~ ღ ~ What Is Self-Awareness - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ღ ~ |
Perhaps it is best to start the discussion about this topic with the following truth: one doesn’t have to look very far to see that we are merely semi-conscious beings – it is premature at best, and the height of hubris at worst, to assume otherwise. Let us clarify the previous, shall we? As ordinary human beings, we are not fully awake or fully conscious, even though many want to believe otherwise. Due to our semi-conscious state, our level of Self-Awareness is relatively low.
This is because our thoughts and behavior are conditioned by ignorance, confusion, misunderstanding, and lack of insight. According to cognitive neuroscience, we are conscious of only about 5 percent of our cognitive activity, which means that most of our decisions, actions, behavior, and also emotions depends on that 95 percent of the brain activity that goes beyond our conscious awareness.
Furthermore, we often think that our decisions are conscious, but the data from cognitive neuroscience says otherwise – our brain makes up its mind up to ten seconds before we realize it, which goes on to say that most of the time our experience of life is created by our subconscious mind. This can easily be compared to a situation where we are on a passenger’s seat instead of driving ourselves. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask the question: Are you driving your life, or is life driving you?
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*1 The subconscious mind is a composite of everything that the mind collects by using the senses of the human body. In other words, it is a collection of everything that we have experienced. The subconscious mind stores information that the conscious mind may not immediately process with full understanding, but it stores the information for later retrieval when ”recalled” by the conscious mind.
The subconscious mind consists also with different kinds of processes – such as thought processes, behavioral patterns, habits, and programs that occur automatically. Most often these processes are not available for introspection, but with a certain level of self-awareness, one can become aware of their existence, modify, and even remove some of the processes that are no longer needed.
*1 The subconscious mind is a composite of everything that the mind collects by using the senses of the human body. In other words, it is a collection of everything that we have experienced. The subconscious mind stores information that the conscious mind may not immediately process with full understanding, but it stores the information for later retrieval when ”recalled” by the conscious mind.
The subconscious mind consists also with different kinds of processes – such as thought processes, behavioral patterns, habits, and programs that occur automatically. Most often these processes are not available for introspection, but with a certain level of self-awareness, one can become aware of their existence, modify, and even remove some of the processes that are no longer needed.
There is a saying that our lives are the sum total of our choices, or more aptly, sum of our responses to the choices we have made. This brings about the question: If most people live their lives in ‘autopilot’ mode, based on the contents and programs that are stored within their subconscious minds – how many conscious choices have they really made throughout their lives?
To make a significant change to correct this situation, we would need to become conscious of the present moment, conscious of the world around us, conscious of reality, and most of all, conscious of ourselves to reclaim our own lives and to take control into our own hands, so to speak. This is possible with a certain level of Self-Awareness, which is attained by using different mindfulness practices.
And now we can move the conversation forward by answering the question of “What is Self-Awareness?” In a nutshell, Self-Awareness is the capacity for introspection – conscious knowledge of oneself; therefore, it is the ability to recognize oneself as an individual and separate from the environment and other individuals. Self-Awareness involves being aware of different aspects of the self, including traits, behaviors, feelings and emotions – it is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection.
In other words, Self-Awareness is having a clear perception of one’s personality or individuality, including strengths and weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, triggers, motivators, and other characteristics. More broadly, Self-Awareness means of being aware of the things one should be aware of and paying more attention to that – this allows one to see where their thoughts and emotions are taking them.
When individuals are aware of themselves, they are more calm and responsive to what is happening. To be conscious of who we are, how we think, and what we do – is invaluable because it leads to Self-Knowledge, and in turn, to change that could eventually lead to Self-Mastery, to Self-Realization – realizing one’s deepest desires and capacities, fulfilling the possibilities of one’s potential, and to Self-Actualization – expressing one’s creativity, quest for spiritual enlightenment, pursuit of knowledge, and desire to give to society.
By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to Self-Knowledge – the desire to seek knowledge that guide the development of the self, it is worth highlighting the following: Self-Knowledge requires ongoing Self-Awareness and Self-Consciousness. Likewise, the pursuit of Self-Awareness requires dedication and effort, which are the first steps in mastering one’s life.
You see, it is only through one’s conscious effort, dedication and will, through which one strives towards higher evolution, towards inner transformation, by which inner peace, happiness, contentment and fulfillment is attained and maintained, meaning found, and purpose realized. Are these not the things many people in the world seeks after, alongside with health, happiness, and love? Are these not the reasons why one seeks to develop the self in the first place?
Self-Awareness is developed through practices in focusing one’s attention on the details of one’s personality and behavior, in focusing one’s attention on the present moment, you see? It is through mindful awareness of the present moment that we can become aware of thoughts, emotions, feelings, physical sensations, behaviors, and speech. The practice of mindfulness is therefore more important than ever before – it is the aliveness we bring to our everyday lives that makes all the difference.
Having a developed sense of Self-Awareness allows us to understand other people, how they perceive us, our attitude and our responses to them in the moment. Self-Awareness allows us to sense that we are separated from each other, resulting in the perception of individuated consciousness, which goes on to say that while consciousness is being aware of one’s environment, body, and lifestyle, Self-Awareness is the recognition of that awareness.
Therefore, Self-Awareness is the ability to recognize oneself as an individual and separate from the environment and other individuals. This brings us face to face with another aspect, far too rarely or infrequently discussed or written about with regard to Self-Awareness. We may be different on the surface, we may be different in terms of our upbringing, beliefs, personality, and so on, but underneath, at the very core, we are all the same – human, awareness, consciousness – see?
On a larger scale, this means that there’s no separation because we are made of the same primordial substance, we are made of the same substance as the universe – having one supreme energy with an Infinite number of manifestations of Life. So in this sense, having the ability to feel separated from each other and the rest of Creation gives us the illusion of having a sense of freedom.
This, in turn, enables us to perceive life in more variety – making it seem more interesting, if you will; this is because we have the power to choose due to our free will (or sense of it), which, in turn, allows us to explore reality in our own unique ways.
In closing, when we become truly conscious (Self-Aware), we immediately step into the present moment. And to that, some would say: to what extent we as individuals are aware, is the extent we are alive. You see, our Self-Awareness and consciousness are closely linked together. As such, our consciousness is connected with time, and very much into now (what is here and now in this very moment).
The more we become truly conscious – the more we can realize that what was in the past is actually upheld in the now. We all have memories that need healing, which goes on to say that they must be healed as they arise, you see? This is also the reason why it may be difficult for some people to live in the present moment (ability of being mindful).
To stay conscious in the present, the memories of the past experiences must be brought back into alignment with the Eternal Now. When we become aware of the past, present and future events (all are happening at once – simultaneously), we can consciously change our thought patterns, emotions, and also our actions toward what we actually would like to see and experience in our reality.
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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~
Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony
~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~
Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony
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