Exploring Awareness

The Courage To Be Your True Self

Finding Peace and Joy in the most unlikely places seems impossible given the way things are going in the world. In this episode we continue to explore how connecting to a stable inner core can be accomplished, no matter what the situation. Exploring the words “faith” and “courage”, and incorporating a guided mediation, we describe our own experiences and journeys working with these concepts. With quotes and poems from David Whyte, Adyshanti and Mark Nepo, we explore how we can become free from “life draining patterns” and have a life that reflects the “mysterious inner core of our being”.

Why can’t I figure this stuff out?

There is a difference between figuring something out and letting it be. Meditation and awareness practices are about letting things, people, situations be – as they are. Our powerful, amazing and analytical brain- a great tool- will try to figure this stuff out. When we talk about exploring awareness, there is another layer to access to how we are in the world, something beyond figuring it out. Instead of trying to figure something out exploring awareness invites us watch the brain try to figure it out and see whatever happens from an awareness perspective. It doesn’t mean a passive acceptance of injustice or wrong, but it does mean seeing what is – to which you can respond from a deeper sense instead of reacting unconsciously.

Why would you want to do this? Perhaps there is a yearning to experience something different or to connect to something deeper. Doing these practices, there can be a return to a deeper core and sense of self- a process is this questioning of all those ideas that you had about yourself. When you get to a point where you feel really whole and complete, there comes a sense of spaciousness and a sense of oneness which is a feeling of returning home.

We spend a bit of time in this episode talking about judgments, as judging people is a very common, unconscious reaction that leads to a very limited and uninteresting way of being. From an awareness perspective, the figuring and judging from the brain becomes an action just like breathing- something we can be aware of, and in that awareness is spacious solid ground that allows an authentic response guided by love, peace, joy and generosity- no matter what the situation and no matter what conditions, habits and beliefs say. Are you going to be able to figure that one out? That’s where the paradox comes in. To be in an open, receptive, spacious place that may take some effort or discipline of sitting and meditating and entering your day in a different way. Effortless effort begins to unfold as you get more experienced with meditation. Instead of having to sit and meditate, the whole day becomes a meditation.

Finding your own “home” in spaciousness anywhere you are, is a very personal experience, not something you figure out.

In this first Episode, Frank and Lisa set the stage with an interesting discussion of awareness, meditation and mindfulness, explore the question - Who Are You - and provide a brief guided awareness meditation at the end.

In this episode, Frank and Lisa explore a very freeing concept - awareness of awareness. The discussion revolves around using mindfulness tools to discover that we are all connected in ways that we can’t “think”. It is a “felt sense”, sometimes spontaneously experienced in fleeting glimpses, but here we take a closer look of something larger, bigger. They discuss how many religions use different words to try to express this idea, but words fall short. You’ve heard that we are homo sapiens (which means the ape that is aware) – but did you know we are a sub species called homo sapien sapien- the ape that is aware that it is aware? Embedded in this categorization is a suggestion that the fullest expression of being a human is the capacity for something greater. It is only through human awareness that the universe knows that it exists. This realization opens so much space, and provides relief to know that you are more than your personality, conditions and habits. From this comes a great sense of joy- and ultimately the realization of the unity of all beings! They acknowledge that this is challenging, as opening to this realization can lead to a fear of losing something you think is true, but actually opens to so much more without losing anything. Being patient and non-judgmental with yourself is a tremendous act of compassion. Since you can’t “think” this- a guided “awareness of awareness” meditation is included in this episode to facilitate this realization.

It is with a very heavy and grieving heart that I share with you that Lisa Barry the co-host and co-founder of the Exploring Awareness podcast died unexpectedly on November 30, 2021. In this episode, we grieve together using David Whyte's poem entitled The Well of Grief, and a guided meditation, with emphasis on mindfulness of the emotion of grief using the RAIN acronym of recognize, acknowledge/accept, investigate and nurture. This is tragic, unexpected and challenges everything we discuss in this podcast, while at the same time allows us an opportunity to grieve with grace, and somehow find peace.