To be aware of your SELF – III

The name “To be aware of your SELF” reminds me of Shakespeare’s Hamlet asking ‘to be or not to be’, by which he was pondering whether it is better to live or to die. He contemplates- dying would be a release from the torments of life but can the unknown be worse than living. He didn’t know but he had to make a choice. Similarly, friends, you need to make a conscious choice to be aware of your SELF or not. A leap of faith is required. I encourage you to ignite your passion for your SELF, your true self if you ever wish to experience bliss, the Sat-chit-ananda !

So, to continue from my last blog, there are hundreds of ways to become aware of your SELF. Let me tell you how it started for me decades ago, although I didn’t know then that I had encountered my Self, my Divine SELF.

I used to stand behind the glass door in the kitchen
and look at the tall Maple tree beyond our back yard. It was a beautiful scene. I loved to watch it whenever I happened to be in the kitchen. The most unusual and noteworthy thing used to happen whenever I withdrew my gaze from the Maple tree. I always felt an unique spaciousness for a couple of seconds. I didn’t know what it was except that I felt great for quite some time. Yes, friends, it is as easy as that to connect with your True SELF, no meditation, no discipline, nothing difficult is required ! Try it !

So then, in short, to become aware of your SELF, you need to –

– get your focus back towards yourself, your body, your heart, your head. Normally your attention is always focused out side. You need to bring it back to you.

– slow down your breathing to slow your thoughts.

– after exhaling, freeze your thoughts for a couple of seconds and feel.

– practice replacing your nonstop thinking to feeling, feeling your body, feeling space.

You know, the most common expression of love is ‘giving’. So, friends, start loving yourself, for a change, and give yourself your full attention by focusing within for couple of minutes.

As it is obvious, all you need is to reduce your mind chatter, the voice in your head, to become conscious of your true self, the boundless Awareness. We seem to forget that we are not only human but we are Divine too ! To succeed, you must have an intense desire to know, to connect with your SELF, the direct extension of the Source Creator. With practice, It’s presence in your life will almost feel tangible to you.

Contrary to common belief it is not true that spirituality or self-realization is for special people, people who are much evolved, who are ready to renounce all pleasures of life etc. You may do so, if you wish, but it is not necessary for self-realization.

The question actually boils down to how much do you love your SELF, enough to take a minute , now and then, out of your busy schedule to exhale and feel for couple of seconds ? Yes, that is all it takes to be aware of your magical SELF. You can practice it as many times as you can during the day. Remember every time you touch base with AWARENESS, so to speak, your life gets an upgrade in some area or the other. You can literally play with your physical reality, make it dance to your tune, by maintaining awareness of your SELF.

Enjoy SELF !