Self Awareness.

[Amenubis]

Self awareness. What is it? How do you achieve it? What are some methods you use? Phrases, etc.  

[H20edDownAzn]

That's an interesting question. It only takes a few minutes watching people at the mall or a restaurant to realize how little self-awareness people routinely exhibit. Our minds are extremely complex and powerful computing tools but our consciousness would go crazy trying to focus on every little thing at all times. So generally things like breathing and swallowing are mostly automatic. But even the things that we generally take for granted as being under our, self-aware, control function on a semi-automatic level. You may consciously decide what to say but how often are do you plan out the movements your mouth make when you are in the middle of a conversation. You don't have to think "okay now I need to purse my lips, now I need to make an o shape". It comes automatically. Even in our trains of thought there are "Freudian slips" that manage to pass by undetected until they are spoken. Quite often one's attention is elsewhere and while you're thinking about the upcoming project instead of focusing on where your foot is about to land you stub your toe on a chair. So while in some cases, sports like golf, archery, or sprinting, or in extremely embarrassing situations, it is possible to be highly aware of ones body. It is usually only in very tense situations that one becomes aware of the little things.

However, all of that was on a physical level. I assume that you mean more of a spiritual or intellectual level of self-awareness. I guess the point the first paragraph helps to illustrate is that if we as humans struggle to maintain a sense of awareness in a very concrete, physical sense then the abstract world of our minds and spirit must be very fuzzy indeed. The very fact that this question is asked is proof of the concept. Not to say that it can't be done, but I must cut this short and post more at a later time. 'Til then!  

[alliop]

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.  

[Fae Yin]

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.  

[Amenubis]

Bright Creature

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.

I suppose the proper question is "how do I be?". Or to quote famously "how am I not myself?". Do I have a self? Is ego inevitable? If I have a "center", how do I find it? Or at least harness it.  

[AbrAbraxas]

a quick and simple answer for now.

Know thyself.
ask questions but dont consider the answers you get to be final.
the fool looks at the hand that points to the sky.  

[Calypsophia]

the best way of attaining self-awareness is by simply being mindful. this means keeping your mind.. as much as you are able.. in the 'here and now' as opposed to constantly being 'lost in thought'.. not dwelling on or clinging to past events or possible future events.. not going off on mental tangents and lost in fantasies. this can be attained thru the practice of meditation which is basically observing the mind.. or as some old zen buddhist master once put it 'observing mind within mind'.  

[27x]

I think therefor I am...  

[alliop]

Bright Creature

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.

The "self" does exist. You are an individual and even though you are influenced by others your existence does not depend upon the existance of others even if your survival does.  

[AbrAbraxas]

alliop

Bright Creature

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.

The "self" does exist. You are an individual and even though you are influenced by others your existence does not depend upon the existance of others even if your survival does.

they are both true, from one perspective, the one that most people have, it is obvious and inescapable fact that the self exists and it is something that needs to be dealt with. from another perspective though you may see the appearance of a self existing you can also see that all is one and there is no difference between one self and all others, a cosmic awareness. until you reduce your self-awareness, or awareness from the perspective of the self, it may be difficult to see both at once as being true. with self-awareness, and self-consciousness you are seeing things from the perspective of the self, either pro-self or anti-self in any variety of degrees. the self needs to be transcended and included into a higher awareness, that is awareness of the higher self, some might say god.  

[Ardens_Savant]

I hope you dont mind if I take a crack at this problem.

I guess I'll start by categorizing my argument. Basically, my argument runs like this - there is a basic, general physical awareness, that being awareness in general of the world around us. Then there is a deeper, psychological and/or spiritual awareness, which is mostly, but not exclusively, directed at the self.

We can all agree that there is such a thing as awareness. If there was no awareness, I wouldn't be able to type at the keyboard, you wouldn't be able to read what I've just written, and the whole question of "what is awareness anyway?" would become moot, since no one would be able to think about it, let alone ask it in the first place.
Since I think we've established that there is a basic physical awareness, which is not limited to or by humans. What I mean is, other species of animal also exhibit a basic awareness of themselves and their surroundings, and if humans were to completely disappear of the face of the planet in one mysterious moment, then all the other animals would still have their basic physical awareness of their surroundings.

Self-awareness, which I take not to be questions like "am I here?", "is this hot?", but rather questions like "what am I?", "what am I doing in this place?", "what is my purpose?", "what happens when I , you know, END?". To answer these questions, I see two basic approaches: 1) approach you nearest Rabbi/Pastor/Immam/Guru/etc and steep yourself in religion, getting all the answers handed to you, not bothering if the answers are the right ones, and living your life perfectly content in the knowledge that someone else has given you.
The other approach I think you all already know.

Bright Creature, in relation to your question on how to find and harness your "center", I would suggest the Eastern approach strict physical and mental exercise to become one with your mind and body. I also recommend Taoism for that purpose.  

[AbrAbraxas]

Ardens_Savant

I hope you dont mind if I take a crack at this problem.

I guess I'll start by categorizing my argument. Basically, my argument runs like this - there is a basic, general physical awareness, that being awareness in general of the world around us. Then there is a deeper, psychological and/or spiritual awareness, which is mostly, but not exclusively, directed at the self.

We can all agree that there is such a thing as awareness. If there was no awareness, I wouldn't be able to type at the keyboard, you wouldn't be able to read what I've just written, and the whole question of "what is awareness anyway?" would become moot, since no one would be able to think about it, let alone ask it in the first place.
Since I think we've established that there is a basic physical awareness, which is not limited to or by humans. What I mean is, other species of animal also exhibit a basic awareness of themselves and their surroundings, and if humans were to completely disappear of the face of the planet in one mysterious moment, then all the other animals would still have their basic physical awareness of their surroundings.

