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Article extracted from a workshop & book called:

DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOU - by Dieter Luske

... all following articles, are written as workshop manuscript

... questions were asked to stimulate active participation.

 

 

ARTICLE 10 - AWARENESS -
Creative Lifestyle Strategies

 

Awareness
or

HOW TO BECOME AWARE:

 

Whatever we can't see, hear, feel or understand, we are not aware of and can't change!
OR ...

Whatever we are not aware of, we simply don't see it, even if it is right is front of us.

Therefore, to change awareness or learn to become aware is one of the hardest task for the human mind to achieve.

Making it even harder is our belief system, because, whatever we don't want to see, we are not aware of, and therefor can't change either!

 

How can we overcome this apparent dilemma?

 

Often we don't see something, because we don't want to, and our mind is programmed with preconceived ideas, and therefore we have to force ourselves to take a second look.
( or question ourself - see the section on Meta-Questions )

Where do our preconceived ideas come from?

 

From the moment we are born, we are conditioned. To break out of conditioning is a livelong task, because we are constantly re-conditioned by what is going on around us, with other words, again and again we get sucked in :-)

 

We are conditioned by our parents, the education system, religion, politics, etc. So, again make sure when you look at anything new or old, that you give yourself a chance, start fresh, get all the details, all the facts.

Don't say "no" to something, simply because you don't know it.

Have an open mind, an open mind is a pre-requisit to attain higher awareness.

 

Force yourself to listen, stop interfering with your own ideas and preconceptions.

Once you have all the facts you can make up your mind. Once you have awareness and understand your responsibility, (you are responsible for yourself including your awareness) you can take action.

WITHOUT ACTION NOTHING EVER HAPPENS.
TO TAKE ACTION WE NEED COMMITMENT AND COURAGE.

Courage means to go where it may feel uncomfortable, to get out of your comfort zone, or as you may say: TO LIVE ON THE EDGE!

 

That's where the learning and action takes place.
Stay in your box and nothing will happen. Are you ready to get out of your comfort zone? Feeling uncomfortable is a good feeling, it lets you know that something is happening.

You are learning, achieving, bringing on change!

Switching to awareness, learning to be open minded, is the first step out of your box.

You need courage to be aware, to have a look at yourself, which is a never ending process.

Are you ready now to have a look at yourself, to become aware, or more aware?

1. Start by changing perspective.
   Get out of yourself. Look into your life as another person may look into your life. How does your partner see you? Your teacher? Your boss? Your worst enemy, (if you have one), or someone who never agrees with you, etc-?
   Step out of yourself and take on the above mentioned positions or others.
   
   
2. Learn the DISTINCTION between what you think you know and someone else's reality. Who is right? Who is wrong? Is there only the distinction of coming from a different direction? Find the DISTINCTION between how or what you understand and what else there is in life!
   'Why do two people come to different conclusions over the same subject?

   Does one of them has to be wrong? Why?
   
   
3. Ask yourself questions to force awareness.
   Ask yourself the fundamental question of "DO I REALLY WANT TO CHANGE?"
   There are enough people who say "I can't change what I am!'
   This is a BELIEF SYSTEM and whoever believes that, is right. They can't change, because they refuse to have the awareness that they can change, so they are trapped in a victim position, which is just another box, and not a cosy one at all.
   
   
4. Ask more questions, especially about your standards, values, belief systems, goals, desires. Ask questions to yourself, and listen to where the answers are coming from!
   Are those answers yours, or still your parents, teachers, media, believes, etc?
   
   
5. Get more and more specific with your questions, ask questions to confront yourself, to shake yourself up.
   We think in generalisations, meanings, thoughts and ideas such as "all politicians are crooks."
   Confront these generalisations with questions like;
   Absolutely all? Who specifically? How do I know? Is that a fact? etc.
   
   Turning generalisations into specifics expands your awareness.
   
   You will find more out about yourself and the world you have created.
   Awareness can change from day to day. The world is the fact and you see it with your limited view, which will never be the same as the view of the person next to you.
   
   Do you react to facts or to your opinion and assumptions of what you think is going on in the world?
   Stick to the facts!!!
   
   
6. To help you with your awareness and self confronting questions, use Meta Questions ( change questions) until they come to you naturally.
   

Which brings us to the next subject - Specific "Change" Questions

 

 

Article provided by the Editor - Dieter L.

Excerpt from a workshop & book - published 1993 - titled; "Do you believe in You"

www.usenature.com - Dieter Luske ©

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