Exploring Awareness

It is with a very heavy and grieving heart that I share with you that  Lisa Barry the co-host and co-founder of the Exploring Awareness podcast died unexpectedly on November 30, 2021. In this episode, we grieve together using David Whyte's poem entitled The Well of Grief, and a guided meditation, with emphasis on mindfulness of the emotion of grief using the RAIN acronym of recognize, acknowledge/accept, investigate and nurture. This is tragic, unexpected and challenges everything we discuss in this podcast, while at the same time allows us an opportunity to grieve with grace, and somehow find peace.   

There is a deep place of connection within each of us, that is shared by all. In today's world, distractions, conditions, and inflexible ideas pull us away from the present moment and our connection to each other. In this episode, we focus on the word RETURN as an invitation and intention to connect to a deeper sense of presence, an authentic sense of being -  a return to mindful awareness and a return to a felt sense of the unity of all beings. This is about a realization and being on a path to our own awakening, to a return of our original self while at the same time shared with all in a common consciousness. 

Episode # 61: The Myth of Self Improvement The self-improvement industry thrives on a fundamental myth that there is something wrong with you that needs to be improved. Where does the idea that “I'm not ok” come from in the first place? In this episode, we turn the idea of self-improvement on its head. What if you are already  fine and don't need to be fixed? Although your mind may not allow you to believe this, exploring awareness and discovering the qualities at the core of your being leads to a realization of who you really are.  These realizations render self-improvement projects un-necessary. Instead, you are infused with a loving presence and the Joy of being. You just may start to notice that you move around informed by like wisdom and peace and joy and love and generosity as opposed to being informed by preconceived ideas of defensiveness and ego attachment and competition-the source of the need for self-improvement in the first place. By giving yourself the gift that this is a possibility, return to the self that never needed improvement happens organically.

Episode 60: Exploring Awareness Of Dualistic Thinking And Its Impact Opinions, advice and judgments tend to be experienced as having to be either this way or that way with little room in between, There is your way- which you might feel is the right, usual, customary, comfortable way and then there is the other way – which may seem wrong, not usual and not comfortable. This very common tendency is called dualistic thinking. In this episode, we bring compassionate awareness to this tendency and explore how it brings reactions instead of responses. Being aware of the dynamic of dualistic thinking stops the "autopilot" reaction providing then an opportunity to see what is occurring and realize things may not be that straightforward. Going deeper, through exploring awareness, allows the unconscious to become conscious- getting to the root of unconsciousness and bias. From this place of deep awareness, life doesn't fit into boxes. Now, freedom from duality and an opportunity to act from a place of peace, joy, love and generosity arises. .

Episode 59: Could Your Natural State Be Loving Awareness? A popular Ram Dass quote- “The natural state of the mind is pure love, which is not other than pure awareness”- sums up much of the dialogue in exploring awareness podcast episodes. The conditions in our current moment in history could lead one away from an open hearted loving awareness to a small and aggressive protective stance that can  be amplified by the loudest voices on TV, radio and social media.   It is possible to realize an identity as awareness and experience the state of the true mind as love. In this episode, we include a guided meditation to point the way to HOW you may start or continue a journey towards these realizations.  Listen and ask yourself – Is it time to move on from an adolescent, ego-centric perspective, or from a locked in, negative curmudgeon perspective of closed minded adulthood to a loving awareness perspective that will make the world a better place for you and those around you?

Episode 58: Are Judgements Blocking You from Peace and Happiness? Judging, putting people into categories, assigning negative attributes, sticking with first impressions, even ghosting can become a personal and community norm performed without thought or consciousness. Self judgement as well stems from our experience with families and other cultural groups who judged us and made it seem normal.  In this episode, we look at the roots of  judgement by becoming aware that we are judging, and then exploring the awareness of the thoughts and emotions that lead to judgment. Some definitions of mindfulness include a phrase that suggests we pay attention in a certain way "non-judgmentally". Although we can't force ourselves to stop judging by just using using our mind, we can use mindfulness techniques to explore awareness,  watching  judgments arise, dissolve and fall away. The freedom that comes from this practice will then give you an opportunity to respond rather than react, you will be happier and so will the people around you. 

Episode 57: How the Awareness of Change Can Lead to Peace and Ease Change is part of the human experience. Welcome change can be fun and challenging, unwelcome change can lead to resistance and stagnation. Changes imposed by family or work situations can be especially difficult to accept, especially if they appear without warning.  In this episode, we discuss a perspective that emerges from exploring awareness of change. Instead of the change occupying the thoughts and energy, a shift occurs to where the awareness of the change, and its effects on thoughts and emotions transforms these conditions into present moment awareness, where everything is stable, peaceful and calm. It may seem counterintuitive, but a realization of the impermanence of all things provides a stability and groundedness that allow us to respond instead of react,

Forcing oneself to "accept things as they are" or asking others to, sets up conflict, invokes defensiveness and leads to stuck, judgmental feelings. Exploring awareness leads to a spaciousness where the present moment event is allowed to be what it is- good or bad.  This is not the same as allowing bad things to happen if they can be prevented- but if an event has occurred, becoming aware opens a compassionate channel through which we can move. “What you resist – persists” and “the only way out is through”. Practicing awareness though regular  mindfulness meditation opens  compassionate awareness so that both wonderful and adverse events can be experienced with grace.

