Beyond The Self, Extending awareness Options

When we speak of awareness, we are very often thinking of things more often than not about ourselves; what we are doing, what we are saying, what we are thinking, but this is not the complete nature of awareness.

Often, we live day to day in a sort of haze. Although seeing in three dimensions, we remember the course of events in a two dimensional haze and blurriness that many fail to notice. But what exactly does that say about our awareness? Are we being self-involved; are we not paying attention to detail?

Really, we are focusing on the lie of the self. We are usually aware of our position, and we relate the position and movement of all other things relative to what we perceive as ourselves. But if we do not independently exist, how is this a proper perspective to live by?

What I suggest is awareness of everything; the breeze, the trees, buildings, people, and countless other nouns and how they relate to one another. If we are not seeing things in ways that convey the idea of dependent existence, we are scarcely seeing the big picture. And, amazingly, when we adjust the our level of awareness, we gain a certain attentive edge that can really shock us; to live in the moment is to have complete knowledge of the moment.

Here is an exercise that I find helpful in expanding awareness:

For thirty minutes (or whatever is comfortable), sit in a room and focus intently on everything in the room. Look for movement, noise, stillness, and be as completely informed concerning this room as possible. Act as if the entire room IS you, not surrounding you; act as if whatever happens in the room is directly related to your consciousness. Be in the moment, instead of aiming to think about the moment. Do this until it can be done without effort.

Then, move onto the entire building. Next, try the entire neighborhood. Proceed in such increments until the entire realm of existence can be placed in your awareness. This is not a week long process, but instead somewhat of a lifetime process.

What good is this? Well, you become informed of the slightest noise, the faintest smell, the simplest sight. Sooner or later, you begin to see things exactly how they are, and the world is given new life...new beauty to observe and be in awe over. Essentially, awareness of your environment brings true awareness to the self. I do not doubt that this was a skill of the ancient Japanese warriors, and a source of their overwhelming agility and competence. In truth, this awareness if meditation in movement.

what are you talking about?!



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Frater NERO

There are two types of awareness, mental & spiritual. In mental awareness, you are cognitionally aware of objective world. In spiritual awareness, your own mind becomes part of objectivity as your Awareness-Witness encompasses complete gamut of existence with live passive detachment.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ac42.gif)

If i've taken what you've said wrongly please expose my faults.
I agree that we live in a haze most dayz, though i'm finding it hard to comprehend what you're imply with the two-dimensional stuff, although i'll just take it as meaning limited awareness. I sometimes feel zombiefied and it does turn one's awreness inward to the thoughts and emotions of oneself. People tend to get caught up in the continuous stream of thoughts and emotions and forget about the world around them and most choose to stay there because they find the world too much of a struggle and maybe confusing(which is why most are on alcohol or cannabis, ect).
We do all need to become more aware of our surroundings, more attentive to details, I think this could bring about a deeper appreciation for life itself. It is being One with All.
I try to expand my awareness by finding a comfortable spot where I won't be distracted for atleast an hour relax and take a few deep breathes in through the nose and out through the mouth, then attempt to bring a calmness to my thoughts and emotions and allow myself to ease my awareness out, so to speak, the actual process I can only explain as an 'ease'.
I agree with all the benefits you mentioned.
peace
Al.

i had been doing that for quite some time when it started to bite back. your meditation is a beautiful way to get in touch with the larger picture, and also in small doses it is an extremly healthy thing, but i think it is also a wee bit dangerous.

less than a year ago i had fallen deeper into this same rabbit hole and i almost lost myself. i thought the ultimate and happy goal was to lose one's mental limitations and obscure the boundaries between any given object or situation and one's self. after all, i WANT to experience all of the Source now, right? bad idea. I was greedy. it became a fixed state, something that would squirm its way in at any given moment, something i couldnt ignore...and it persisted and persisted and grew out of control. I couldn't operate because i started to lose my identity. I started to sleep all the time, because i was only comfortable when i was unconscious. even my energies were out of whack; I started projecting, and sometimes i had vast amounts of energy and on other days i was completely drained.

