Conscious living- an awareness of oneself and surroundings.
Modern-day tasks and transparent agitation can be detrimental to our mental and emotional health. We always seem to be living on the go and through impulse, we can make decisions without any thought that goes into it. Our awareness has slipped away and has been given up to technology, that is if we are not careful. Being in a conscious state of mind can keep us in check, both emotionally, physically, and spiritually, if you will. What this means is that when we choose to live this way every day we know when we will have occasional “slip-ups” and can return back into the center of who we are again.
A lifestyle filled with complete conscious care for ourselves and others can change the way we view and understand life… Filling us with overwhelming joy and peace, not to forget the neutrality and appreciation of life that comes with it. No more of one extreme to the other. The constant pendulum swing from one emotion to the other is now over. We now can stay flexible in each state of emotion when we have the guidance of conscious awareness in our lives.
- Awareness of Time, People, and Ourselves
Awareness comes from the act of centering ourselves. This can be through meditation, writing, or something we choose that makes us feel closer to ourselves, a coming home feeling. Therefore, Awareness will sprout from that place and when this feeling comes alive we can see things that were once unseen and listen to people with full attention. We can practice being aware by sitting somewhere quietly, recognizing the tiny things around us, the colors, the smells, the sounds. We can discover little magic in everyday life by doing this simple task. It is also important for us to become aware of the time we spend on our phones and how much we let social media and tv consume us. Do we pay more attention to our phones than the people around us or even ourselves?
We can ask:
How do I spend my time daily with myself and with others?
2. Breathing
We breathe every day of our lives, but to breathe with conscious awareness encourages us to tune in again and begin to see the miracle that has been bestowed upon us which is the gift of breath.The gift of our hearts beating in our chest. Recognising what and how much it works for us no matter what type of damage we may put it through. Our hearts and our bodies want us to be healthy and alive and it does whatever it can to make that possible. When we breathe we can notice the inhales and exhales, as we do this we can say “in” as the breath goes in and “out” as the breath goes out. When we do this remember what our body does for us everyday.
3. Looking at life as a formation
This one seems strange to grasp, but when we break down the concept of mental formations, we can look at life as a formation in itself because it is always moving and changing. We can see this example when we form mental senses together by one point of focus on a certain object. We will notice our senses become hieghtened and that object will come alive into every detail. Now, with this knowledge we can see that it’s possible to always live in this state of mind. Moreover, We might even come back to the same object and have a complete unrelated observation of it than before. The same goes for life and circumstances. Once we understand this we can live with more consciousness – not letting people or things get us down as harshly as they did before because life is ever moving and creating which can lead us into embracing more compassion, love, and awareness.
4. Living slowly to create more meaning
Living slowly is about doing things with meaning. Let’s say when we are walking, we can take notice of each step. Which leg comes first? Which sets down first your heel or your toes? How does it feel as we are following through with the act of walking? What are things we have not noticed before? As we apply this technique to all areas of life, we will realise that every day becomes a grand elixir for gratitude, appreciation, and compassion. We can also see this in everyday conversations. When a person beings to talk, we can tune into what they are saying. Is there a deeper understanding or meaning they are trying to give to us? People hint at their likes and their dislikes all of the time. They hint at who they are in every given moment. There is an opportunity for growth in every aspect of life. Once we can truly be centered and conscious, people will want to know the secret to such a life to begin their own journey of conscious living.
5. Consider the cost of what and who we surround ourselves with
Do these people we around have a greater outlook on life? Make us feel safe enough for us to be ourselves without judgment? Do they indulge in activities that align with ours? If not, This is costing us farther greater things than money ever would – it’s costing us our time, which we can never get back. Reviewing our relationships will result in making sure they are growing with us if these relationships are fulfilling for both people involved because let’s face it life is short and is not meant to be wasted on things that do not make us feel our best. In conclusion to the people we surround ourselves with, we must ask about what do we surround ourselves with every day. Is the environment inspiring? A mood lifter? Calm? Observing these aspects can change a whole difference in our lives, even if it’s minor.
I have created another post that deepens this practice and cultivates more love in our life, here: https://providingtruth.com/the-art-of-mindful-living-gratitude-for-thich-nhat-hanh-and-his-teachings/
Living a conscious lifestyle does not mean adding more baggage to our life, but giving more of our time to the things that do matter.
I hope this helps you in any way, and if you want to check out my services and what I offer to help, contact me.
Neena at ProvidingTruth
