It can happen when WE change, when we grow. Then even if all the parameters are known and we are in the good old surroundings, suddenly the known becomes the unknown, for we have outgrown the old. We then have to craft new skills, unlearn and relearn.
Conditioning can also become a handicap.
So if conditioning helps and hinders, how do we keep the part that helps and work around the part it hinders?
This is where Awareness comes in.
What is awareness?
Awareness is being present in the moment. The ability to observe ourselves, ponder about it, and derive conclusions.
The ability to discern. To be able to know when something is serving and when something is not.
The actions that follow are a natural outcome of this very powerful ability.
Awareness is a sublime state where you have the opportunity to be your best.
Awareness unleashes creativity.
Awareness gives you choice.
It gives you the opportunity to exercise free will, whereas conditioning takes away the power of choice from us.
You have the choice to be whatever you want to be not what someone else wants you to be.
Awareness means giving yourself permission to be true to yourself, because you means that you are open to seeing and accepting whatever revelations or truths that come up about you, pleasant or not.
Awareness requires strength of character, for it might make us aware to unpleasant realities. It takes strength to look them in the eye, confront them and deal with them.
Awareness helps us lead an authentic life.
Awareness has brought social revolution, political change, created literary masterpieces and forged science ahead. In short awareness has forged progress and rescued our civilizations from ignorance, stagnation und extinction.
Being self-aware is an asset whose value cannot be overestimated. Awareness of our emotions, our reactions, our sensations, feelings and thoughts is the first step to being in control of them. For the greatest battle is not against an enemy external, but with thyself.
It was King Ashoka’s awareness at the battle of Kalinga in 261 BC that ended blind ambition, bloodshed, suffering and established a prosperous and peaceful reign in the subcontinent of India thereafter till his death. Even after successful waging and winning the war, he was pained by the meaningless suffering of the stricken. His awareness of the consequences of his decisions and deeds was what transformed this King into a benevolent ruler, benefactor of many, transforming, healing and growing an entire nation.
It was Newton’s awareness that things fall down that led to then revolutionary idea of Earth’s gravity.
It was political awareness of his times that prompted Shakespeare to pen down his now legendary masterpiece, Richard the third. His awareness and subsequent observations of human behaviour that led to the much acclaimed play Hamlet.
It was awareness of the prevalent systems, their effects on the peoples that led to the downfall of feudalism and the Monarchy in the early to middle 20th Century and gave rise to Democracy.
In all these examples, we see that awareness brings change, brings something new that is experienced as being better than before.