Self-awareness and Freedom
by Atman Nityananda / Aum
The Importance of Self-Awareness
The sense of ‘I am’ is the fundamental aspect of our existence. It is the awareness of our own being, the basic consciousness that underlies all our thoughts, emotions and perceptions. This awareness is not limited to any particular state or condition of our body or mind. It is not dependent on any external circumstances or objects of perception. It is a pure, unchanging awareness, the witness of all our thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences.
However, most of us are not aware of the sense of ‘I am’ and it s background the inner silence space of our divine essence or Self. We are so absorbed in our thoughts, emotions, desires and activities that we forget our true nature. We identify with our body, mind and personality, and we believe that we are separate, individual entities from Universal Consciousness. This identification creates a sense of limitation, insecurity and existential void and leads to various forms of suffering and bondage.
The way out of this predicament is to become aware of our true Self (divine essence), to recognize the sense ‘I am’ and inner silence which is the source, the support and the light of consciousness that makes all experiences possible as our true nature, and to rest in the inner silence. This Self-awareness is not a mental concept or a philosophical belief. It is a direct experience of our own being, a realization that transcends all intellectual understanding and empowers us to live consciously and fully in the present moment.
Self-awareness is not something that can be acquired or achieved through any external means. The silent presence and the sense ‘I am’ are already present within us, but we have lost touch with ithem due to our identification with the psychological and sensory forms of our existence. The key to Self-awareness is to turn our attention inward, towards the source of our awareness and stop identifying with these forms and
The Root Cause of Bondage and Suffering
The forgetfulness of our true Self (the sense ‘I am’ and inner silence) is the root cause of our bondage and suffering. Because of ignorance and because of attachment and identification with our thoughts, emotions and perceptions we are not aware and forget the pure light of silent awareness that underlies them. We become attached to the changing forms of our existence and try to control and manipulate them according to our (to our ego’s) desires and expectations. This dependences of our well-being (happiness, security, fulfilment) on the external objects and experience along with the need to control, happenings and persons cause a sense of uneasiness, dissatisfaction, sense of lack and anxiety and the development of a variety of selfish tendencies that lead to various forms of suffering and limitation.
The identification with the forms of our existence is not a deliberate choice or a conscious decision. It is an unconscious habit that we have developed in our minds because of ignorance, mind´s conditioning (from past lives) and external influences. We have been taught to identify with our gender, race, nationality, religion, social status, and so on, and to defend and promote these identities as if they were our true Self. In this state of consciousness, we perceive and believe our thoughts, emotions, perceptions and memories to be a reality, and to react to them as if they were objective facts rather than subjective experiences.
This identification with our body, mind and sensory forms creates a false sense of identity associated to the body, personality and mind’s concepts, which is a limited sense of self that is constantly seeking security and happiness in external means and experiences and also validation, approval and recognition from others. This false self is subject to all kinds of fears, anxieties and insecurities, as it is constantly threatened by the changing circumstances of life. The more we identify with this false self, the more we suffer, and the more we feel trapped and confined within our limited perspective.
The Way Out of Identification and Forgetfulness
The way out of this predicament is to cultivate Self-awareness, to become conscious of our own essential nature and to dis-identify from the body, mental and emotional formations and external objects and situations. This requires a great motivation, willingness, commitment and diligent and persistent effort, as we have to overcome a state of delusion and strong habits and tendencies that keep us trapped in forgetfulness. We have to learn to observe mindfully our thoughts, emotions and perceptions without getting entangled in them, and to recognize and maintain conscious contact with the pure awareness that is always present as the changeless and always peaceful and blissful background of our psychological and external experiences.
The fundamental means to develop and establish ourselves in Self-awareness are mental repetition of mantra, meditation and Self-enquiry. These practices enable us to quieten our mind, to focus our attention on the present moment, and to access the source of our awareness, the silent space in the centre of our existence. Mantra is a sacred word or phrase that is repeated rhythmically to calm the mind, bring sattva in the mind and to align it with the pure consciousness. Meditation is a practice that enables us to transcend our thoughts, emotions and our ego or egoic self and to experience the peaceful inner silence. Self-enquiry is a method that has two aspects, to withdraw our attention from thoughts, emotions and anything else and direct it inwards to abide and deepen in the silence as we intent in the meditation and inquire into ourselves in depth so that to unveil the true nature of our Self.
These practices require a commitment to self-discipline, patience and perseverance. They also require a willingness to face our fears, doubts and resistances, and to surrender our egoistic desires and attachments to the higher Self. However, the rewards of these practices are immense, as they enable us to experience the joy, peace, plenitude and freedom that are the inherent qualities of our true Self.
More on these three practices
Mental Repetition of Mantra
Mental repetition of mantra is a powerful tool to develop Self-awareness and stop identifying with the psychological and sensory forms of our existence. Mantra is a sacred word or phrase that is repeated silently in the mind to focus and purify our mind and heart and maintain conscious contact with the sense ‘I am’ and inner silence. The repetition of mantra creates a sattvic luminous and harmonious vibrations that harmonize the mind, quieten the chatter of the mind, reduce the distractions and aligns us with the pure consciousness.
