4. The Power of Awareness
Wherever you are right now, can you take a moment to acknowledge your surroundings? Are you in a place that is quiet or noisy? Crowded or spacious? Take some time to register what you see. What you hear. What are your fingers in contact with? What sensation is your skin having? Can you sense any aroma? Do you have a taste in your mouth? What thoughts come to mind? What emotions arise within you? What memories are stirred?
In every environment, in each moment, we are perceiving sensations, but how often do we acknowledge we are doing so, and how often do we recognize the effect they are having on our internal state?
The ability to perceive the stimuli in one’s environment is considered cognition and the ability to relate those perceptions to oneself is awareness. “Basic awareness” can be defined as the ability to integrate sensations from the environment with one’s own goals and feelings to shape our behavior. The ability to read the environment and to read ourselves is an important tool of survival and a vital power.
How often do you take the time to notice all the stimuli you’re taking in and its effect on you?
I learned early in my life to dull awareness. I grew up in an alcoholic household in which dramatic upheaval was an almost daily occurrence that could quickly devolve into yelling, throwing things, or hitting. I…
