The Importance of Awareness – A Spiritual Perspective

The Importance of Awareness – A Spiritual Perspective

Using the lens of awareness*

Just as the clouds in the sky are constantly shifting and changing, so too are our thoughts and emotions. When we aren’t aware of these inner fluctuations, we can be swept away by them, like a leaf in the wind. When we cultivate awareness, we become like the vast expanse of the sky itself, calmly observing the clouds as they come and go without being attached to them.

From this place of detached awareness, we can see the bigger picture. We can see that our thoughts and emotions are not who we are, but simply transient experiences that arise and fall away. This awareness begins to dissolve  negative emotions, such as fear and anger, and to cultivate positive emotions, such as peace and joy.

Eckhart Tolle paints a picture of our ego as the main actor in a self-directed drama. It spins stories, chases anxieties, and clings to desires, all within the confines of past regrets and future worries. Awareness, then, becomes the attentive audience, watching the ego’s play without getting caught up in its plot. With this conscious observation, we learn to detach from the ego’s drama, allowing quiet peace to bloom in the stillness of the present moment.

This peace isn’t merely an absence of conflict, but a deep well of internal harmony, a knowing that all is well, even amidst life’s inevitable turbulence.  By stepping off the hamster wheel of thought and emotion, we unlock a profound contentment, a quiet joy in simply being present to the beauty of the sunrise, the shared laughter in a meal, or the gentle rhythm of our own breath.

Michael A Singer likens this shift in perspective to taming a wild monkey. Our ego, with its incessant chatter and desire-driven pursuits, is the unruly primate wreaking havoc within our minds. Through awareness, we become the observer, watching the monkey without judgment, without getting entangled in its frenzy. This conscious observation grants us the power to detach from the ego’s antics, allowing inner peace to naturally arise.

The fruits of awareness extend far beyond calmness. With the noise of the mind quieted, the wellspring of our creativity finds fertile ground. Freed from the constraints of self-criticism and external pressures, ideas flow uninhibited. 

Playful exploration replaces rigid perfectionism, and a sense of childlike wonder infuses our endeavours. Whether it’s painting a vibrant landscape, creating a new business, writing a heartfelt poem, or being loving parent or friend, creation becomes a sacred dance, an unfiltered expression of our authentic selves, nurtured by the fertile ground of spiritual awareness.

Cultivating this awareness requires dedication and practice. Meditation, mindfulness exercises, and moments of intentional silence throughout the day are very helpful

As we become more aware, the interconnectedness of all things becomes clear to us. We see the subtle dance of energy resonating within us and throughout the universe. This understanding fosters a deep sense of belonging, a gratitude for the gift of life, and a profound awareness of the vast potential that lies within each moment.

Ultimately, the path of awareness is a lifelong journey, a winding exploration of the boundless beauty and potential that resides within ourselves and the world around us. It isn’t about escaping reality, but embracing it fully, with open eyes and an open heart. 

Through the lens of awareness, we discover not just peace, contentment, and creativity, but the very essence of our own being shining brightly. 

Choose LOve

Patsy/Purnima Griffiths

*Thanks to Bard (2023) and Jane Ewins for writing this blog.