Fully Awake, Fully Active, Fully Aware

same image/different time of day
what do you see?

Some mornings I wake in the pre-dawn hours nestled in my cocoon of darkness. Sleep doesn’t slip away gradually; with the snap of fingers, I am fully awake. I am aware of the peace-filled cocoon of my bed and feel ready to actively engage the day. And, in that moment, my intent is to remain fully awake, fully aware, and fully active throughout the day.

But what does this mean? For me, it is a continuing balancing of being in the world but not of the world. I no longer look through tired eyes; rather, I see with the alert eyes of my heart, and I listen with the ears of my heart. This is a way of viewing the world with all of my senses. Through this multi-sensory experience I see beyond the ordinary and peer deeply into the extraordinary. 

How do I integrate my being (intent) with this way of doing (action)? I more easily develop this rhythm of being in nature. I am hyperaware while I am walking and with this awareness to engage my heart-centered perception. As I walk, I ask myself to describe my environment using all of my senses. The brownish-gray branches waving and the green leaves fluttering are easy to recognize. I go deeper. I get a sense of the tension or friction in the movement of the trees. I deeply inhale as I discern the details of nature’s aroma. I listen not only to the wind ruffling through the trees but to the people and beings around me. Stepping into my sixth sense, I become a part of my environment and feel our heartbeats synchronize. I am fully awake, fully alive, and fully active in my life.

same image/different time of day
what do you see?

This way of looking at the world is also possible when in a building, in a meeting, or conversing with another. It may be more difficult to remain in a state of hyperawareness.

Practice in nature. Next week we will talk about bringing this full body listening into our physically fabricated world.

Namaste, Vanessa


Interested in learning more? Join me on Saturday, August 23 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for the workshop @ Bodyworks in Evansville, Indiana.

Thomas Merton believed that being fully awake, fully active, and fully aware are the roots of contemplative living. Experience this shift in perception by resting in the quiet mind, recognizing the Sacred in all, and exploring the interconnectedness of all creation. Activities shared during this program focus on aligning your senses to see beyond the mundane and embrace the extraordinary where the reality of spiritual wonder lies.

Please reserve by calling Bodyworks at 812-490-9009.  Fee: $60