Awareness.
For some this may seem like a blanket term. If you have been on the spiritual journey or seeking, I'm sure you've heard this in a talk or read this in a variety of books. On my path, I've seen it in books, read it on blogs and heard it on YouTube videos. I've even had my spiritual master talk to me about awareness and how it can help me on my spiritual journey.
But it wasn't until I sat down in meditation TODAY that I truly understood its importance for a spiritual seeker.
I have been battling with anger for quite some time now. I have had so many days where I'm peachy keen one minute and literally within hours one little thing could set me off. It's gotten better but no where near being over.
So today after a nice day at the park, my dog, Lexi, and I arrive back at the house. Usually as I open the screen door she is already in front of me ready to come in. But in this particular situation she is standing at the door as if she debating between turning around or walking forward. And for a split second I asked myself why is she doing this? is something wrong? I didn't pay heed to my questions. Instead, I commanded her to come inside. And BAM! What happens? She pees on my carpet.
Now luckily, I did not go berserk, but I did punish her for what she did after I promised myself that I would never do that again.
So, in meditation, as I'm asking myself through my mantra and mala, "why does this keep happening?" "why do I keep getting mad at her?" "how can I stop it?" a flashback from the moment before entering the house, when Lexi is hesitating, appears. It was in that moment that I truly understood how invaluable awareness is.
Had I been paying attention to her behavior or just waited a little longer, she may have turned around and peed in the yard. Or if I had listened to soul talking to me through the questions, I would have waited and maybe sent her to the front yard instead of making her go in the house. I wasn't paying attention. I wasn't aware.
For some this may seem like a blanket term. If you have been on the spiritual journey or seeking, I'm sure you've heard this in a talk or read this in a variety of books. On my path, I've seen it in books, read it on blogs and heard it on YouTube videos. I've even had my spiritual master talk to me about awareness and how it can help me on my spiritual journey.
But it wasn't until I sat down in meditation TODAY that I truly understood its importance for a spiritual seeker.
I have been battling with anger for quite some time now. I have had so many days where I'm peachy keen one minute and literally within hours one little thing could set me off. It's gotten better but no where near being over.
So today after a nice day at the park, my dog, Lexi, and I arrive back at the house. Usually as I open the screen door she is already in front of me ready to come in. But in this particular situation she is standing at the door as if she debating between turning around or walking forward. And for a split second I asked myself why is she doing this? is something wrong? I didn't pay heed to my questions. Instead, I commanded her to come inside. And BAM! What happens? She pees on my carpet.
Now luckily, I did not go berserk, but I did punish her for what she did after I promised myself that I would never do that again.
So, in meditation, as I'm asking myself through my mantra and mala, "why does this keep happening?" "why do I keep getting mad at her?" "how can I stop it?" a flashback from the moment before entering the house, when Lexi is hesitating, appears. It was in that moment that I truly understood how invaluable awareness is.
Had I been paying attention to her behavior or just waited a little longer, she may have turned around and peed in the yard. Or if I had listened to soul talking to me through the questions, I would have waited and maybe sent her to the front yard instead of making her go in the house. I wasn't paying attention. I wasn't aware.
Awareness is a simple yet powerful tool that cannot only help one deal and overcome their emotions, especially one's such as anger and frustration, but it can also aid in allowing you to develop intuition. By being aware of those moments, when you quickly dismiss questions or those little pauses in yours and others actions, you can learn to trust in yourself. To pick up on the faint voice which is soul trying to guide you.
Now I know, awareness isn't skill that can be picked up overnight, but it is something that you can learn to do with efforts. That's what I plan to do. To start listening to the little split second moments when soul is trying to tell me something and paying more attention to things that are happening around me. By doing so, I will gain complete awareness. An invaluable tool to tackle anger and progress on my spiritual path. 
