Self-awareness
is not a thought process. It goes beyond thought. If we think, “I am
thus-and-such”, that is not true self-awareness – it is us objectifying
ourselves via thought. Self-awareness is awareness without
thought. It’s very subtle and also very difficult to experience after decades
of thinking.
Thinking is
precisely what blinds us to the peace and joy that we are. Whenever we are
anxious or depressed or angry, it is always because of our thoughts. In this
state we lose our sense of who we are. This loss of self-awareness causes
agitation. When we don’t think, we naturally return to peace and joy.
Meditation
is one way that people try to become self-aware. There are many forms, but the
main idea is to stop focusing on thoughts. This doesn’t mean that we must stop
thinking altogether – that would be nearly impossible – but we can refuse to
focus on them or give them credibility.
When you can
relax into your being without getting caught up in thought, you can begin to
become self-aware.