And then i found a friend. She helped me find a healthy balance. please, take this as a precaution. 30 minutes might be just enough if not too much. And everyday is a bad idea. We are the way we are for a reason. There is nothing wrong in interacting on both a spiritual AND and a physical level.

now i understand MY experience was completely my own, and i learned a lot from it...just, for anyone who is highly suggestible...be careful and take it slowly. I am. -valkyrie

Yes, while I was reading the exercise, I realised that it is something that I don't feel comfortable to do. Certainly not everyday and not for half an hour. I mean what will I do about all those things that I won't be able to deal with, in case I become aware of them?
Years ago there was a period in my life when I became aware of more things than I could deal with. It took me a lot of effort to stop doing it. And even now, sometimes, there are thing on borders of my awareness that I refuse to acknowledge, because I won't know what to do with, if I would turn my attention on them. What will I do with all those things, during doing this exercise?
Maybe if using this exercise in a context of a set of exercises and not alone by itself…?

you say you are worried that you will see more than you can handle? That you won't be able to seperate yourself from what you perceive? well ive wondered if it isn't this same reason that meditations usually have a focus; instead of simply absorbing all the stimulus you can manage at once which inevitably destroys boundaries some of us have had since childhood, it is better to take baby steps and enrich what consciousness we have developed naturally since birth. some boundaries are good.
The way i see it, now, is that any lifeform on the planet is having its very own ultimate experience by simply not being a boundary-less entity. Humans i think, are a very special bridge between simple focused primitive existence, and the grander Oneness of everything. And there is nothing wrong in reveling in that fact.

Here's an exercise: go to a faucet, run the water hot and stick your hand underneath it. Now turn the faucet to cold and run the same hand under the water. Repeat this exercise 10 more times and at the end of it you should not be able to distinguish hot from cold anymore. This is bad. Sensing heat can be both a painful, distracting, or pleasurable experience. As can sensing cold. There is a reason we are capable of distinguishing between the two. What does a person do when he or she is cold? We seek heat. And what do we do when we are too hot? We seek the cool.

I think the important thing to draw from this exercise is learning how to "register" your surroundings, but also how to balance yourself; if you are ignoring the interconnectedness of everything seek heat. If you are having trouble with the lack of boundaries seek the cool. But whatever you do don't change back and forth between the two or you'll go numb and get sick. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bigwink.gif)

I have been wondering if insanity can be triggered by boundary issues. dunno. maybe ill start a new thread.

you say you are worried that you will see more than you can handle? That you won't be able to seperate yourself from what you perceive?

Eventually yes. And eventually insanity seams to me inevitable in such a situation. But what bothered me from the very beginning with this exercise was, for example, what would I do with a very negative person that would ender the room, while I am perceiving it as a part of myself? This could be extremely unpleasant. Or, for example again, that placing the whole building that I am living, inside my awareness, at least how I understand it, would place also the other inhabitants of the building in there. If I‘ll get aware of the noises and the movements inside the building won’t I get aware and of the ones who causing them?
Another thing that concerned me was that in case of doing this exercise for a period of time, wouldn’t it make me overall more sensitive? I wouldn’t want, for example, have this happening to me accidentally, inside a crowded mall and I can think about a couple of places around here, which, by no means, I would want as part of my awareness.
Overall the environment outside the boundaries of myself, include also other people, negative energy and other unpleasant things. Not only trees, animals and building. Maybe I do not understand correctly what the exercise suggests to do, but the way I understood it…no way.
In general, it is a feeling that I am getting concerning this exercise, that there is something more to do besides what is described. Like, after perceiving the room, where I am, as part of my awareness, to reset the boundaries that separate me from the room, or I don’t know, but something more to do in order to complete it…

In general, it is a feeling that I am getting concerning this exercise, that there is something more to do besides what is described. Like, after perceiving the room, where I am, as part of my awareness, to reset the boundaries that separate me from the room, or I don’t know, but something more to do in order to complete it…

That's a good instinct, and this, or a version of this, exercise was one that I used initially to likewise expand my awareness. And, I had similar problems to Valkyrie. Allowing your awareness to expand and take in so much stimulus, contact and interpret so much energy at once, can trigger psychological issues that were latent, and can agitate issues you already have; can misalign your emotional and astral bodies from the others, causing you a sensation of apathy and isolation, which can fluctuate or become permanent depending on your reaction to a particularly negative energy for you; get the attention of various nasties who you are vulnerable to in a different way than 'normal' people; and cause a variety of serious injuries to your energy system, particularly the top four.

