Developing awareness

Conscious awareness — what does it really mean?

Have you ever driven from one place to the next and realized that you reached your destination and don’t have full recollection of the route you traveled? THAT was a space in time of not being consciously aware! I don’t know about you, but when that sort of thing happens to me, I have to seriously ask the question, “Where on earth was I just now?”

How do our brains do that and allow us to reach our goal and be safe about it? It’s pretty amazing what our bodies can do, how they can step up to the plate and accomplish what needs to happen without OUR conscious awareness. Our energetic bodies (including our brains) have an innate ability to have our best interests at the forefront, which is why we more often than not don’t experience a major chaotic moment when by rights we should have!

Zip-pity Do Dah

Some of you know how much I love to travel the zip line. We’re lucky — we have Sonoma Canopy Tours which is a phenomenal zip line through the redwoods near Occidental. I keep telling the marketing person who I happen to know that they really need to have a “frequent flyer package” for folks like me.

Several weeks ago my kids joined me for a night time zip line for my birthday present. Now THAT was an awesome experience! Imagine zipping through the trees and it’s totally dark except for a light on the tree you’re heading to and the light on your helmet. Beautiful, quiet, surreal, awesome — the adjectives are many. I had to be in a total state of conscious awareness because of what I was up to. But especially so because the last time I zipped I went into the zone — literally flying through the air and not being aware of the platform I was supposed to land on. The guide gave me a full-blown lecture and told me that no matter how often anyone has done the zip line, there has to be full attention given every step of the way.

I got the message

Well, I got the message! This time, I spent time before I stepped into the harness getting fully present and aware – I did the first few steps of the Daily Clean Your House Flow. And then I cupped my sternum with one hand and held my tummy with the other. THAT brought me into my breath and I was grounded and centered. And when I was waiting on the platforms I reminded my body to be in breath.

It was another great experience – I’m up to six or seven times now. I’m ready for the Challenge Course that just opened up. The longest zip line is 1500 feet! I’ll let you know how that one goes!

Be Prepared

No matter what YOU do for your fun and/or thrills, prepare yourself by doing some energy balancing before you start. Be grounded and centered and you’ll have a much better experience!

The Perils of Being Unconsciousness

Be Here Now

Have you caught yourself being un-conscious, that is not aware of where you are at a specific moment or not being aware of HOW to be where you are?

Bambi Alert

I’ll give you an example from my life! In the past few weeks I’ve been unlucky enough to have deer jumping the fence and getting into my garden. Now that is a bummer! I’ve lost tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, flowers and who knows what else. I know they’re hungry and searching for food and water, but in MY garden? I have a really tall fence all around the garden, but I think they’re jumping onto the deck and then over the railing into the garden itself. Now, those deer are truly persistent.

One of the first mornings I discovered three deer (a doe and two little ones) meandering around and chomping away, I rushed down without thinking about what was on my feet. Big mistake. I should’ve been wearing tennis shoes, not sandals. In the process of herding them through an open gate, I stubbed my toe and really hurt it.

My Wake-up Moment

I know that accidents happen. But I truly was not being in a state of conscious awareness of where I was putting my feet and how I was moving. Well, those deer are still getting in, but I’m not going into “frantic mode”. It is what it is and I’ve decided to move more slowly and deliberately as I meander my way into the garden and herd those “sweet looking beings” out the gate.

The Lesson of My Story

BE in a conscious state of awareness by allowing every part of you to fully feel your body, where you are in time and space, and how you are experiencing your surroundings and emotions. One way to get yourself there easily is to “do” a daily practice of mindfulness. Maybe it’s doing the Daily Clean Your House Flow, maybe it’s meditating, maybe it’s a practice you’re already putting into your day. Whatever it is, allow you and your body to feel the breath and feel the movement of energy.

A Quick Energy Tip for Mindfulness

A real quick energy tip to bring in breath and bring you and your body to full awareness is to:

1. Right hand — cup sternum directly below the clavicle
2. Left hand — hold fingers in a vertical pattern on your tummy

This simple energy movement will remind your body to breath and to go to that place of centered and grounded. THAT is where you will experience “conscious awareness” and truly be present.

I’ll give you more next time — both the story and the energy tips.

Enjoy being in the moment!