Post by Alena on Dec 26, 2006 23:01:26 GMT -5
The key to any spiritual path is the cultivation of awareness and introspection. This involves a heartfelt, honest look into the mirror on a regular basis so that one can be as observant of one's character as possible.
There are a number of ways to do this:
1) A diary or journal. Chronicle your day to day life, your habits, your feelings, and how events in your day make you feel. WHY do you feel as you do when certain situations in your life occur? What stems from these emotions? Is it anger? Frustration? Worry? Sorrow? Happiness? Analyze every emotion and its source to pinpoint why things trouble or delight you.
2) Meditate. Meditation is the key to clearing the mind and allows you to sift through the muck of your subconscious, so to speak, to get at the root causes of your personality. It is not unheard of for people while meditating to spontaneously laugh, cry, or feel some sort of other extreme emotion out of the blue. Meditation, when done properly, helps your mind to stop distracting you from your issues and forces you to deal with them.
3) Active mindfulness. As you go through your day, remember what you are trying to accomplish and what it means to you. When that person cuts you off in traffic, reflect upon your reactions. Why do you react? What causes you to react? Learn to unlearn your behavior and hence you will act more often than you will react.
Some sample exercises:
- Keep a journal, either computer or paper, of your day to day routine and your feelings. Think about the emotions which struck you that day and why you felt the way that you did. Why was it important to you to act, say, or think xyz?
- Start a regular meditation routine. It can be very basic, about five minutes a day when you first get up or in the middle of the day--it is advised that you do not do it right before you go to bed or you will get in the habit of falling asleep in the beginning.
- Take the time to look in the mirror and confront one negative aspect of yourself daily. You can start small; this doesn't have to be a huge project. Why does a particular person irritate you, why do you feel a certain way about xyz, any of these questions and more can be a great starting point. Remember that small things can lead to bigger things and a larger sense of awareness of self.
~Alena
There are a number of ways to do this:
1) A diary or journal. Chronicle your day to day life, your habits, your feelings, and how events in your day make you feel. WHY do you feel as you do when certain situations in your life occur? What stems from these emotions? Is it anger? Frustration? Worry? Sorrow? Happiness? Analyze every emotion and its source to pinpoint why things trouble or delight you.
2) Meditate. Meditation is the key to clearing the mind and allows you to sift through the muck of your subconscious, so to speak, to get at the root causes of your personality. It is not unheard of for people while meditating to spontaneously laugh, cry, or feel some sort of other extreme emotion out of the blue. Meditation, when done properly, helps your mind to stop distracting you from your issues and forces you to deal with them.
3) Active mindfulness. As you go through your day, remember what you are trying to accomplish and what it means to you. When that person cuts you off in traffic, reflect upon your reactions. Why do you react? What causes you to react? Learn to unlearn your behavior and hence you will act more often than you will react.
Some sample exercises:
- Keep a journal, either computer or paper, of your day to day routine and your feelings. Think about the emotions which struck you that day and why you felt the way that you did. Why was it important to you to act, say, or think xyz?
- Start a regular meditation routine. It can be very basic, about five minutes a day when you first get up or in the middle of the day--it is advised that you do not do it right before you go to bed or you will get in the habit of falling asleep in the beginning.
- Take the time to look in the mirror and confront one negative aspect of yourself daily. You can start small; this doesn't have to be a huge project. Why does a particular person irritate you, why do you feel a certain way about xyz, any of these questions and more can be a great starting point. Remember that small things can lead to bigger things and a larger sense of awareness of self.
~Alena