Avsnitt
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It is with a very heavy and grieving heart that I share with you that Lisa Barry the co-host and co-founder of the Exploring Awareness podcast died unexpectedly on November 30, 2021. In this episode, we grieve together using David Whyte's poem entitled The Well of Grief, and a guided meditation, with emphasis on mindfulness of the emotion of grief using the RAIN acronym of recognize, acknowledge/accept, investigate and nurture. This is tragic, unexpected and challenges everything we discuss in this podcast, while at the same time allows us an opportunity to grieve with grace, and somehow find peace.
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There is a deep place of connection within each of us, that is shared by all. In today’s world, distractions, conditions, and inflexible ideas pull us away from the present moment and our connection to each other. In this episode, we focus on the word RETURN as an invitation and intention to connect to a deeper sense of presence, an authentic sense of being - a return to mindful awareness and a return to a felt sense of the unity of all beings. This is about a realization and being on a path to our own awakening, to a return of our original self while at the same time shared with all in a common consciousness.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Episode # 61: The Myth of Self Improvement
The self-improvement industry thrives on a fundamental myth that there is something wrong with you that needs to be improved. Where does the idea that “I’m not ok” come from in the first place? In this episode, we turn the idea of self-improvement on its head. What if you are already fine and don’t need to be fixed? Although your mind may not allow you to believe this, exploring awareness and discovering the qualities at the core of your being leads to a realization of who you really are. These realizations render self-improvement projects un-necessary. Instead, you are infused with a loving presence and the Joy of being. You just may start to notice that you move around informed by like wisdom and peace and joy and love and generosity as opposed to being informed by preconceived ideas of defensiveness and ego attachment and competition-the source of the need for self-improvement in the first place. By giving yourself the gift that this is a possibility, return to the self that never needed improvement happens organically.
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Episode 60: Exploring Awareness Of Dualistic Thinking And Its Impact
Opinions, advice and judgments tend to be experienced as having to be either this way or that way with little room in between, There is your way- which you might feel is the right, usual, customary, comfortable way and then there is the other way – which may seem wrong, not usual and not comfortable. This very common tendency is called dualistic thinking. In this episode, we bring compassionate awareness to this tendency and explore how it brings reactions instead of responses. Being aware of the dynamic of dualistic thinking stops the "autopilot" reaction providing then an opportunity to see what is occurring and realize things may not be that straightforward. Going deeper, through exploring awareness, allows the unconscious to become conscious- getting to the root of unconsciousness and bias. From this place of deep awareness, life doesn’t fit into boxes. Now, freedom from duality and an opportunity to act from a place of peace, joy, love and generosity arises.
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Episode 59: Could Your Natural State Be Loving Awareness?
A popular Ram Dass quote- “The natural state of the mind is pure love, which is not other than pure awareness”- sums up much of the dialogue in exploring awareness podcast episodes. The conditions in our current moment in history could lead one away from an open hearted loving awareness to a small and aggressive protective stance that can be amplified by the loudest voices on TV, radio and social media.
It is possible to realize an identity as awareness and experience the state of the true mind as love. In this episode, we include a guided meditation to point the way to HOW you may start or continue a journey towards these realizations.
Listen and ask yourself – Is it time to move on from an adolescent, ego-centric perspective, or from a locked in, negative curmudgeon perspective of closed minded adulthood to a loving awareness perspective that will make the world a better place for you and those around you?
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Episode 58: Are Judgements Blocking You from Peace and Happiness?
Judging, putting people into categories, assigning negative attributes, sticking with first impressions, even ghosting can become a personal and community norm performed without thought or consciousness. Self judgement as well stems from our experience with families and other cultural groups who judged us and made it seem normal. In this episode, we look at the roots of judgement by becoming aware that we are judging, and then exploring the awareness of the thoughts and emotions that lead to judgment. Some definitions of mindfulness include a phrase that suggests we pay attention in a certain way "non-judgmentally". Although we can't force ourselves to stop judging by just using using our mind, we can use mindfulness techniques to explore awareness, watching judgments arise, dissolve and fall away. The freedom that comes from this practice will then give you an opportunity to respond rather than react, you will be happier and so will the people around you.
