assortment of nasty world dictators and terrorist orgs. However, since I believe that we’re all created in God’s image, as Spiritual beings having a material experience, who am I to deny them God’s love simply because I don’t like them. As my wife lovingly points out when I’m finished ranting at one or more of them, just bless them and trust that Spirit will know exactly how to deal with them.

Just as I don’t have to forget the person who done me real bad to forgive them. As has been pointed out, I, we, are in their control until we forgive and love them.

Intuition

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Albert Einstein

“Notice that your intuition is always forward thinking. Your job is to listen for this guidance while remaining in the flow of your life, and then use that wisdom to raise your own vibration.” Lisa Garr

The reliance on the five senses is a most enticing ego trap, because the senses recognize and affirm prior, familiar associations, and this makes the ego all warm and fuzzy. If there are no changes on the horizon, nothing that challenges or threatens its ascendancy, the ego is a happy camper.

The non-physical realm represents our true being; all the aspects of the metaphysical world that connect us to the Cosmos. All the stuff that throws ego totally off kilter.

The heading of ‘intuition’ is therefore meant to include much more, as we recall from Gary Zukav:

“The multisensory mode includes all the non-physical perceptions from our higher selves – intention, intuition, hunches, thoughts, dreams, imagination, Spiritual teachers and guides, and more…it brings with it a new potential… the potential of authentic power…the alignment of the personality with the soul…it has its roots in the deepest source of our being.”

Prayer

“I prefer a kind of sweet, deep, rich prayer in which a person goes in and says, Take me down deep into the reason you gave me life. Take me down deep. It silences the chaos in me.” Caroline Myss

“I think of prayer as a lifeline back to where I most want to be.” Marianne Williamson

Effective prayer involves speaking earnestly with Spirit about subjects of mutual interest. In other words, a discussion of the moral and spiritual aspects of our lives, and ways in which we can improve and grow.

It must therefore begin with gratitude for all our blessings, release of all negatives, and forgiveness toward everyone in our lives, past or present.

Clearly, prayer is not, ‘Dear God, please bring me a new car,’ nor ‘Dear God, I can’t stand working with George. Please fix him.’

Paraphrasing an old maxim, ‘prayer is asking Spirit to align you with Her will, rather than asking Her to be aligned with yours.’

So, prayer can rightly include, ‘Dear Spirit:

Help me to be the best me that you can imagine.’

Help me to release my anger toward…’

Help me to be more intuitive.’

Help me to find peace in a troubled world.’

Help me to quiet my chattering mind, to enjoy silent contemplation.’

Help me to tap into my creative energy.’

Help me to meditate more effectively.’

Show me the way to my highest good.’

Help me to honor nature and the earth.’

Help me to recognize the divinity of all my fellow beings.’

With the firm belief that as you ask, you will receive. Not always in the way or timeframe you might hope for, but…in Spirit’s way and time.

Looking at the Carolyn Myss quote above, we can even ask to be taken ‘down deep into the reason you gave me life.’ This is soul-level stuff. Basically asking to be reminded of our ‘mission,’ much like the mission statement of a company or organization, which our souls signed on to for this incarnation. The soul knows which aspects (of its totality) would best present themselves for our current personality, regarding needs of this lifetime for spiritual improvement. More in the metaphysics chapters.

Meditation

“Be quiet in your mind, quiet in your senses, and also quiet in your body. Then, when all these are quiet, don't do anything. In that state truth will reveal itself to you.” Kabir

“Only those of tranquil minds, and none else, can attain abiding joy, by realizing within their souls the Being who manifests one essence in a multiplicity of forms.” Tagore

“The light exists inside everyone. When we go inside to find out who we are, we encounter the light and God at the same time…” Deepak Chopra

“If you have not begun to meditate, I implore you by the love of our Lord not to deprive yourself of so great a good.” Theresa of Avila

For anyone whose singular image of meditation is a yogi, pretzeled into a full lotus position, rigid, motionless, perhaps for hours, please note that there are many less austere formats that still bring significant rewards.

There are a great many meditation techniques, and the object is to find ones that work well for us. Some people sit cross-legged against a wall, or on a chair, or lying down. Eyes open or closed. Some stare at a candle or other object, or sit, or even walk, out in nature. Many silently say mantras.

