7 May 2021

Clarify Mind: 2 of 12: Be a Witness and not a Judge, Be Always Aware

by | posted in: Deven's Journey, Mindfulness | 0

My eyes see. My ears hear sounds inside the home, of chirping birds outside, of cars driving by, or wind, of ocean waves, of thunder in the sky, etc. My mouth has a taste when I bring it into my awareness. My nose picks up smells in the air. My skin senses the touch of clothes and shoes, the puff of air, glass, or a cup I hold in my hands, etc. My mind thinks.

My six senses are active - it's all happening now, and all the time - every moment. Can I be a witness to them?

I am not my body, not my mind, not my intellect - I am the one who observes them all. I am spacious awareness.

Being a Witness to Mind and its Thinking

My mind thinks. The weather of thoughts passes through – no need to attach to them or get hung up on them.

Flying through clouds can feel like there is nothing else. When the plane rises above them, I can see clouds below, and everything on the horizon looks crisp and clear. When I detach from my thoughts and emotions and observe them as a witness, it helps clarify my mind and elevates my perspective, opening new insights and ideas.

Be a Witness to my Body

The body is an ongoing experience that entirely subsumes me. Whether it’s love or hurt or anger or an addictive behavior, each one is fueled by physical sensations. When I train to keep my breath and body sensations in my awareness, I also become aware of the deeper feelings, emotional states, and eventually patterns of emotions and suffering.

When I am in touch with the complete felt sense of my body, I can tune into its intelligence, which gives me insights into how to take care of myself. It helps activate mirror neurons, allowing me to attune to others – it helps with empathetic connection with family, friends, colleagues, customers, neighbors, and all.

Tuning in to and observing body sensations also keeps me firmly planted on planet Earth.

As I awaken my capacity to feel the aliveness that flows through my body, I can connect with the love and abundance of the universe. I can connect with the five elements – Earth, water, fire, air, and ether.

While my mind can go to “virtual reality” or drama of the thinking patterns, my body is here in the moment. When I bring my body in awareness, I sense throbbing, pulsations, and sensations – it also helps pause my thinking mind. It can open up space to connect with the healing and abundance of the universe, and help restore my faith, trust, and belief.

Be a Witness and not a Judge

My ego wants to judge or label everything as good or bad, trying to protect my identity. I keep that in my awareness as well – I detach from the judging and be a witness to it.

Be Continually Aware

Can I aim to be continually aware of every moment in my life?

It’s not the object of awareness whether it’s something I see, hear, taste, touch, smell, or think – it’s just the process of being aware.

I am spacious awareness and part of universal consciousness. Directing my mind to be aware helps to detach it from the drama of emotions and thoughts and clarify it.

Being a witness allows me to see life from a bird’s-eye view, to watch it like a drama rather than drowning inside it. It can open up space to experience life rather than suffering from it.

I can’t stop the waves of thoughts and emotions in the ocean of life, but I can learn how to surf them.

What are your thoughts?