Awareness

Here is another passage from Precious Solitude by Ruth Fishel. I really like how she breaks down the experiential components of awareness. Most of us, most of the time, tend to value awareness because of what comes next. In other words, we want to be aware in order to make a decision or we want to be aware in order to get some specific information. But what would it be like to be aware just in order to be aware? We can cultivate awareness for its own sake. Fishel describes what that's like:

When we can let go of our "to-do" list and outside distractions we can simply be in the present moment. This offers us the opportunity to become aware of what is actually going on in any given moment. There are three levels. First there is the feeling. Then there is the awareness of the feeling. For example, I experienced a deep sense of inner peace. I then became aware that the boundaries of my skin felt softer and somehow merged with the air around me. Then I became aware that I was aware of this extraordinary feeling. Most of the time we are experiencing life and reacting with feelings. Solitude opens the door for us to be aware of our experiences, our feelings, and our reactions to them. This leads to our really getting to know ourselves at a much deeper level.

Meditation is only one way of expanding our state of consciousness. Prayer, visualizing and guided imagery can bring us to this place... [F]asting, chanting, drumming, dancing, running, and following a labyrinth can bring you there, too. It is a very spiritual state where one can feel connected with the entire universe. It is here that we find ourselves, the very essence of ourselves. We connect with our soul.

I can say from experience that all the methods Fishel mentions do, indeed, work. They are all aspects of spiritual practice. I really do encourage everyone to take part in those practices that appeal to you. I especially want to recommend walking the labyrinth. I wish we had room for one in the Center's meditation hall. But there are often opportunities to participate in labyrinth workshops and it's a good idea to keep one's eye open for them. Running and dancing can be done anytime as can prayer and visualization. There are many wonderful tapes and CDs available for guided imagery as well as for chanting. Please don't fast for very long unless you have experience with this but missing one meal won't hurt anybody and if you combine it with meditation you will experience the benefits from this ancient ascetic practice. One thing is certain: there are so many practices to choose from that one need never be bored on the spiritual path!