There are three things that would make this exercise safer and ultimately lead towards a more effective skill.

Firstly, you should already have been doing work on yourself as far as psychological issues and self knowledge goes. That is an oft overlooked part of magickal practice in general, but it serves a specific purpose for this. First of all any insecurities that you have, any fears, painful energies in your emotional body, can be agitated by the energies you come into contact with - this happens when we experience those issues manifesting in our lives, and if you touch all of this energy around you in such a great spectrum, you could agitate those energy imbalances in your own system and react with any number of psychosis, from paranoia, to delusion, or depression. When you've got more of a connection to yourself and have solved more of your issues, this becomes less of a problem, and it can be compounded by the second practice.

So Secondly, on a more classically mystical note, is self control, or energy control. We are all in control of our thoughts and emotions if we want to be, and while it's good to let both wander occasionally, we have to know how to make them step in line when we need them to. Learning to control and to relax is a powerful element to magickal practice in general, again, but specifically for this practice it is a measure of protection. Few people realize that this is a method of shielding that is far more effective than any kind of 'energy shield', because it brings about a connectedness to one's energy, to the point that you can simply refuse to be damaged by the energy of another. Typical 'shielding' accomplishes this state of mind, essentially, through auto-suggestion and proxy.

Third, when you finish this exercise, it's impornant to do something to focus your attention. Per the law of Rhythm, after a period of increased expansion, you can experience a period of increased focus. Rhythm compensates. So when you get up from this meditation, walk around, touch things, immediately recording your experience is a good way to take advantage of and preserve that reaction of focus. This brings you back fully into yourself, your own experience and boundaries, and centers you in your own mind. If you do have emotional reactions, write about them, let that energy flow so that it will help you heal that energetic wound, rather than shutting down or distracting yourself - because then the energy, which is still there, will compound that blockage and you will more than likely act out the renewed pain at some point soon after your experience.

Taking these precautions, and utilizing your experience in this meditative exercise will help you develop your psychic potential, become more empathic, and enrich the experience itself so that it becomes a tool over time. If the experience is associated with pain, you will not be able to use it on command, and may even completely replace actual expansion of awareness with imaginative delusions instead. If you won't protect or heal your mind, it will avoid being damaged on it's own whether you like it or not. Avoiding pain is one of the many reasons why your average person is less psychic than they could be.

So I wouldn't say don't do this exercise if you're a beginner, I'd say don't do it too often at first, don't do it for half and hour, and compound it with other necessary magickal work in self-discovery and transformation. You can develop a very powerful compassion and connection to the world around you, and an incredible perspective on the greatness of everything, if this exercise is handled responsibly.

peace

Wow.
Great post Vagrant Dreamer, it's definately highlighted some of the mistakes i've made and exposed certain things like the aviodance of pain and lack of psychic ability.
I have tried to expand my awareness and had done at one point, since then i've been trying to reach that level or exceed it continually. It has led me into a life of seclusion, bringing with it all those critters like anxiety and stress and depression and the worst which I don't really know what to call other than probably psychosis. I have irrational thoughts pretty much 24/7 now, although earlier in my quest my thoughts were more 'brighter' and constructive. It's as though everyday I lose myself more and more but I still try and hold on. Am I doing wrong by holding on or should I just let go, that's what my mind keeps telling me....'just relax and let go of it all'.
Self-Control and a Focus, both I am lacking but both I shall attain, right now though I would like to ask your opinion on whether one should let go of their Self or take ahold of the Self and mold it, what is your take on letting go. I can let go of fears and such but can and should I let go of my Self, my Identity- not whithin society but within my body.
Peace
Al