What is the Mind, and is the Mind just the neurological activity of the brain?. Although we don't solve this problem in this episode, this question helps create an "exploring awareness" perspective. By becoming aware of the brain as an amazing resource similar to computer hardware and software, the part of us that is aware becomes activated and realized.  With the realization of awareness comes a freedom experienced as spaciousness, open heartedness, open mindedness. When you're no longer locked into the neurological habits of your brain and you have woken up to identity as awareness then there's love, peace, joy, generosity and the ability for a sense of awe and wisdom and response instead of reaction.

When you're aware you're aware- that is another level of existence that has an opportunity for some real peace and love and a real authentic experience with this very precious human life. It's so precious and rare and it doesn't last that long and there are so many ways that you can use it, so why not use it for good?    

Episode 54: How Awareness Can Lead to Forgiveness and Self Compassion "Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past."- this quote by Lily Tomlin asks us to realize that the past is over, and failing to forgive keeps us locked in the habitual thoughts and judgements that keep us small and confined. In this episode, we discuss forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others as part of the realization of ourselves as awareness for the benefit of ourselves and others. This is part of the Big Fun Journey that exploring awareness can be- and this episode also provides  a guided meditation to make it real, not just talk.

What would it take to find Awe in a brick? How to experience Awe everyday is the topic of this episode. We discuss how there is a constant opportunity to connect at a deeper level and to be aware of what is happening in the present moment -as it is -without judgement, analyzing or overthinking. To allow yourself to be in the present moment and allow what's happening to happen – a sense of Awe will emerge as a wonderful feeling of connection. By taking the opportunity to be present, to be aware, there is a sense of relief that there is a larger way of being which also unearths a sense of love and peace and joy found in  present moment -not from the past or future. Awe becomes the experience of seeing things for the first time, every time! The deeper we look, and the more present we are, the more Awe we discover- and we may find that we are the mystery we are looking at! In this episode, also enjoy an Awe-Inspiring guided meditation.

While we often have great intentions to practice meditation and awareness, lack of a framework leads to inconsistency. In this episode, we discuss the foundations of practice from Adyashanti's  book The Way of Liberation and provide a guided meditation to help get the practice started. 

Episode 50: Exploring Awareness to Experience Unity Mindfulness practices and exploring awareness can lead to a deep realization and experience of Unity. When we practice the 4 foundations of mindfulness and get a sense of our true identity as pure awareness a deep realization emerges. Experiences of Unity first come and go in glimpses then become seen through a clear window. Understanding gets deeper and integrates into daily life. As conditioned beliefs and habitual thought patterns start to fall away, we begin to realize that we all share  one unconditioned place unified in a field of awareness. Beyond words, the guided meditation in this episode helps one get familiar with an experience of awareness and unity.

Episode 49: Finding Joy in Knowing What Makes You Tick A “Joy that has no opposite” can be realized when we use mindfulness techniques to explore awareness. Happiness is wonderful too, but - as an emotion - comes and goes. The “Joy of Being” is always present. We discuss Joy as an essence of authentic human life that gets covered up by habitual thinking, discursive thoughts, and the overwhelm of negative information coming into our lives every day. Our usual ways of thinking, creating expectations, making judgments, reacting to news, making plans- all are part of what “makes us tick”. By exploring the awareness of what “makes us tick”, a perspective shift occurs as we begin to identify with the deeper sense of awareness where the “Joy of Being” is gradually realized. Interestingly, as we work with this, what “makes us tick” will migrate towards the innate qualities of Joy, Peace, Love and Generosity – charting a path for an open hearted life with less suffering that is open and helpful to others.

Episode 48 : Awareness of the Present Moment Plus a Mediation for Sleeplessness The actions of our mind are a wonderful gift as we enjoy past memories, solve problems and plan for the future.  Taken to extremes however, our minds can come up with the details of past events so vivid, it is as if we are reliving them over and over again. Future events can be created as well, so a future scenario seems to be completely true even though it hasn’t happened yet!  These mental creations can lead to stress, anxiety and trouble sleeping, and trying to get rid of them can make it worse! When you become truly “aware” this is happening, a shift occurs. In this episode, we talk about how using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness can activate the “awareness mind”, where we become aware of our thoughts, aware of awareness, and in that awareness find a place of peace and calm. Sometimes, recreating past and future scenarios occur when we are trying to sleep. A calm and dark room does not have the distractions that our daytime activities provide so the mind can really go. In this episode, we provide a guided meditation to help you see the thoughts and reactions for what they are, then you can “rest as awareness” and see what happens. Practicing exploring awareness during the day is a great way to prepare for those restless nights.

