To me one of the most important aspects of awareness is to be able to consciously 'sense' (hear, see, feel) or have direct knowledge of the consequences of anything we think, say or do. In short, thus the relationship between causes and effects... The more aware we become the better we sense or know the difference, interrelationship and interconnectedness between causes and (more of) its effects...
The moment something becomes a habit through too many repetitions or too much hurt was experienced, it becomes suppressed to the sub-conscious and we are not even aware of what or why we are thinking, saying or doing... or its consequences... We react (ego) instead of respond (from Higher Guidance)... fast asleep...
A simple example should help here. Just think deeply about the following scenario and its questions:
You are on your way to the office and quickly brush your teeth... and then drink some water for the thirst. Something you have been doing for as long as you can remember...many, many repetitions and thus probably a pure habit.
Now:
- Are you aware how much toothpaste you put on your brush? Chances are you are so indoctrinated by TV toothpaste advertisements that you put it exactly according to the length of the bristles, and give it that extra nice curl at the end...
- Were you brushing your teeth when you were brushing your teeth, or were you already fighting with your secretary at the office?
- Are you aware how well you rinse your mouth before you swallow the nice big mouthful for the thirst?
- Are you aware what the effect of fluoride is on your stomach if you do not rinse well and swallow some toothpaste?
- Are you aware what the effect of toothpaste is on our environment?
- Are you aware what the effect of your thoughts about the water you are drinking are on the water and thus your body?
- Do you therefore sense and distinguish the cause and effects?
- The cause is: Maybe you do not need so much toothpaste. And then the 'real root' cause may even be further back: Maybe you are watching too many TV advertisements...;-) Have you ever experimented with how much is enough to do the job - or do you just wear the sunglasses the toothpaste manufacturers have given you?
- The effects are: Maybe you will then need less water for rinsing, less chance of dis-easing your stomach with swallowed fluoride, less nitrates and phosphates in our rivers and dams.
- Yes, granted, you may ask: What good is my cutting back going to do? What if all of Us can become aware and just experiment (take of our sunglasses) and try to cut our toothpaste, shampoo, soap, detergents, etc usage in half? It will probably have no adverse effect on our hygiene, but could have a huge impact on the health of our rivers... and thus Mother Earth...
- Did you sense how quickly the picture can become much bigger?
That is exactly what happens with awareness... start with the smallest little thing, like brushing your teeth and like a stone thrown into a pond, it ripples out and out, becoming bigger and bigger all the time, ending up with the effect on Mother Earth...
Until we real-I-see: We haven't the faintest idea what all the consequences of our thinking, saying and doing are.... and there we are 'slap bang' in the 'mystery'.... of It All.
The easiest way to distinguish whether you are asleep or aware is through 2 simple questions:
Why me? - is a dead giveaway of victim-ness and thus asleep-ness...
Why am I? - is a very good indication of awareness...