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Episode 57: How the Awareness of Change Can Lead to Peace and Ease
Change is part of the human experience. Welcome change can be fun and challenging, unwelcome change can lead to resistance and stagnation. Changes imposed by family or work situations can be especially difficult to accept, especially if they appear without warning. In this episode, we discuss a perspective that emerges from exploring awareness of change. Instead of the change occupying the thoughts and energy, a shift occurs to where the awareness of the change, and its effects on thoughts and emotions transforms these conditions into present moment awareness, where everything is stable, peaceful and calm. It may seem counterintuitive, but a realization of the impermanence of all things provides a stability and groundedness that allow us to respond instead of react,
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Forcing oneself to "accept things as they are" or asking others to, sets up conflict, invokes defensiveness and leads to stuck, judgmental feelings. Exploring awareness leads to a spaciousness where the present moment event is allowed to be what it is- good or bad. This is not the same as allowing bad things to happen if they can be prevented- but if an event has occurred, becoming aware opens a compassionate channel through which we can move. “What you resist – persists” and “the only way out is through”. Practicing awareness though regular mindfulness meditation opens compassionate awareness so that both wonderful and adverse events can be experienced with grace.
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What is the Mind, and is the Mind just the neurological activity of the brain?. Although we don't solve this problem in this episode, this question helps create an "exploring awareness" perspective. By becoming aware of the brain as an amazing resource similar to computer hardware and software, the part of us that is aware becomes activated and realized. With the realization of awareness comes a freedom experienced as spaciousness, open heartedness, open mindedness. When you’re no longer locked into the neurological habits of your brain and you have woken up to identity as awareness then there’s love, peace, joy, generosity and the ability for a sense of awe and wisdom and response instead of reaction.
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When you’re aware you’re aware- that is another level of existence that has an opportunity for some real peace and love and a real authentic experience with this very precious human life. It’s so precious and rare and it doesn’t last that long and there are so many ways that you can use it, so why not use it for good?
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Episode 54: How Awareness Can Lead to Forgiveness and Self Compassion
"Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past."- this quote by Lily Tomlin asks us to realize that the past is over, and failing to forgive keeps us locked in the habitual thoughts and judgements that keep us small and confined. In this episode, we discuss forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others as part of the realization of ourselves as awareness for the benefit of ourselves and others. This is part of the Big Fun Journey that exploring awareness can be- and this episode also provides a guided meditation to make it real, not just talk.
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What would it take to find Awe in a brick? How to experience Awe everyday is the topic of this episode. We discuss how there is a constant opportunity to connect at a deeper level and to be aware of what is happening in the present moment -as it is -without judgement, analyzing or overthinking. To allow yourself to be in the present moment and allow what’s happening to happen – a sense of Awe will emerge as a wonderful feeling of connection. By taking the opportunity to be present, to be aware, there is a sense of relief that there is a larger way of being which also unearths a sense of love and peace and joy found in present moment -not from the past or future. Awe becomes the experience of seeing things for the first time, every time! The deeper we look, and the more present we are, the more Awe we discover- and we may find that we are the mystery we are looking at! In this episode, also enjoy an Awe-Inspiring guided meditation.
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While we often have great intentions to practice meditation and awareness, lack of a framework leads to inconsistency. In this episode, we discuss the foundations of practice from Adyashanti's book The Way of Liberation and provide a guided meditation to help get the practice started.
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Episode 50: Exploring Awareness to Experience Unity
Mindfulness practices and exploring awareness can lead to a deep realization and experience of Unity. When we practice the 4 foundations of mindfulness and get a sense of our true identity as pure awareness a deep realization emerges. Experiences of Unity first come and go in glimpses then become seen through a clear window. Understanding gets deeper and integrates into daily life. As conditioned beliefs and habitual thought patterns start to fall away, we begin to realize that we all share one unconditioned place unified in a field of awareness. Beyond words, the guided meditation in this episode helps one get familiar with an experience of awareness and unity.
