In life many things happen, and they always fall into three categories which are pleasant, neutral and unpleasant.

Unpleasant: These ones we don't generally like. Regret, for example, is a feeling of 'if something didn't happen life would be better' and is just unpleasant. This action of regretting causes dwelling and a kind of a reliving the situation over and over. Your heart has to go through the pain from a situation that has passed many times. But, we are convinced that regretting can help in some way. This is a pattern, something that occurs often during life. I am not saying this to suggest that you try and stop this pattern or even change it but to see that it is just something that happens, like rain falling or the sun shining. Watch and see this pattern come up and then go. The subject of regret will change numerous times but the pattern remains almost identical.

Pleasant: Striving for things to be all pleasant in your life may be futile because of the way life is. So, instead of striving for that, strive to be aware of the truth of nature which is that whatever comes up also goes. If there is unpleasantness in your life, it will soon change and the same goes for pleasantness.

Neutral: There are many things in life that we don't feel one way or the other about; that's being neutral. For example, we take a look around a room and somethings we like; somethings we dislike; and somethings we don't even give a second thought to. Being aware of being neutral allows us to see what exactly is going on during life.

By being aware at the moment when something is happening and seeing the truth of it, which is that everything is prone to change and constantly in flux, will bring a deeper and more stable feeling of 'all is right in the world.'

Becoming aware takes focus. But, the focus can't be too aggressive or passive, it has to be easy and light but directed. This is so that you can be aware of what is going on in your mind and body and not interrupt the flow. Things need to be seen as they are in order for the truth to be fully seen and understood. To practice this during our daily lives, we don't need to change anything but just continue living as we would normally, but add an awareness. For a few examples, you're taking out the trash, so at that moment try to feel your body walking; you're walking around and incessantly thinking about something, just be aware of that; you're feeling great and things are well, know that; or you drove all the way home and when you arrived at home you then realized that you were completely immersed in thought the whole time seeing that thought is impermanent (has a beginning and an end), and it's out of our control (it happens without our consent). Generally speaking, the way to practice is to just feel the body as it is in daily life and/or be aware of thoughts and/or emotions coming and going as they please without our 'go ahead.' With practice, a more stable awareness will come about, and you will be able to see the way things are more clearly.

In any given moment there is awareness and awareness of something. For example awareness of a movement, such as, walking, singing, eating, running, playing and an awareness of that. Further examples of awareness are of thoughts and emotions, such as, thinking about last night, trying to figure something out, future projections, things you like or dislike and want to change or keep the same, anxiety, happiness, shame, fear and awareness of those. When something comes up, it's known and in that order. When we practice awareness, we are not trying to control things but to let them happen naturally. The more you see this, the more you will understand that things are just happening in life and are not exactly something that you devised or masterminded. Did we invent anxiety? The common thread through everything is that it's all changing, and, at no time, did anything become permanent and just freeze. Life is alive with no possibility of becoming unchanging!

aware meditate listen

Brian Eric Cohen

www.cohenbrian.wix.com/awaremeditatelisten