In the whole of life, there are many things at which we can become experts and there are many more subtle mysteries in which we can never become an expert.
Meditation/ Awareness is one such phenomenon.
On the other hand, it is possible to be more aware in daily life.
Now you may have heard of adepts in India, the Himalayas and other places where they practice certain techniques and methods of expanding consciousness but many of these are simply the human desire to have more power.
You may have even been to one of these places and witnessed miraculous events as I have but these happenings or events are nothing to do with meditation or being aware in daily life. In fact, if someone was given the choice of their greatest desire it would not be to have more awareness in daily life, but to have power because they think once they have the power, then obviously, they can have everything else, love, sex, money, health, longevity, anything their “heart” desires or even awareness in daily life.
Awareness/Meditation is connected to the process of witnessing and has no set of rules in it at all; there is no Awareness or Meditation 101.
It is a process with one single step, however, once you take the step you have begun the journey of one thousand miles. The art of self-remembrance, watchfulness or better still “witnessing,” is the art or knack of meditation and awareness follows.
Firstly, witness your thoughts (don’t let a thought pass the screen of the mind unexamined)…
…witness your actions (don’t type a letter on the keyboard without being aware of each tap on the keyboard)
…and witness your feelings (don’t let a feeling pass without taking note of it, without any condemnation or appreciation).
When you become at ease with the process of witnessing or watchfulness, there is less struggle and more depth to our lives. Awareness requires no effort really, although in the beginning much effort is required to rid ourselves of all the garbage we all carry within us.
The effort in the beginning of the journey is concerned with “meditation techniques and methods.” These techniques and methods have nothing to do with awareness or meditation but clear the way and help eliminate the accumulated past we are carrying so that we can look at the world and the people in it fresh again, without carrying the psychological scars of those who have hurt us.
“Watchfulness is a simple step. There is no alphabet in it. There are no beginners in it, there are no amateurs in it and no experts in it. Everybody is in the middle, always in the middle.” ~ Osho
Chris Borrett