The first step in knowing ourselves is taking stock of the data available to us. What we say and think about ourselves, what others notice about us, and how we interact with the world, is all valuable material. What arises in our body, the quality of those sensations, is a great source of information about ourselves, but something we rarely pay attention to unless we are ill. Witnessing what we are feeling and allowing a space for that also tells us about how we are interpreting events and the assumptions we are making about those events.
Paying attention to our thoughts instead of just reacting from them also gives us alot of data about who we think we are.
Being intentionally “present” means standing fully in the moment, as it is, with awareness. Our attention expands to taking an inventory of our physical sensations and body position, our emotional status, and the observation of our thinking patterns. We are a vessel that holds awareness without judgment or preference. We see what is. Out of this “presence” all else can flow. Try practicing “presence” when you are walking, while you are in meetings, when you are eating, and even when you are on your e-mails, and see how much more of yourself engages in these activities. How can you observe your body, heart, and thoughts while you are "doing". Through this quiet observation, how does "doing" become "being".
Please go to my website and look around, or click here to read an excerpt from my upcoming book.
