There is so much to become aware about ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. That would be awareness within. Then there is awareness about our relationships and our interactions with the world around us. That would outer awareness. Awareness makes us more in touch with who we are and what is possible within us. As we become more aware we naturally express more of who we are.

Let’s look at ways to increase both inner and outer awareness:

Inner awareness falls into four categories, mind, body, emotions and spirit.

Mind Awareness is: knowing our thoughts, knowing our self-talk, knowing the mind in silence, hearing the inner wisdom and intuitive guidance, observing positive and negative frames of mind and being aware of mental strengths and weaknesses. To become more aware of the mind there is no better approach than taking the time to listen to the busy mind. With the listening comes paying attention to thoughts that are supportive and positive and to change messages that are limiting and stuck on “poor me.” There is also a higher mind, which is more closely related to our spiritual nature.

Body Awareness is: feeling ourselves being in our bodies, noticing the body messages, paying attention to the wisdom of the body, getting to understand the communications that come from the heart, the gut, the hands, the senses, the shoulders, the center etc. The body doesn’t lie it simply tells you what is going on inside. Tension, and constriction are messages of concern. The body needs to be taken care of or it will have less energy and less of an ability to do what you want it to do. Feeling energized and alive are indicators that we are on the right track. Sitting or lying in a relaxed position is an excellent way to tune in and find out what the body wants to tell us.

Emotional Awareness is: feeling our feelings and being ok with all feelings. There are no good or bad feeling, there are just feelings. To experience how we feel and to acknowledge these feelings as part of who we are is very validating. If we want to feel ok about ourselves, a great place to start is to appreciate all we feel inside. The heart is often thought of as the emotional center. A great place to expand our emotional awareness is to tune into the heart and get to know when it flows or closes. The body is the container for our emotions so tuning into the mind and the body will often show us the root of what we feel.

Spiritual Awareness is: getting in touch with our spirit, our soul, our higher nature, our divine essence, our wise mind or however we speak of this Source or Force within us. The spirit in us is infinite and timeless, it knows no boundaries, its resources are limitless, and its wisdom included the collective consciousness of humankind, of the universe and beyond. The paths to our soul are silence, meditations, and other inner practices that allow us expanded insights clear of the daily dramas of life. Many great wisdom traditions would say to know our spirit is to know God, Great Spirit, Yahweh, Allah, Divine Mother, Higher Power, Source Energy and other titles for the One True Source of all creation. In the silent communications with our soul there is oneness with all on the planet extending out to whatever intelligence exist out there across the universe.

Awareness of the outside world is necessary if we want to effectively communicate with those we relate to; this is especially important with those we are close to and love. I will explore this in my next post.

Peace Letter #88

Dear President Obama,

Your speech, at the University of Michigan graduation, was excellent and showed great sight and insight. The country needs your skills at spreading information and educating us all, since many are confused by false information and are run by their fears and misplaced anger.

If you would put your wisdom and compassion to work on getting us out of war, it would make such a difference and head The United Stated toward a much more positive outcome of peace, which is needed for the good of all of us.

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.

Join me and send President Obama emails of support and encourage the end of war and the other dysfunctional ways of government at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact