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Dr. K is so cool. I’ve learned so much from him. Like how the heck does he know all of this? Must be a wizard or something
Thanks Dr. K I now have Lvl. 99 hyper vigilance
Valuable
Omg I literally discovered this method by accident when I was fcking 8 years old. I was inspired by all the stuff my dad was saying about awareness, and at daycare I would occasionally grab a chair, go sit in the corner, and stare at a single bolt in the wall for as long as I could, and dragging my attention back any time I found my awareness wandering.
I also would do this method when I had trouble getting to sleep, but by picturing a sort of ebbing and flowing void in my head that matches my breathing.
It actually seriously really works. You're teaching your brain to utilize those neural connections. Its like trying to flex a muscle that youve never really paid attention to before. At first, you cant seem to grasp it, but it makes more sense the more you do it.
Singing bowl is easy.
Try drawing a dot on the wall and focusing on it for an hour.
I do this with my guitar sometimes when I’m feeling scattered in my practice; pluck one note, and let it ring, hear the note bloom then fade. Very centering.
This is my exact problem. I’ve told my friend a lot that I have this problem and I’ve been meditating to help it. I’ve not been doing it as he said tho so I’ll start
My friends, thought is not awareness.
Awareness is the space in which thought appears.
You cannot have “too much” awareness. Only too much identification with thought (or emotion, or whatever else is arising).
Which itself is not a problem, as much as a very painful experience, the cause of most (perhaps all) suffering.
If you are actually self aware, you are aware you are not the self, but awareness. YOU are aware OF the self, which is not you. You are the space in which this “self” appears.
Repression or judgement of thought is just more thought identification. You don’t need to control thoughts, or emotions. Only become aware, and realize you are awareness. Then whatever arises doesn’t matter. It can be amusing, not serious, not dangerous.
It is no challenge or special event to become aware. You can do it right now. It isn’t really a doing, but sensing, feeling. Keep shifting attention from objects to the space in which they appear. Thoughts are objects that appear in the space of your awareness, which is your essence, your nature. This is the only step, taken again and again.
I say this as a practitioner, who has found this to be true by experience – not as a master, not as a judge. The human mind is quite naturally insane, and I experience that as much as anyone! Nothing is so serious 🙃
I always knew there was too much of everything but didn't think it would be for awareness too. Thanks Dr. K!
Im one of those that’s probably too self aware for therapy since I learned about lots of my perceived issues through self study.
But I also learned to cope by isolating in my head, daydreaming, and gaming. So, I am very disconnected to my true state of being and things around me.
So Im guessing I need to practice more mindfulness AND this awareness focusing. 😅
This is brilliant on a deep cognitive level for focus in general. Kudos.
Ever since i took LSD a few years ago, my mind has evolved to becoming way too aware to the point it can become overwhelming, i used to be the complete opposite, where i had no idea what was going on in any social situation, now, i see everything through 20/20 vision, im grateful for it but at times, it can be overwhelming
I once had a hearing test that had a simulair effect. You'd hear a beep at irregular intervals and had to press a button when you heard it and it got lower in volume every time. At some point it got hard to hear over the sound of a pounding heartbeat. This was a required test to get a taxi license xD
What do you do when you’re deaf then?
Thanks for this Dr K! I've done this before staring at a tennis ball for 15 minutes. I felt my eyesight, attention to detail, and ability to maintain focus was strengthened. I will get back into this habit now!😁
Dharna. will use this
drishti
I love this. I often joke how I miss the days when I was less self-aware. I’m like obsessed with myself.😂 …not in the fun arrogant way. lol
I over think my self into panic attacks regularly. This is why I hate software engineering I have to read code and figure and untangle logic all day and I think myself into panic mode I end up getting an adrenaline dump because I'm stressed out all day all week all month all year and my body just doesn't know wtf is going on and fires into panic mode. I got fired in feb after 7 years and OMG I been sleeping 8 hrs a day its awesome but yea I need a job, just don't think tech is it. Maybe it's the company I was at sucked and had no wlb.
I'm very self-aware, and even then I recognize that I certainly need therapy for certain reasons.
The only reason I'm not is that I'm feckin' broke and can't afford it at the moment.
Also: the Singing Bowl unfortunately won't work for me because I'm gradually losing my hearing. I can try to focus on it but all I'll hear is the stupid tinnitus.
Someone else mentioned a candle. Would that work?
Would a metronome be a good substitute?
Great tip re the bowl, thank you👌
Wow… this gave me goosebumps..
Or just play football, go surfing or whatever, something that focuses your thoughts on one or few specific things like a mantra. Same effect.
Wondering if creative pursuits can be used similarly; drawing, writing etc
I am and it causes me to feel more stressed.
When the Matrix meets Fight Club
This would be great for emotional regulation practices.
That's what being an audiophile is like when listening to the quality & fidelity of FLAC audio!
Attuned means FLAC, & basic is MP3.
Guys you can also do tratak
I love when Dr K brings the Indian wisdom to his videos
Ah yes, I forgot, I wanted to learn meditation 😂 before si got betrayed and traumatised 😂 im comming back to life. Thanks for riminder.
Ooooh, I do this with nature. The birds and bugs. Also fire
Neat!
does closing your eyes and listening to the same song over and over again without sleeping count?
Love it, but I'd like to know how to address when someone wants to do this who has hearing loss
Me with tinnitus: aw hell naw
I will try this