My primary teacher of yoga therapy used to say, ‘You can’t heal what you can’t feel.’ This certainly offers a hint that awareness is an important key to our well-being.
Awareness or mindfulness is a basis of practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and Reiki. Once we cultivate awareness it can become a part of our daily life. So what does awareness mean and how can it help us?
Awareness is consciousness rooted in the present moment. We can think of it as moment-to-moment awareness or being present to what is, or what we are experiencing in the present.
There are several qualities that go hand-in-hand with awareness. One of the most important is concentration: being able to sustain attention consistently over time. This may not sound like a big deal, but most of us find that deciding to simply observe our breath through several cycles of inhale and exhale, is not easy! Many of the technologies that we use on a daily basis offer us distractions that seem to diminish our ability to concentrate.
Acceptance is also a part of mindfulness or awareness. There needs to be some degree of willingness to stop and ‘listen’ or tune in without trying to change anything.
Mindfulness or awareness has more to do with being than doing. We are a society that rewards busy-ness and goes non-stop. Choosing to ‘just’ be can be a radical step, and perhaps an antidote to the stress of constant mental activity.
Inner stillness creates a space for awareness to blossom. Literally being still, sitting, standing, or reclining, or repetitive, rhythmic movements can create space for inner stillness. We can see how meditation, yoga, walking, running, or swimming can all be practices that cultivate awareness.
Quiet is another quality associated with mindfulness. Actual quiet is certainly helpful in accessing a mindful state. ‘Unplugging’ from our devices or going on vacation or heading for a walk in a quiet spot can help our minds to become steadier and more sensitive. Even when there isn’t outer quiet (and there often is not in the modern world) we can find quiet within ourselves.
A nonjudgmental attitude is important in the practice of awareness. We learn to observe ourselves with equanimity and a kind regard.
How can we benefit from being able to witness ourselves and our experiences? Some of the benefits are mental clarity, a sense of inner peace, overall balance, and increased self-knowledge.
As we learn to be aware of ourselves moment-to-moment, we begin to see ourselves and our life situations with clearer eyes. We are less likely to distort circumstances or create disharmony in our relationships.
With keener self-observation we begin to feel more at ease with ourselves. As we stay connected to ourselves through various moods, emotional states, and the ups and down of life, we feel more confident that we can weather the challenges that are an inevitable part of life.
Self-knowledge helps us in so many ways. We start to become aware of subtle changes within ourselves. Rather than feeling as if we are suddenly zapped by a physical symptom such as a headache or backache, perhaps we will notice a milder ‘warning’ sign that we are over-tired, need to take a break, get some exercise, or have a massage, before we are laid low with pain. Or maybe we will notice that our emotional state is not optimal: perhaps we notice we are feeling frustrated or short-tempered. We can then address what is going on within us or perhaps get some support, before we say or do something that may prove damaging to ourselves, a friend, family member, or co-worker.
Mindfulness can become a part of our lives that strengthens us, increases our sense of well-being, and helps us to live more skillfully. When we are more aware we make better and more informed choices, ones that are appropriate to our individual needs.
There are so many options available to us to explore mindful practices. Opportunities to learn yoga, meditation, tai chi, and Reiki abound! Perhaps it is time to try a new modality and reap the benefits.
Dorian Abel, MS, RYT is the owner of Healing Yoga in Douglassville.
An Integrative Yoga Therapist, Reiki Master-Teacher, and consultant on mind/body health, she can be reached at dorian@healingyogapa.com.