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Awareness is the foundation to yoga…ok, well maybe it is more like the union of the whole self…but the only way your entire self is going to come together is if you gain awareness of yourself and how the mind, body and spirit show up and participate with you. There are two ways to engage with awareness, more direct specific and clear or the bigger picture observer. I am certain there are more details to awareness, but for the sake of this episode I am going to keep it to these two aspects. This aligns to the idea that life also in a constant dance of expansion and contraction, or observation and creation.
Being the witness is one of the more amazing tools yoga provides. Being able to be more objective to see what is happening internally as well as observing the world around you. Then there is the more subjective, and experiential piece where you really feel everything and check in to see if you are in alignment. (Alignment will be the topic coming starting with Episode 42). When we can determine if we are forcing a situation or in the flow with a situation, that determination comes from our ability to be aware.
Awareness also requires us to be radically honest with ourselves…and I know this is not always fun, but it allows for more acceptance of who we are and how we can show up. Knowing that I am more of an introvert unless I am passionate about something helps me know what to say yes to and what to pass on in life. The more we strengthen our inner witness we also can be more intentional and mindful in our life.
Tell me are you someone that tends to be more of the observer, witnessing how people engage, or are you more of one that is in the moment, fully engaged and making things happen? We need both and have both, but when you know where your strengths lie, then you know how you can be of greater service.