Consciousness & Self Awareness
Consciousness invites us to explore who we really are, underneath who we THINK we really are—and it’s really the key to our transformation. I think it can be confusing at times, but this image of an iceberg used by psychologists explains what our consciousness is quite well:
Consciousness is awareness of one's body and one's environment.
But it’s also much more—our thoughts, memories, drives, instincts, fears, traumas, emotions, and much more. Many yogis believe that the state of individual consciousness is just part of a collective universal Consciousness, like a wave is part of an ocean connecting all beings and things.
And yet at the same time, humans are more than just conscious, we are also self-aware.
To be conscious is to think; to be self-aware is to realize that you are a thinking being and to think about your thoughts. Human babies are a good example of this because they are conscious—they perceive and respond to people and things around them—but they are not yet self-aware. And in their first few years, babies develop their own sense of Self, learning to distinguish their point of view from other people’s perspectives.
The work in yoga is developing mindfulness or self-awareness, known as the inner witness. As the inner witness or observer, we can step back from being submerged in the complex web of our life experiences, beliefs, thoughts, and actions. This neutral observer can help us notice when our actions are harmful to others, or those thoughts and experiences harmful to our own development.
Practices within yoga, such as habit awareness during breathing, physical postures, and stillness, can help us better “see ourselves”. And as we practice, we can gradually look ourselves neutrally to shift our thoughts and behaviors for the better.
At first these moments of insight can lead to a shame and blame spiral. For example, I can be controlling and a little OCD when things go wrong since that was the habit I was taught—re-take control and get it handled immediately. When I first noticed this, I was ashamed at how my swirling around controlling the situation negatively impacted other people. Here are a few tips that help me:
Acknowledge why you want to change. Self-motivation and intention are crucial. While someone else can inspire to shift behavior, it should be done for you. List out why you want to make a change, “I could continue controlling situations when things change, but I don’t want to make those around me feel untrustworthy.”
What are the benefits of making this change? Actively writing down and becoming aware of the benefits is key. It increases resilience and makes us work for and stick to what we want, “I want to be vulnerable and deeply trust that those around me will take care of me, too, not just myself.”
See triggers & barriers—making new habits take time and patience. Be kind and take your time. Do not get discouraged because it will likely take trial and error, as well as progress and setback to make real positive changes. Acknowledge what’s hard. This isn’t a linear, but circular process.
Self-trust & respect—these are the foundations to any self-healing work. If you feel threatened, unsafe, or don’t respect what you’re doing—you are likely going to go back to the habit you are trying to change. Take deep breaths in your belly and realize there are no real threats.
Celebrate moments of joy—it’s easy to overlook progress or moment of joy but try to actively celebrate them. Write down small moments in a journal, take photos, or tell someone you’re sharing a joyful moment with.
Self-awareness is key to personal development. It can help us identify old biological, social, mental, or emotional patterns. The work here—shall we choose to embark on it—can help us undo generations of harmful habits, thoughts, or behaviors. By focusing on what we want and who we want to be and focusing on self-trust and respect in the process, we can become a more gracious version of ourselves.