Being awake is the key

This video is about how to be consistently awake and aware of your life. Being awake means being aware of what is happening without judgment or interpretation. When you are awake, you can see when your life is going "off the rails." For example, you might eat more than your body needs, even though this is detrimental to your health.

You can learn to be awake by practicing meditation and studying spiritual teachings. This will help you to become aware of your thoughts and feelings without identifying with them. You will be able to watch your thoughts and feelings arise and pass away without being controlled by them.

As you become more awake, you will experience greater freedom, satisfaction, stillness, quiet, and well-being. You will also be less affected by external circumstances, such as the weather or politics. You will be able to laugh at the craziness of the world and see that human beings are often "upset machines."

The key to being awake is to experience yourself as the awareness of your life, rather than the person who is living it. When you experience yourself as awareness, you are experiencing reality, truth, and what you actually are. Until then, you are experiencing who you think you are, which is a mistake from the beginning.

To practice being awake, pay attention to the activity of your mind. That is where all the upsets happen. Your upsets are not being caused by external events, but by your interpretation of them. When you are awake, you can watch the mind get upset without being upset yourself.

Once you are consistently awake, you will be able to be with anything. You will not be bothered by physical pain, death, or sickness. You will be free from anxiety and panic attacks. You will be able to experience your true nature, which is awareness itself.

What is the process of achieving consistent awareness?

The process unfolds through dedicated practice and has several stages:

• Formal Meditation Practice: Begin with a structured meditation practice, focusing on maintaining consistent attention. This helps train the mind to stay present and observe thoughts and feelings without getting carried away by them.

• Informal Meditation Practice: Once you can maintain attention consistently in formal meditation, you can transition to informal practice. This involves briefly resting as the awareness throughout the day, as often as you remember.

• Expanding Awareness: With consistent informal practice, you'll notice your ability to rest in awareness gradually expands. It might start with moments, then extend to minutes, hours, and eventually, you might experience a constant state of awareness.

• Effortless Awareness: At this stage, the practice itself becomes unnecessary because you naturally reside in awareness. You simply know you're aware all the time.

This process requires patience, persistence, and a commitment to daily practice. By following these steps, you can gradually cultivate a state of consistent awareness, leading to greater freedom, well-being, and a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.