There is no doubt that in the self-work to develop and awaken the consciousness, there is a great importance on establishing a responsible Observer.
Becoming the Observer is more than just thinking about yourself. It really is a different state of mind. Whether you are doing meditation, mindfulness practices, therapy, or other personal development work, becoming the observer is a critical skill to learn in order to make personal changes.
Without the Observer (which means an uninvolved I, who is busy observation and reporting) – the danger of identifying with positive or negative aspects relating to oneself is uppermost. Dangerous for those who start the journey of awakening consciousness, for without the observer one can lose himself in identification and before he knows it he experiences a deep and powerful personal – psychological crash.
And for those who didn’t begin their journey for enlightenment yet, the continuation of identifying, will ground them to the personal level and will avoid any development of consciousness – in the possible future.
So how do you establish an active Observer? One that won’t go to sleep whenever one falls into identification?
Well, you can make a list of questions which are very important to ask yourself, so that you (part of you) can become indeed an intelligent observer.
Here are 4 basic groups of questions. (Which could be printed nicely on cards and put them on all kinds of places; in a drawer, in your agenda, in the car, etc).
One needs to understand that these questions are supposed to cover dead areas, regarding the awareness of the person towards what is happening in him. And in fact, most areas are without awareness (amongst other things), because of constant identification.
In the ordinary state of consciousness people do not have the right distance to understand what is happening in them. Asking these questions is supposed to keep a part in you awake, so the old/sleepy parts will not destroy the little consciousness you have or you wish to build. Asking these questions will maintain a small consciousness army in you at all times.
The questions are divided into four sections: the emotional, the physical, the mental and the social.
A. On the emotional level
- what is the level of my emotions?
- What is the state of my emotions, how do I feel?
- What kind of emotion do I have inside me?
- Did my emotions pass the 30% limit? Did they pass the limit regarding the heat and the volume?
- What is the percentage of the negative emotions?
- How easily I get fast or angry? Or exited?
- How much inner quiet there is inside me now?
B. On the physical level - where in my body is my gravity point?
- What is heavy in me, what is light?
- Do I have any tingling sensations, itchiness, tiredness or extra energy, and if yes, then where?
- What is the state of my eyes? Are they narrowed? Closed? Wide open?
- What about my hands, are in a fist? Are they crossed? Are they drumming? Are they lose? Where are they placed?
*My posture and the way I sit, is it loose? Is it straight, or slump?? Is my chest outwards or inwards?
*Are my legs spread or together?
In short: what does my body language say about my state? Am I fast slow?. All these things say something about my state. Has a meaning. And then what is the conclusion I draw out of the meaning?
C. On the mental level - what am I thinking about?
- How many of my thoughts are about me?
- How much of them are negative?
- What is the gravity point of my thoughts?
- Am I thinking forcefully, with effort or at ease, in a flow?
D. On the social level - what is my attitude towards others right now?
- What am I transmitting to others?
- What am I projecting to them?
- What is the level of my tolerance towards the other?
- am I creating a dialogue or a monologue, and am I actively listening?
- Do I want to talk with people at all? And if yes, with whom and what about?
- What is the level of support or objection that I am transmitting right now? Or transmitted in the last conversation?
- Is it easy to get along with me lately? If not, why not?
These 4 questions are regarding the emotions, the body, the thoughts and communication.
It should be done preferably by handwriting, in a special notebook, after you answer the 4 questions write few lines of interpretation (second pulse), and conclusion (third pulse).
Gabriel Raam
26 of June 2009
Gabriel