#479: The Sunlight of Awareness Dec.24th 23

  The Sunlight of Awareness

Imagine awareness being a powerful headlight shining on your body such as breathing, physical pain, what you are doing, what you are thinking including feeling, and your immediate surroundings. 

For a few seconds, and under this silent shining bright light, observe, mindfully,  them as they are

no analysis, judgment, or decision.

And then, notice the changes that take place in your body and mind under the light of your awareness. Sort of quietness and stillness will appear at least for a short instant. 

Example:

From time to time we become restless. This restlessness and its cause usually don’t go away. 

At such times, just sit quietly, follow your breathing, smile a half-smile, and shine your awareness on your restlessness affecting either your body, your mind, or usually both.

Don’t try to find the cause, don’t try to judge it, or stop it. Just observe and illuminate it. 

You will see that little by little the subject and your restlessness will eventually soften and melt down eventually. How’s that? 

Because, from being the victim of your restlessness you become, thu your shining awareness, 

the observer of it. 

You mustn't consider awareness to be your “ally,” used to suppress the “enemies”. Do not turn your mind into a battlefield. Opposition between good and bad is often compared to light and dark with no winner; but if we look at it differently, we will see that when light shines, darkness does not disappear. It doesn’t leave; it merges with the light. It becomes the light.

 It is like pointing a flashlight in the darkness. The darkness becomes a spot of light. 

During your meditation, keep your awareness shining on every thought and feeling, allowing us to recognize them, to be aware of their birth, duration, and dissolution, without welcoming judging, or banishing them.

To meditate does not mean to fight a problem. To meditate means to observe our mind-made struggles with a little smile. 

This little smile proves that you are being gentle with yourself, that your awareness is shining in you, that you have control of your situation, and acquired some serenity, at least temporarily. 

It is this inner peace that makes you accept yourself, and makes your relationships with others easier.

Thanks