Whatever helps shut out the chattering mind is immediately a start in the right direction, and opens the door for Spirit to join in.

They say that in a dialog with Spirit, prayer is talking, and meditation is listening. Clearly, the ego/mind is an unwelcome guest in such a dialog.

Not that one simply decides to meditate, chooses a technique, closes out the chatter and immediately basks in wonderful, elevated consciousness. Uh, no.

I have meditated for some time, and frankly, I’m still not great at it, but I welcome it every day, and I feel that it is a boon to both my psyche and my day. To set the stage, I start with some expressions of gratitude, then a bunch of exercises and stretches to get my body relaxed, then a few affirmations and some deep breathing to relax my mind. Often, my only thought or request of Spirit is a variation of ‘what are my best actions for the day?’

Then soft, deep breaths, along with a mantra, ease the way for quiet and peace to enter. Scattered thoughts still find their way in, but one gently moves away from them with the next deep breath. There is always an appreciation of Spirit’s nourishing presence.

__________________

I end this section with some insightful thoughts from Louise L Hay, whose universally acclaimed ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ I championed in an earlier chapter. Ms Hay has a unique capacity for bringing out truths about the entire human condition, from birth to death, and from seeking joy and gladness to healing sadness, badness and madness. She unabashedly reveals a traumatic childhood; later comes the seeking that she gradually parlays into great wisdom and the rare ability to mirror back to us both the fullest scope of human challenges and the mental and verbal healing processes available to all of us for every 'condition.’

So I’m just going to share some of her observations.

On being aware of, and appreciative of, our uniqueness: “Often what we think of as the things ‘wrong’ with us are only the expressions of our own individuality. This is our uniqueness and what is special about us. Nature never repeats itself…our fingerprints are different, and we are different. We are meant to be different. When we can accept this, then there is no competition and no comparison. To try to be like another is to shrivel our soul. We have come to this planet to express who we are.”

On affirming self-love, the foundation for success at life:

“Self-approval and self-acceptance in the now are the main keys to positive changes in every area of our lives…Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”

From among hundreds of individual affirmations scattered throughout the book, I have assembled an amalgam affirmation that I read most mornings:

“In the infinity of life where I AM, all is perfect, whole and complete, and yet life is everchanging. Each moment is ever fresh and new.

I believe in a power far greater than I AM that flows through me every moment of every day.

I hold all of my experiences up to the light of love.

I open myself to the wisdom within, knowing that there is only One Intelligence in this universe. I trust this intelligence, knowing that whatever I need to know is revealed to me, and whatever I need comes to me in the right time, space and sequence. I AM always Divinely protected and guided, and I make choices that are beneficial for me.

I now choose to rise above my personality problems to recognize the magnificence of my being.

I see my old patterns and I AM willing to make changes.

I consciously release any mental patterns that could express as dis-ease in any way.

I rejoice that I AM in the rhythm and flow of my ever-changing life.

I choose to make today a wonderful day.

It is easier for me to forgive than I thought. Forgiving makes me feel free and light.

The more resentment I release, the more love I have to express.

I use my affirmative thinking to create exactly what I want.

My day begins with joy and gratitude.

I live in harmony and balance with everyone I know.

Deep at the center of my being, there is an infinite well of love, and I now allow it to flow through my body and consciousness, and it radiates out from me in all directions and returns to me multiplied.

I take loving care of my body with nourishing foods and beverages, and my body lovingly responds to me with vibrant health and energy.

I only attract loving people in my life, for they are a mirror of what I AM. I live only in the moment, and each moment is experienced as good, knowing that my future is bright, joyous and secure, for I AM a beloved child of the universe.

My unique creative talents and abilities flow through me and are expressed in deeply satisfying ways.

I am constantly increasing my conscious awareness of abundance.

I rejoice in others’ successes, knowing there is plenty for all.

Each cell in my body has Divine intelligence. I listen to what it tells me.

I accept radiant health as the natural state of my being.

I share who and what I AM, for I know that we are all one in Spirit.

All is well in my world. And so it is. Amen.”

Kinda covers the good stuff pretty well, is how I feel about it.

NAMASTE