Through mental repetition of mantra, we can become aware of the pure awareness that underlies all our experiences and abide firmly in this inner silent awareness. We can detach ourselves from the changing psychological and sensory forms and remain steadily focus on the source of our existence. We can also cultivate a sense of surrender and devotion to the higher power, which can guide us towards our true Self.
However, as any other practice constant moment to moment mental repetition of mantra requires discipline, determination and perseverance. We can choose a meaningful and appropriate mantra, and repeat it with sincerity and focus throughout the day. We have to be persistent and regular in our practice, and not expect immediate results or experiences.
Meditation
Meditation is another powerful tool to develop Self-awareness and stop identifying with the limited forms of our psyche and senses. Meditation is in reality the state of effortless, deep and firm absorption of our mind in the inner silences, peace and plenitude of our divine essence, nevertheless, meditation is also a practice and a process through that enables us to disidentify and transcend the limitations of our thoughts and emotions and to experience the inner silence and peace of our true Self, the pure light Consciousness.
Through meditation, we learn to observe our thoughts and emotions without getting entangled in them and let them go and subside. We cultivate the attitude of an impartial witness, of detachment and equanimity towards our thoughts and emotions and the changing circumstances of life, and develop a deeper insight into the nature of our existence. We also access the divine and creative powers of our consciousness, and use them to manifest our true potential.
Through mediation practice we cultivate a clear, focused and detached mind, and develop the capacity to prevent ourselves from being distracted or discouraged by the thoughts and emotions and any challenges that arise during the practice. By consistent regular practice we become more and more capable to avoid identification and being lost in the mental and emotional expressions of the ego and rest more easily and deeply and firmly in our essential nature, the peaceful silence of our Being. In course of time, we will be able to maintain more and more steadily the meditative state throughout the day, which is the corner stone of Self-awareness.
Self-Enquiry
As I already written above Self-enquiry is a method for detaching our attention from thoughts, emotions and anything else and direct it inwards in the inner silence and abide in it as we intent in the meditation and also to inquire into ourselves in depth so that to unveil the true nature of our Self.
In the first aspect which results in the meditative state, (that is, the deep absorption in the inner silence and peace of our divine essence) we use the question Who am I?” to withdraw our attention and mind from the content of the mind and also from the sense of I’ and ‘I am’ and direct it inwards to seek for their source, the silent substratum of them, that is the silent peaceful space of pure awareness. Every time a thought or emotion arises in us, we ask ‘Who am I? and with this turn our attention in our centre and deepen in the inner silence. Through self-enquiry, we can discover the pure awareness that underlies all our experiences and detach ourselves from the limited forms of our psyche and senses.
Self-enquiry as a means to inquire psychological structures
We can also use Self-enquiry to inquire our psychological self to know in depth and understand all psychological structures, to stop identify with them, dissolve them and get free from them. This inquiry involves a sense of curiosity and openness towards our own being. We have to be willing to explore our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, perceptions and memories without resistance and judging them negatively. We have to be willing to face our fears, doubts and attachments, and to surrender them to the higher Self.
Self-enquiry requires courage, sincerity and perseverance. It is not a superficial or mechanical process, but a deep and transformative one. We have to be willing to challenge our beliefs and assumptions, and to embrace the unknown. We also have to be willing to go beyond our egoistic limitations, attachments to pleasures and pains and to open ourselves to the universal and the timeless Consciousness.
In conclusion, mental repetition of mantra, meditation and Self-enquiry are powerful tools to develop Self-awareness which is close to meditative state* (effortless, deep and firm contact with inner silent peace of our essence) and stop identifying with the psychological and sensory forms of our existence. These practices require discipline, sincerity, determination, perseverance and patience, but the rewards are immense. They enable us to access the infinite potential of our true Self and to live consciously the peace, plenitude and freedom here and then in the timeless now.
Comment
*Self-awareness which is close to meditative state: The difference between mediation or the meditative state, that is, the steady and effortless absorption of the mind in the silent inner peace of our essence, and Self-awareness, is that although in Self-awareness we rest in the inner silence as we do in meditation, we must keep some of our attention outward to function in the world and also to be aware of and deal with what is going on in our psychological world. However, in the moments when our mind becomes still, quiet and we fully experience the inner peace of inner silence, Self-awareness is identical to meditation or the meditative state.
Epilogue
Self-awareness is the key to live a conscious, creative and fulfilling life. It enables us to transcend the limitations of our conditioned identity and to access the infinite peace, freedom and potential of our true Self. By cultivating Self-awareness through mental repetition of mantra, meditation and self-enquiry, we can overcome identification with inner and outer forms and the forgetfulness of our Self and awaken and establish ourselves to the eternal peace and bliss that are our birthright.
Self-awareness is the key to live a conscious, creative and fulfilling life. It enables us to transcend the limitations of our conditioned identity and to access the infinite freedom, peace and potential of our true Self.
🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony
atmannityanada 