The Path to Ease Starts with Awareness

Developing awareness of our inner experience is a simple yet profound practice.

Before I started writing this, I took a moment to close my eyes and to check in with myself. I noticed some swirling thoughts about what I was going to write, interlaced with some residual chatter about a conversation I’d recently had. As I paid attention, the thoughts began to settle slightly and I noticed some feelings of guilt around a commitment that I had forgotten that day and a slight feeling of frustration at the many interruptions that were getting in the way of my writing. I noticed that my breath was shallow and in my upper chest and that there was some tension in my neck and jaw. At the same time as I noticed these things there was also a softening of the tension, a settling of my emotions and a deepening of the breath. There was a sense of sinking or dropping into myself and into a place of more ease. All of this happened in a few breaths and I feel more centered and focused than I did a few moments ago!

It is easy for us to go through life disconnected from ourselves and our loved ones, stuck in our heads and distracted by our thoughts, worries, and to-do list. We lose connection with the present moment and with what we are feeling or experiencing. Stress and tension can build without us being aware of it and therefore being able to consciously release it. 

The simple act of noticing our current experience, without judgment, is a profound one. It allows us to see where we are out of balance or holding tension, the first vital step in enabling us to make shifts and changes to bring more ease into our lives. The beauty of the practice is that by bringing our awareness inwards, we reconnect with ourselves and some of that tension starts to release as we move towards wholeness.

In this practice of awareness, also called witness consciousness, we pay attention with curiosity and an open heart. We practice observing ourselves, in all our humanity, with acceptance, compassion and love. It is this combination that makes the practice transformational and allows for deep reconnection.

We practice awareness in our physical yoga practice by keeping our attention on our body and breath as we move. Off the mat, we practice awareness when we notice our bodies, breath, thoughts and emotions as we move through our days. It is a particularly beneficial practice when we are triggered or facing a stressful situation. For example:

• We practice awareness when we notice the tension in our shoulders, the shallowness of our breath and our rising impatience and erratic driving as we rush to school to pick up our child. 

• We practice awareness when we notice our anger and feelings of helplessness when our teenager shouts at us and storms out of the room.

• We practice awareness when we notice our exhaustion, resentment and aching back when our babies won’t sleep. 

• We practice awareness when we notice our negative self-talk when things aren’t going the way we’d like them to, and the emotions and tension that arise.

With this awareness, we can choose to consciously relax our physical bodies, welcome a fuller breath and to see and acknowledge the feelings we are experiencing. The present moment becomes a little easier as we hold less resistance to it and we can meet whatever we are dealing with from a place of wholeness, bringing the entirety of ourselves into the situation and allowing us to tap into our inner wisdom. Awareness shines the light on unhealthy patterns and beliefs that might be causing us and our children suffering and helps us to break those habitual cycles. Awareness helps us be less reactive and more intentional in our actions and choices.

Take a moment to close your eyes and notice how you are feeling. How does your body feel, how is your breath moving, what emotions and thoughts are present? Be curious, compassionate and accepting. What do you notice? Is there anywhere you could soften and let go of tension?

I invite you to practice awareness and to observe any changes it brings. Remember the more we practice, the easier it is to access when we really need it!  

I’d love to hear about what you discover….