Self-awareness, which I take not to be questions like "am I here?", "is this hot?", but rather questions like "what am I?", "what am I doing in this place?", "what is my purpose?", "what happens when I , you know, END?". To answer these questions, I see two basic approaches: 1) approach you nearest Rabbi/Pastor/Immam/Guru/etc and steep yourself in religion, getting all the answers handed to you, not bothering if the answers are the right ones, and living your life perfectly content in the knowledge that someone else has given you.
The other approach I think you all already know.

Bright Creature, in relation to your question on how to find and harness your "center", I would suggest the Eastern approach strict physical and mental exercise to become one with your mind and body. I also recommend Taoism for that purpose.

good reply, i am reading another book on taoism now, excellent tradition for modern seekers. on of the things that i like the most is the emphasis on the fact that we can still live lives of activity which being disciplined, in fact our own discipline enriches our busy lives. im not sure what the second approach is but i think that there is also a middle path in what you have presented and that might consist of using the answers handed to you by religious figures to have an idea of where to look. though many religious figures practice blind faith and they still carry the rich traditions of our past which at some time long ago were still pure as some eastern beliefs still are, the trouble is that many modern religions do not encourage the individual to test the validity of the tradition, while in tao and some hindu beliefs it is the experimental outlook that leads one to a right way of living and a true experience of god, or the spirit or source or whatever you choose to call it. that experimental outlook can be applied to all realms of knowledge and can lead to a unity between faiths as well as with science, philosophy and other modern fields of knowledge. it should be done, there is no reason for someone to think, this is absolutely right and that is absolutely wrong, we have to learn to see the relative truth in each thing and way. i think you might understand what i mean.  

[alliop]

AbrAbraxas

alliop

Bright Creature

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.

The "self" does exist. You are an individual and even though you are influenced by others your existence does not depend upon the existance of others even if your survival does.

they are both true, from one perspective, the one that most people have, it is obvious and inescapable fact that the self exists and it is something that needs to be dealt with. from another perspective though you may see the appearance of a self existing you can also see that all is one and there is no difference between one self and all others, a cosmic awareness. until you reduce your self-awareness, or awareness from the perspective of the self, it may be difficult to see both at once as being true. with self-awareness, and self-consciousness you are seeing things from the perspective of the self, either pro-self or anti-self in any variety of degrees. the self needs to be transcended and included into a higher awareness, that is awareness of the higher self, some might say god.

Have things in common does not make two objects one. Two cans of soda are not one can because they have the same contents. If you and I really were one then I should be able to read your mind because your thoughts are mine and this is simply not possible.

Why does the self need to be transcended. You say it needs to be done but provide no reason for the urgency.  

[Calypsophia]

alliop

AbrAbraxas

alliop

Bright Creature

alliop

I acheive self awareness by looking in the mirror. I find at most times though that self awareness if often a curse.

It might be better to ask what "awareness" is and skip the "self" part. The more I look into what the self is the more i find that the "self" doesn't truly exist. In fact, when i say "I" i'm just falling back into a habit of speech.

The "self" does exist. You are an individual and even though you are influenced by others your existence does not depend upon the existance of others even if your survival does.

they are both true, from one perspective, the one that most people have, it is obvious and inescapable fact that the self exists and it is something that needs to be dealt with. from another perspective though you may see the appearance of a self existing you can also see that all is one and there is no difference between one self and all others, a cosmic awareness. until you reduce your self-awareness, or awareness from the perspective of the self, it may be difficult to see both at once as being true. with self-awareness, and self-consciousness you are seeing things from the perspective of the self, either pro-self or anti-self in any variety of degrees. the self needs to be transcended and included into a higher awareness, that is awareness of the higher self, some might say god.

Have things in common does not make two objects one. Two cans of soda are not one can because they have the same contents. If you and I really were one then I should be able to read your mind because your thoughts are mine and this is simply not possible.

Why does the self need to be transcended. You say it needs to be done but provide no reason for the urgency.

the idea of 'all is one' isnt a matter of whether we are true individuals or not. of course we are. its more a matter of us all making up the same whole. I'm of the belief that we are all connected to eachother (to ALL life, and to the earth itself), just like individual waves are connected to the ocean. each wave is a thing in and of itself.. just like each life form is a thing in and of itself, with it's own thoughts, instincts, feelings, preferences, growth patterns, etc.. but if you separate that wave from the ocean, it's no longer a wave. it cant exist in it's own right separately from it... just like we cannot live separately from nature.. we are an intrinsic part of it.

I believe that some people do have a heightened awareness.. a 6th sense so to speak. I think it's something everyone could be capable of (we only understand aprox what.. 10% of what the different parts of the brain does, something like that?), but it's more developed in some than in others.. and perhaps it's because we are all fundamentally connected in this way that this is even possible.  

[27x]

I haven't been reading the discussion, and I feel that my last post doesent reflect my current views so I'll restate my opinion.

In a way, people are sleeping, when they don't realize the possibility that they may not be awake, weather they are awake or asleep. I apply this to many things.

In the end, I believe that if you do not take the time to consider that you are not aware of yourself, or in a way, blind to THE, SOME, or A truth, then you are actually not self aware, and will most likely wander through life unaware of the possibilites of that life.

Sorry if this does not conform with the current discussion and where it has gone, but I believe that if the discussion has come to a point where my post is completely gone off topic, then the discussion it'self is off topic.