This post has been edited by al_zaine: Sep 26 2007, 08:43 AM

Self-Control and a Focus, both I am lacking but both I shall attain, right now though I would like to ask your opinion on whether one should let go of their Self or take ahold of the Self and mold it, what is your take on letting go. I can let go of fears and such but can and should I let go of my Self, my Identity- not whithin society but within my body.
Peace
Al

Um, this is a question about one's spiritual path, ultimately, and it's maybe a little bit off topic, so if I can't tie it into the topic I'll make a new thread for it. First of all let me say that I have a particularly eastern opinion in that issue, so take that into account and search other venues of philosophy on the Self if you want a more complete picture of what other traditions believe.

We typically identify ourselves as our personality, our talents and shortcomings, our experiences in life, even perhaps our clothing and ornamentation, as well as a dozen other things in life. But this is only the part of us that lives in the world and interacts with it between the True Self and the World. You could call it the Ego, but it's not really that, because it's not the part that creates the illusion of separation in the first place. I've heard this referred to as the mask, in the past.

For all intents and purposes this is your identity, and it interacts with the world on the basis of expectations, traditions, and group dynamics, basically, either in a small group or in a culture. This means that we have a pattern of reactions and expectations which for the average person become the dominating thoughts and emotions in their being. Think about how difficult it is for a gay person to come out when they've been faking it for so long, or for a child to do something that would disappoint their parents, even though it's the best thing for them. Any time you feel, within yourself, that you need to do something, or that you want to make some change, but feel either ashamed or afraid to do it, you're dealing with the Mask vs. the Inner Self - maybe not the true self yet, but maybe so.

What you have to realize is that the Mask is not you. You are not a constant, unchanging thing - you are always changing, growing, and your actions and expectations should change with that instead of being wrapped up in the Mask and kept the way you were taught to keep them. Think about how people are considered 'inconstant' or 'fake' if their personality differs depending on the situation they're in. That is because we all expect to see that Mask all of the time. We are so ignorant of ourselves that we think the Mask is the real part of someone, and the inner self is the fake part.

So when it comes to letting go of the self, first come to understand which part is the Self. The Majority of pain is tied up in the Mask. A series of patterns ingrained into your behavior that suggests you have to react this way, every time, to this and such situation. The True Self doesn't need those patterns, which are defense mechanisms to avoid pain, because it knows that it is invincible, there's no point in those defensive patterns. It does have some, but they are of finer grade of Karma and come from previous life issues.

This process and exercise with expanded awareness can help to get past the mask for a little while, but it won't spontaneously remove the mask. That's something you have to work on doing yourself. The Biggest obstacle to removing the mask is 'what will other people think'. When I first determined that I was going to drop mine, and be my real self all of the time, I was terrified of what my parents would think specifically, and worried that my friends wouldn't like me anymore or that they would slowly inch away from my life because I no longer gave them the expected interactions - I allowed my opinions to grow and change with me, I made no effort to engage in interpersonal stuff with any kind of calculated pattern (which is what the mask does), and that meant that I was exposing my inner self to criticism and maybe ridicule. But, not only did they all not do either of those things, they were much closer to me emotionally and psychically. And without the mask, you are in control of your communication - you can tailor your interaction to be whatever you want it to be, because you have learned what a mask is, and eventually learn to take it on and off without damaging yourself.

So letting go of the self is a more complicated issue that should I, or shouldn't I - It's about finding that self in the first place, separating what you do, from what you think, and what you know, and then building up the courage to just put it down. It's one of the hardest simple things we ever have to do.

The less garbage there is between your true self - your First Person Perspective, I like to call it - and the world around you, the more connected you are and the safer you will feel. I have said with a lot of other things, all you have to have is the firm intention to reach that state, and the diligence to tackle each issue as it arises. If you tell your Self that you want to get there, then it will always say, "Alright, let's play ball then." Old wounds, issues, insecurities, will start popping up one at a time. And then you just deal with each one in it's turn. And before you know it, you know who you are, and pain doesn't necessarily disappear for all time, but it becomes another isolated experience of life, not a negative pattern that will harm you again and again for all time.

