how to be aware in an unaware world

Tag: mindfulness

Dreams
When we drift off into that strange yet personal place of dreaming, after long hours in a wakeful state, we find that there is no awareness of time, desire, food or drink, warmth or cold, longing or lacking.
We are sheltered, for a brief time, from the world outside, sunk deep into a space only we can occupy, twisting left and turning right without much recollection or direction.
It is in this place we find solace. It is in our dreams that we are limited only by our imagination, suspended in a blissful state of relaxation and peace.
It is also in this place we find fear. Manifested and percolated by the trauma seen and felt in the waking world. We are trapped, so it seems, in the unconscious abyss for some time.
And when we wake up some mornings without recollection of that place, we question its very existence. Are dreams real if we have no definitive proof they exist? Are we actually dreaming or just resting the mind?
There is an old and powerful Tibetan practice to help us recall our dreams when we wake, eyes squinting, fragments of visions still floating in our minds.
The practice goes as such:
- Slowly close your eyes before bed or during your evening wind down.
- Begin to rewind your day by thinking back to what happened ten minutes prior.
- And 10 minutes before that.
- And before that.
- And before that.
- All the way back to when you woke that day.
Try and keep the rewinding of your day objective, not stopping on one experience or another very long, just like rewinding an old VCR tape.
When we recollect our day, we begin to recollect our dreams. Furthermore, we can make sense of what we see in our dreams by recording them in a journal, voice memo, or conversation.
The questions go as such:
- What did you see, smell, taste, and feel?
- What was the setting and what was the plot?
- What was the purpose?
- What brought you out of the dream?
- How did you feel upon waking?
Looking back on my dreams through the years has been like stumbling upon a world that seeps into my life. I have had deep visual dreams that predict feelings in the future. It’s wild.
For example, I had a dream years ago that I will remember for as long as I am able:
The setting was one of tranquility. The white, sandy beach and tall, barren cliff of a small island come into focus. I smell and taste the salt in the air and how healing it is. I approach the beach on a small boat, looking all around me and up the Craig. As curious as a cat in Wonderland, I climb out of the boat and approach the cliff’s rocky feet. With no hesitation, I began to slowly climb, gaining height very fast. And as I climbed higher and higher, a sense of fear and trepidation grew. I felt as though I made a huge mistake but couldn’t turn back any longer, both my body and mind suspended in fear. As I keep climbing, the sun grows brighter and brighter. It feels like I am over a hundred feet up now. I reach my arm up and over to a vibrant green vine close to the top and find it not a vine at all, but a surprised, scared snake. It turned violently and in the blink of an eye, struck my right arm. I immediately let go of the wall out of fear and confusion. As I fell, for what seemed like several seconds, the world around me became filled with white, my life partially flashed before my eyes in those seconds. I truly felt I had met my end. The sudden rush of thoughts and feelings of all those I love and care for were gone, my life and hopes and dreams gone as I awoke, sweating, heart pounding, still questioning for a few seconds if I had really left the waking state.
I realized right then and there, that reams are the portal by which we glimpse death, and as a result, the appreciation of life.
In that dream of death, I found the waking of life, an overwhelming gratitude that it was but a dream.
Dreams are also portals of instruction, vision, reasoning, and perspective. It’s how we interpret these dreams that help us navigate our waking hours.
I still climb, in the waking world, and face that fear of falling every time. Only a few other times have I envisioned my death and the deep loss that is felt. Overall though, I fight my fear and appreciate life.
May your dreams be a guide to you tonight.
Dreamy Links:
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September 19, 2023
Dunes
Warm light sinks slightly below the dunes as we reach the slopped edge of the sun-sketched mountain of sand.
To my left, I spot a fellow wanderer hiking the dune’s sunken ridge line. I dipped down slightly, reaching into my right pocket for my phone, and quickly snapped this photo without hesitation.
The day is August 18, 2018, around six in the afternoon, and the sun is still swollen in the sky. My mother and I are standing in the mesmerizing White Sands National Park in Southern Colorado.
This is by far one of the most beautiful national parks I have ever visited and I highly recommend a visit.
It’s magical seeing miles and miles of enormous sand dunes scattered right below the vibrant, tree-covered Rocky Mountains and next to the brilliant blue Lake Lucero.
You can rent waxed sand boards and sleds at the entrance to lug up the steep, sliding dunes or climb to the top much faster than the sand toy-carrying wanderers. And wander you will, for there’s no real destination at Great Sand Dunes National Park, only the one you have set in mind and care to reach.
For those who do choose to use a sandboard or sled, remember to use a lot of the wax provided, it will slide across the sand much better.
