Developing Awareness
The ancient traditions of Yoga have bequeathed a treasury of techniques for the wellbeing of future generations and we’re going to use one of their methods right now to enhance our powers of awareness and mindfulness, two key ingredients on the pathway to inner calm and peaceful wellbeing.
1.????We begin by focusing our attention on the outside world.?Close your eyes and breathe a little more deeply than usual, slowing down your breathing to initiate the first feelings of calm in the body. Start the exercise with simple statements such as “I am aware of…..”?For example, “I am aware of the noises outside the house/office, the traffic going by outside the window, birds singing, rain pattering against the window, the wind blowing through the trees, the aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen.”
2.????As you become more fully aware of everything that’s going on around you, move your focus and attention to your body and your physical sensations – your internal world.?You might say to yourself “I’m aware of the sensation of the clothing against my skin, the breath moving in and out of my nose, the weight of my head and shoulders, the tension around my eyes, the muscles in my jaw.”
3.????Move your awareness easily between your internal and external states of awareness, changing the focus from the world around you to your internally-generated impressions and back again
4.????This is a classic technique for detaching your mind from the habit of following its usual random patterns of attachments. You begin to see the smaller details, broadening your perception, sensing the differences between your internal and external awareness.
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5. Slower, deeper breathing helps you to develop a sense of calm as you detach yourself from the familiar flow of thoughts, feelings and sensations. You begin to notice that your thoughts are not who you are.
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