Now, you make a distinction between, society and your body - but, really it is only the self 'of society' that causes pain and negative patterns. The True Self, the First Person Perspective, doesn't need to be let go. It expands with your awareness, and it's the only True Self. If you were to merge with the Divine, your Perspective would be merged with it. It is eternal and you couldn't get rid of it if you wanted to. It is contained within the Ego, and the Ego will weaken over time if you are focused on being connected to the world and expanding your awareness. And In my opinion, yes, you should, because the ego is transitory and unfulfilling, although it does have a purpose. It becomes like the mask, something you can put on and take off like clothing, so removing the Ego doesn't cheat you out of the experience of being individual like many people think.

And then when you do this exercise, you'll feel like you are really connected to the world you are exploring with your mind, and you will be able to handle the pain of others which you will encounter. But, instead of reacting with a negative pattern you can react with compassion or, perhaps if you get so far, you can even learn to transmute those negative energies into positive ones. Which is a high ideal, and not easily reached, but a worthy place to set one's sights.

I hope that helped a little, but if you'd like me to say more, it's your own eyesight. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blablabla.gif)

peace
Brian

i like you vagrant dreamer! your answers are never obtuse or uninteresting. i feel like i can learn from you.

i am still having difficulties coming back to the moment. Focus has always been an issue; i always just naturally focused on everything when i was meditating; i COULDNT just get rid of all my thoughts, and like i said I as greedy. it didnt get bad until i got to college and i was by myself among people i didnt know or even cared to know. i had a lot of spare time on my hands and what could i do in the 1 hour increments between my classes??? well i layed down in the grass and swallowed everything whole. At one point i fell asleep and woke up in someone else's body. Thats when i decided i had a problem.
to tell you the truth, i never had anyone explain to me the problems my own personal method of meditation could create. Its EXACTLY as you said, all of the consequences you summarized. for a while i didnt even realize what was causing these things to happen, because i was in such a casual state of overstimulation...but now im better. hehe, i heard mention, on this forum actually, something about the "dark night of the soul" and i thought, well maybe thats what i am going through??? But now i suspect a lot of people have this 'overstimulated' condition and i guess the philosophy is "it has to get worse before it can get better"???
Oops!: off topic i know. anyhoo. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ac42.gif)

i dont think i have fully grounded myself enough to start back up with this technique, on the other hand i like your suggestions and i remain positive. I definately need therapy, and this experience actually enlightened me on some of my childhood issues (and karmic).Still, i could have used a little warning.

As for the Law of rhythm, i did in fact learn about this while i was in my state, i just didnt know how to harness it. I had many surprising revelations, many in accordance with the Hermetic principles, which i only discovered AFTER my little trip to the moon. it was surprising reading some of my very own "theories" in fine print. I guess im not as origional as i thought (a little joke, hehe). anyway, the point is this is a very useful meditation. shall we also celebrate Greek law, which is in its own right a philosopher's stone?: Golden Mean people? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Nothing in excess. (nothing in everything and everything in nothing, hehe)

In the process, i also learned of the vast source of information and experience and sensations at my fingertips which i can choose when and how to access. Im working on the "how" currently.

This post has been edited by valkyrie: Sep 26 2007, 08:23 PM

Something to mention...
Greek is being
Hebrew is motion
!

More on topic...

In such an exercise, knowledge of the Self is important (if you plan on returning!).
It works as an anchor, weighing you down to the moment

This exercise becomes important when you have discovered the Self,
Realized its reflection,
And seek to look beyond the Mirror
To the Mirror
Facing the Mirror
Space infinitely expanding!

thanks for illuminating us....that is some pretty poetry, uni verse. just one word. blah?

ha ha, just poking fun. thanks for contradicting me and thereby falling into my conceit!
really i could lose myself all day... what an excellent meditation! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/banana.gif) with love and obnoxious-ness -valk (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


but really. that is very beautiful.

This post has been edited by valkyrie: Sep 27 2007, 08:39 PM