Our mind has a very important function, called observation, and this function is mostly used for external objects and experiences. However, this function can be turned inwards with the right training and practice, and this can help us to develop self-awareness. This concept of self-awareness is not to be confused with being aware of one’s behavior towards others or how we see ourselves in relation to our environment. This is not a psychological concept but a physical reality. This is being aware of our own body, its minutest sensations, our thoughts and emotions without being involved with them. This is being able to watch oneself objectively. Being one’s own spectator. This self-awareness is not developed through the mind’s ‘thinking’ function, it’s being aware of the thinking itself. It’s not developed through feelings either, it’s watching our feelings and emotions objectively without being a part of them. It’s watching ourselves as if we are watching someone else, only a bit deeper and from inside.
Developing self-awareness/ self-observation is what all meditations teach. Whether you call it mindfulness, emptying the mind, thoughtlessness, or watching your thoughts, the endpoint is the same. It is developing control over your thoughts and emotions by creating a gap between observer and observation, by being an uninvolved watcher of one’s own mind. It not only gives your mind a break and relief from incessant thinking, but it also allows you to control and alter your reactions to your environment without any mental or emotional strain. Although when meditation is successful, being able to slow down or completely stop the thinking process happens easily, and it’s a very joyful experience but this is not the end goal. You can achieve this state temporarily with the help of alcohol and recreational drugs as well. The goal here is to learn to be in control of your thoughts and emotions and alter them at will to get a positive and life-supporting outcome.
This can be achieved by distancing our mind’s awareness function from the rest of it and watching our self through the ‘distanced’ part objectively. It’s difficult to see reason or behave rationally when you, yourself are the person who is generating irrational behavior. Trying to deal with stress by attempting to control external factors through negative behavior i.e. anger, anxiety, depression, etc. is like sleepwalking and trying to pass through a wall, banging your head against it and hurting yourself in the process. Although it’s possible to find the door even with your eyes closed occasionally, by pure chance, but to do so every single time you have to wake up and open your eyes. You must learn to be aware of yourself, and then only you can develop an unbiased insight into what is right for you and what is not. Then only, you can successfully deal with your problems without getting stressed. You can learn to replace the negative emotions that are generated because of our social conditioning, epigenetic inheritance, and mind’s limitations, with the positive ones. It is possible to re-train oneself to deal with life situations without being stressed and without any external help. We can learn to behave in a way that is not destructive for us when we are faced with a difficult situation. There are many ways to develop self-awareness/ self-observation through meditation. I will write about an example that has worked for me and a few others in my next post. (Understanding ‘Meditation’)
For detailed explanation please refer to my book : The way things are a hand book on how to deal with stress and anxiety.
Stress Management, stress help 