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“Until you make the subconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
Carl jung
Most people are living asleep. They are running their show based on learned ideas, cultural norms and past experiences – rarely questioning their own thoughts and beliefs. They do not understand that their beliefs are creating their realities, and the power they have to change their realities, simply by changing their thoughts.
When I was in college, I fell madly in love with the transcendentalists, especially Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, who were inspired by, and anchored in self-reliance. They were opposed to collective consciousness, which is a set of common, shared beliefs, ideas and moral attitudes that operate as a unifying force within a society, much like a virus. This un-enlightened force typically results in consumerism, prejudice and fear – propagated by mass media.
We all operate to some degree within this collective consciousness. It is how we relate to one another. However, for many people this is their only road map for navigating life, which leads to a life created unconsciously or by default – leaving them feeling completely dis-empowered and at the mercy of external forces – ignorant to their inherent, amazing powers of manifestation, self-healing and creation.
My work is greatly inspired by transcendentalism, which is “spirituality internalized” – recognizing that we are all one of the same stuff – call it stardust, Divine Intelligence, God. It goes by many names – and that we are capable of being, doing and having more than we can fathom.
Once we become aware of our magnificence, we can then become the great artists and architects of our lives – consciously evolving and creating as we go, knowing that we are free to express as we wish.
And here are seven signs that YOU are living awake…
1. You study.
You question everything. Your curious mind seeks truth and justice. You detest being spoon-fed information and are skeptical about most things until you can validate them yourself. You read and listen to the great mystics, poets, philosophers and teachers who speak of timeless wisdom. When you hear the truth, you know it. When you hear fear and propaganda, you know it – and avoid it. You are mindful about feeding your psyche with things that nourish it.
Albert Einstein reminds us, “The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
You are resourceful and research best practices for yourself – including diet, exercise and healthcare – you’re not interested in following the hot trend, unless it speaks to your soul.
2. You practice meditation.
You treat your mind with reverence and give it adequate rest by meditating. You understand the nature of the monkey mind and take initiative to calm and re-direct your mind at will. You seek and provide peaceful environments for yourself, so you can hear your high-self and holy guidance, which you know, is always available to you. You’ve learned to turn everyday activities into moments of meditation and can access that place readily – like when you fold laundry, drive or take a walk.
3. You are patient.
You’ve learned to trust your inner wisdom and give it time to formulate the words and guidance necessary for right action to take place. You no longer waste your precious energy trying to control circumstances or make things happen. You let go of society’s “shoulds” and run your own race – knowing and trusting that your evolution is right on time.
You appreciate divine timing and acknowledge the universal law of gestation. Your inner mantra is, “wait for it…” knowing full well it is on its way.
4. You have amazing powers of observation.
Instead of going down the rabbit hole with the hysteria of mass media, you have become an astute observer of it, realizing that the story you are witnessing is only a portion of it, or simply an opinion. You watch, wait and formulate your own ideas and opinions based on your internal guidance system. You practice non-reaction.
You reject advertising and marketing strategies that leverage a type of mass herding or promote fear and disease. You sense the perversion behind big business and opt out – reclaiming your individuality and intelligence.
Henry David Thoreau reminds us, “Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.”
You have zero interest in being a slave.
5. You keep yourself in check.
You are keenly aware that human beings run primarily on unconscious or subconscious thoughts, so you regularly check in with yourself and practice mindfulness. You have tools and technologies that help you sort through your belief files, discarding thoughts and beliefs that no longer serve you or run the show.
You are aware of your thinking and practice visualization daily to exercise your conscious thinking. When you feel or behave out of sorts, you mindfully ask yourself, “What is running the show right now? Where is this thought coming from?” You take the time to hear the answer and clear what needs clearing before proceeding – for your sake and for the sake of those around you.
Emerson said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” You understand that humans, including yourself, are creatures of habit, and so, you are constantly assessing yours – swapping out habits that no longer serve you for new and improved ones. You’re flexible like that.
6. You are keenly aware of collective consciousness.
You have an awareness and respect about where you come from. You recognize family norms, societal and religious influences, mass media, marketing and advertising and see it all for what it is: information… stories told to you by other people.
Your innovative mind can see and appreciate trends and popular culture. The beauty is that you make deliberate and conscious decisions for yourself about what you enjoy and what you wish to participate in.
You pick and choose the thoughts, beliefs and norms that work in alignment with your awakened self – discarding the rest. Giving them no power or attention. You stand confidently in your individuality.
7. You have an open and child-like mind.
You don’t pretend to know it all, because you know you don’t. In fact, you’re careful to share information that is based on your truth and not recycled, un-examined or meaningless data that potentially perpetuates ignorance or fear.
You are open to new ideas and perspectives, always willing to consider a fresh viewpoint – considering that you only use ten to twelve percent of your brain at a time – and that your perspective is somewhat limited. This is why you study so much. You are thirsty for knowledge and enjoy the gifts and beauty that life offers. You explore everything with fresh eyes giving little credit to information handed down to you. You enjoy discovering things yourself and forging your own way.
The Buddha once said, “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can, and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
Now take a breath…
Remember a time when you experienced an epiphany about something – a time when you thought an original thought or caught a glimpse into a new reality. Feel the liberation and inspiration that transpired. What does your body feel like? What does your mind feel like?
Breathe in loving kindness and say to yourself…
- I am awake, alive and aware.
- I am guided by my high self.
- I observe my thoughts and decide which ones to keep and which ones to discard.
- My mind is clear, and I trust my intuition – it knows everything and is guided by a higher consciousness.
- I have amazing powers of observation.
- I am inquisitive and question everything.
- I am a unique, spirit-filled individual running my own race, while expressing my one-of-a-kind style.
Embody that which you are wanting to become – envision your most authentic and divinely inspired self – and know that… you’ve got this.
