This week is Thunderbird Wellness Week, a time designed to lift spirits and foster connections among T-birds. As we mark the beginning of Wellness Week, first-year student Jonas Narh shared his perspective on awareness with Das Tor.
A thinking mind knows only two places: the past and the future, but neither ever truly exists. The future is merely an imagination, while the past is essentially memory. The present, this very moment, is all that has ever been and will forever be. Everything is always happening now, at once, and you are always here.
Life is not subject to time because time only exists in the context of the physical aspect of existence. Your body is physical, so it changes as the clock ticks. Sadly, most people cannot even distinguish between their bodies and who they are, and you are definitely not your mind. Those who attempt tend to believe they are a “soul,” “spirit,” or something that they have never experienced. How can you not know you? You are life!
“Body and mind are tools given to you so that you live, not that you get enslaved by those two tools.” – Sadhguru
I am not insinuating that you should not think; that is a very juvenile way to look at it. I am just challenging you to think and act consciously. I want you to hear yourself speaking, know when you are thinking, and look outside when you are outside. If you analyze your thoughts carefully, you will realize that just one thought can lead to many other thoughts of which you would not have thought if you were in control. Well, you have control, but to what degree? Attaining a high level of control over your mind does not happen overnight; it takes time and effort. I recommend you begin by reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
In the absence of the future and past, the here and now is the beauty of life! Prejudice is based on the past, and without prejudice, everything is beautiful! The future, just like the past, steals the present from you, and you get lost in that which does not exist. The only solution is awareness! If you are aware you are either in the past or the future in your thoughts, then you have not lost grip of the present.
You can enhance your awareness by elevating your consciousness with the daily things you do. Examples of such things are breathing, eating, bathing, speaking, listening, and walking. I started with breathing. I used to sit down for minutes with my eyes closed to observe myself breathing. The inhalation and exhalation, how peaceful! Peace, love, and joy are always found in the here and now. For a more advanced reading on this subject, check out Be Here Now by Ram Dass.
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