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Episode 49: Finding Joy in Knowing What Makes You Tick
A “Joy that has no opposite” can be realized when we use mindfulness techniques to explore awareness. Happiness is wonderful too, but - as an emotion - comes and goes. The “Joy of Being” is always present. We discuss Joy as an essence of authentic human life that gets covered up by habitual thinking, discursive thoughts, and the overwhelm of negative information coming into our lives every day. Our usual ways of thinking, creating expectations, making judgments, reacting to news, making plans- all are part of what “makes us tick”. By exploring the awareness of what “makes us tick”, a perspective shift occurs as we begin to identify with the deeper sense of awareness where the “Joy of Being” is gradually realized. Interestingly, as we work with this, what “makes us tick” will migrate towards the innate qualities of Joy, Peace, Love and Generosity – charting a path for an open hearted life with less suffering that is open and helpful to others.
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Episode 48 : Awareness of the Present Moment Plus a Mediation for Sleeplessness
The actions of our mind are a wonderful gift as we enjoy past memories, solve problems and plan for the future. Taken to extremes however, our minds can come up with the details of past events so vivid, it is as if we are reliving them over and over again. Future events can be created as well, so a future scenario seems to be completely true even though it hasn’t happened yet! These mental creations can lead to stress, anxiety and trouble sleeping, and trying to get rid of them can make it worse! When you become truly “aware” this is happening, a shift occurs. In this episode, we talk about how using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness can activate the “awareness mind”, where we become aware of our thoughts, aware of awareness, and in that awareness find a place of peace and calm.
Sometimes, recreating past and future scenarios occur when we are trying to sleep. A calm and dark room does not have the distractions that our daytime activities provide so the mind can really go. In this episode, we provide a guided meditation to help you see the thoughts and reactions for what they are, then you can “rest as awareness” and see what happens. Practicing exploring awareness during the day is a great way to prepare for those restless nights.
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Episode 47: Enjoying Awareness – A Big Fun Journey!
Meditation and spiritual awareness opens up a wonderful sense of freedom and expansion that reflects an ever present inner sense of being. During the sometimes difficult work of spiritual practice, we catch glimpses of residing inner peace only to get pulled down the rabbit hole to more difficulties. Some people say –its hard work! Nevertheless, there is a choice to be made between the “cold comfort” of the known habits and thought patterns and the freedom that comes from practicing present moment awareness. It’s hard to explain in words, and this episode has a guided meditation for practice.
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How conscious are you of the words that you speak? Where do the words come from and what do they represent? Words are one way to communicate, and in this episode, we explore the awareness of what is happening in our mind that generates the words we use. Words used habitually, reflexively, and not formed with awareness may not represent the inner dimension of peace, love, joy and equanimity. Consider words a sound that you make, and that there is a choice about what those sounds are and what you want to those sounds to represent. Exploring awareness and finding your base of peace, joy, love and equanimity allows a place from where the words you choose represent you’re your own truth.
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“Being mindful” means more than just the ability to focus or pay attention. Being mindful doesn’t mean getting rid of thoughts or getting to a relaxed state. Being mindful is not about something we need to do to gain something. In this episode, we discuss the “how” of mindfulness, we break down the definition and learn how to utilize mindfulness techniques to open to a place of mindful and loving awareness. You will naturally experience a sense of peace, love, joy and generosity- something that you already have no matter what your situation. It’s a return to that!
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Looking to a Post-Covid World- what are we learning?
The Covid pandemic is giving the world a long pause from routine and turning expectations upside down. Even as we may be nearing the end, this past year provided time to go inward, to see what is important, and note what may or may not have been working in life. Some did not have such a luxury and continued an even more frantic life fraught with risk and fear. Either way, the pandemic year taught us some valuable lessons and asked us to try something different, to shift perspective to experiencing life in the present -as it without resistance and then respond instead of react. Here, we discuss how this perspective change comes about using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness.
- Visa fler
