Keep Your Mind Where Your Body Is: Practice Daily Exercises to Achieve Awareness

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Awareness is unity with the present moment. Getting completely conscious brings together your spirit, mind, emotions, and body. And awareness is inherently expansive it grows whenever you grant it the chance. Hence, awareness is dynamic and continuously probing the edges.

Keeping your mind exactly where your body is--being totally aware--is a noble and sane way to live! J. Krishnamurti told a story about a man who came to see him to talk about his prob¬lems. A fabulous butterfly flew into the room and circled quite a few times. The visitor was so self-absorbed that he never saw the butterfly. This tells us that, in the absence of awareness, self-absorption can run rampant. Consumers quite often refuse to see this simple truth: happiness, wisdom, and vitality can be as easy as the present moment. Awareness is the key to knowing this easy truth.

Procedures to develop awareness in your daily life

Awareness is your power to live in the now--the connecting point of God/truth/reality and the doorway to a wealthy and purpose-filled life. Vernon Howard defines awareness as getting your mind present with your body throughout the activities of everyday life.

So how do you create awareness? There are lots of approaches! Weave the following workouts into your day to help you obtain awareness. Each physical exercise can expand into all areas of your life. Feel of it as working a garden. You may perhaps only till the surface on the first day, but as you tend the garden day-to-day over time--planting seeds, watering, and weeding--ultimately it will flourish.

A ringing phone can be your wake-up call

When the phone rings, let it be a signal to wake up. Be aware of oneself walking toward the phone and lifting the receiver. Notice any anxiety or expecta¬tion. Be alert to the tone of your voice as you say "hello." Do not expect something in the phone call to fulfill you. Let the expe¬rience remain pure. Bear in mind that awareness is continually powerful, poised and intelligent. Awareness knows what to say and how to act.

Take pleasure in "fine" dining

The physical exercise of conscious dining sounds hassle-free, but there is far even more to this than appears on the surface. Don't let your mind be carried away by daydreams that want to use breakfast, lunch, or dinner as a time to escape. Remain awake in the course of your entire dining expe¬rience. Be aware as you lift your fork from the table. Taste the food. Use this encounter as an opportunity to discover your wealthy and purpose-filled life.

Turn off auto-pilot and tune into the moment

Even a routine drive can give an opportunity for a completely new encounter. Feel your hands on the wheel. Have interest and affection for what's happening suitable now. Roll down the window and smell the air. Take a fresh, new appear at the sights along your way. Your commute to function may possibly by no means be the exact same!

Remind yourself to "Wake Up Now"

Write the letters WUN--Wake Up Now--on a piece of paper and post it in your home or office. Let these letters remind you to drop all racing thoughts, come back to your self, and suddenly be awake and aware.

Walking with awareness wakes up your mind and body

Walking is even more energizing when accompanied by awareness. Feel the air on your face, see the colors come alive, and feel the weight on your feet. As you become aware, you will bring together your spirit, mind, emotions, and body.

Do mechanical work consciously

A spark of awareness can be present when you're doing daily function, conversing with others, creating plans, or enjoying recreation. Vernon Howard explained this perfectly in his book Esoteric Mind Energy:

"Mechanical work supplies the visible rewards of food and other every day necessities. Mechanical work, whether or not that of a carpenter or a professor, is work accomplished without having an aim of self-awakening. Conscious function offers the invisible rewards of self-harmony and other spiritual necessities.

"Conscious work, no matter whether that of a carpenter or a professor, is function performed even though working with it for inner dawning.

"You can do mechanical work with out receiving payment, but you can in no way do conscious function without payment, though at times it might seem delayed. You can discover to do mechanical work consciously, and when succeeding, you have overcome the globe."

Awareness makes you much more capable in whatever job you undertake. It infuses a mother with tenderness even though caring for her kids. It lifts the business executive to new levels of effectiveness. The carpenter works with greater efficiency and skill. Awareness enhances a salesperson's capability to communi¬cate. Whatever your work, these principles function wonders. You can transform your every day life when you discover how to do mechanical function consciously.

Getting conscious keeps you in the oasis of the present moment

I attended a large public lecture by Vernon How¬ard in 1982. At the finish of his talk, he gave the audience this assignment: "Know you are walking through the doorway as you leave the hall." I walked out of the hall with¬out getting conscious. Then, remembering that I forgotten to be aware, I paused by the doorway to observe others as they departed. It was clear that they weren't getting aware as they were walked by means of the door, just as I hadn't been aware. Their attention was elsewhere. That day, I understood how advanced these workouts are, in spite of how straightforward they appear to be.

These awareness exercises help us see when we've drifted away from the oasis of the present moment. Regard this detection as a cool drink of water that enhances your life.