Some parts of the sand are harder packed than others, so a fall will feel like being punched by a pro boxer, trust me, I thought I broke my tailbone on one fall!
Luckily, I’m practically made out of stainless steel, so I walked out, or I should say slid out without as much pain to my body as there was to my ego.
As we walked out of the park, exchanging stories of other dunes we visited while living in the Middle East, my mother and I took one look back at the gorgeous, toppling sand as the sun said its farewell and slipped out of sight, returning darkness to the Earth and coolness to our sunburnt faces.
Link it up, baby:
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September 19, 2023
Fruit
“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. And the greatest of these is love, for all things abide in love, and all things must have love; for without love, no relationship would exist.”
– Galatians 5:22
Whether or not you believe in God or ascertain to Christianity, the Bible is a grand book filled to the brim with wisdom and life lessons applicable to every one of us.
For example, this verse in Galatians lays out the foundation for an intentional, purposeful life.
It’s quite logical that without love, no purposeful life would exist and no relationship would exist either (unless transactional, which I’d argue is no relationship worth holding).
Defining each fruit of the spirit for ourselves provides a better grip on their meaning with the intention of including them in our lives.
I firmly believe that all of these fruits are able to grow in us if their seeds are planted at birth. They may already be abundant and ripe in your own life today.
Below are definitions of each fruit, my personal definition, a question, and examples of how to include them in our lives.
Love
- An emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment.
- A virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection.
- The unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.
- Compassionate and affectionate actions towards others and towards one’s self.
Love is driving three hours to visit a sibling in the hospital without the slightest hesitation. It is the most innate expression we humans possess, a gift that has profound impact.
What does love look like to you?
Show a friendly smile, lend a helping hand, or give your time and attention to someone in need.
This is love.
Joy
- A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
- The natural reaction to the work of God, Higher Power, or Creator, whether promised or fulfilled.
- Joy expresses God’s kingdom and influence on earth.
Joy is a grin from ear to ear for no apparent reason whatsoever.
What people, places, or things make you joyful and jubilant?
Write down three things you’re grateful for each day, and tell them to a person you admire in your life.
This is Joy.
Peace
- Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.
- An occurrence of harmony characterized by lack of violence, conflict behaviors, and the freedom from fear of violence.
- The absence of hostility and retribution.
Peace is fear and worry washed away like the receding tide.
What can provide a peace that surpasses all comprehension?
To calm the body and mind, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth several times.
This is Peace.
Patience
- The ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties.
- To suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.
Patience is the contentment in waiting on a loved one for hours and then exclaiming with a smile, are you ready?
How can you show patience today?
Next time you’re waiting for someone or something, notice your immediate environment with curiosity, what do you see, hear, smell, and taste?
This is Patience.
Kindness
- The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate
- A behavior marked by ethical characteristics.
- A pleasant disposition and concern for others.
Kindness is the simple act of sharing a smile while passing by a stranger. It should not be understated, especially in these tumultuous times.
What is a random act of kindness feel like to you?
Give someone a genuine compliment, open the door for someone, or bake a loaf of banana bread for your neighbor.
This is Kindness
Goodness
- The quality of being good, in particular: virtue; moral excellence, qualities of character or conduct that entitle the possessor to approval and esteem.
- Goodness is the simple word for the general quality recognized in character or conduct.
Goodness is listening deeply to your conscience.
What makes something right or wrong to you?
When you next consider the implications of a choice, consult a true friend or therapist before deciding.
This is Goodness.
Faithfulness
- True, devoted, staunch, constant, and loyal behavior.
- Implies qualities of stability, dependability, and devotion.
- A long-continued and steadfast fidelity to whatever one is bound to by a pledge, duty, or obligation.
Faithfulness is the overwhelming feeling of gratitude expressed when you are loyal to a friend for years.
Who is that person in your life?
Commit to being there for a friend the next time they request your assistance.
This is Faithfulness.
Gentleness
- To be mild in temperament or behavior; kind or tender.
- To be noble or having the qualities attributed to noble birth; courteous; chivalrous.
Gentleness is the care of a mother for her child as it sleeps soundly in her arms.
How can you show a gentle gesture today?
Provide some words of encouragement, give someone a hug, or listen intently in your next conversation.
This is Gentleness.
Self-control
- The ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires, or the expression of them in one’s behavior.
Self-control is the release of anger despite the inclination to lash out at your coworker for not doing their job.
How can you show self-control in the next difficult situation?
Write down how you feel when you feel (no really, it makes a massive difference).
This is Self-control.
Links for daaays:
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September 15, 2023