Episode 47: Enjoying Awareness – A Big Fun Journey! Meditation and spiritual awareness opens up a wonderful sense of freedom and expansion that reflects an ever present inner sense of being. During the sometimes difficult work of spiritual practice, we catch glimpses of residing inner peace only to get pulled down the rabbit hole to more difficulties. Some people say –its hard work! Nevertheless, there is a choice to be made between the “cold comfort” of the known habits and thought patterns and the freedom that comes from practicing present moment awareness. It’s hard to explain in words, and this episode has a guided meditation for practice.  

How conscious are you of the words that you speak? Where do the words come from and what do they represent? Words are one way to communicate, and in this episode, we explore the awareness of what is happening in our mind that generates the words we use. Words used habitually, reflexively, and not formed with awareness may not represent the inner dimension of peace, love, joy and equanimity. Consider words a sound that you make, and that there is a choice about what those sounds are and what you want to those sounds to represent. Exploring awareness and finding your  base of peace, joy, love and equanimity allows a place from where the words you choose represent you’re your own truth.

“Being mindful” means more than just the ability to focus or pay attention. Being mindful doesn’t mean getting rid of thoughts or getting to a relaxed state. Being mindful is not about something we need to do to gain something. In this episode, we discuss the “how” of mindfulness, we break down the definition and learn how to utilize mindfulness techniques to open to a place of mindful and loving awareness.  You will naturally experience a sense of peace, love, joy and generosity- something that you already have no matter what your situation. It’s a return to that!  

Looking to a Post-Covid World- what are we learning? The Covid pandemic is giving the world a long pause from routine and turning expectations upside down.  Even as we may be nearing the end, this past year provided time to go inward, to see what is important, and note what may or may not have been working in life. Some did not have such a luxury and continued an even more frantic life fraught with risk and fear. Either way, the pandemic year taught us some valuable lessons and asked us to try something different, to shift perspective to experiencing life in the present -as it  without resistance and then respond instead of react. Here, we discuss how this perspective change comes about using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness.

Episode 43: Loving Awareness and the Freedom it Provides When one is mindful, a quality of “deep awareness”  opens to wonderous opportunity for discovery and freedom. We call this now a BIG FUN JOURNEY.  No longer are we just acting like robots running on autopilot, no longer just reacting to painful or pleasurable events - we are seeing the big picture, taking things apart and looking at them as they are and responding in new and authentic ways. Cultivating the ability to be aware of everything in the present moment leads to a FELT SENSE of a deeper place experienced as love, peace, joy and generosity. The term Loving Awareness is a good term increasingly being used that captures the felt sense of living in the world with awareness. Loving awareness comes from loving the present moment as resisting only causes more problems. Loving awareness allows us to move from reaction to response, and as it becomes more and more part of life, a realization emerges that loving awareness is the source of self-compassion, and unconditional love for all.

Episode 42: Thoughts are important, but do they define who you are?   As we explore the various methods and issues in mindfulness and awareness, we often hear about how “ you are not your thoughts”. This is often said by experienced teachers to people starting out - and to the thinking mind, this does not make any sense whatsoever. If a mind is thinking, what else could it be?  Defensiveness and fear arise if we start to entertain an idea that who we are isn’t who we “think” we are. This whole idea can seem threatening if you haven’t been meditating and practicing exploring awareness. In this episode, Frank and Lisa  take this “idea” apart and use the exploring awareness concepts to bring it to awareness. Bringing all thoughts into awareness, even the thoughts about how this doesn’t make sense, opens up a new sense of self that is experienced beyond thoughts.  When you have realized this opportunity in human experience you too will realize that - I am not my thoughts. Nothing is going to be lost AND a new authentic freedom grounded in peace, love, joy and generosity will be there waiting for your return. 

Episode# 41: The Art of Healing  Your body is constantly wanting to heal itself, but the question is “how” to heal. Healing is a return to balance and wholeness - exploring awareness brings imbalance into view reconnection to a balanced core bringing a sense of healing. In this episode, we discuss the difference between curing and healing, and explain how using mindfulness meditation techniques to open to awareness unleashes a wellspring of healing energy – for self-healing and guiding others to their own healing.    

Episode #40: Are you a Human Doing or a Human Being? We “do” lots of things- that’s what life seems to be all about.  Many of the things we do are fun, some are not, and some just need to get done. The never ending list of things to do is always there, even if they are not written down. Meditation is probably somewhere on that list -may be near the bottom -making it seem unlikely, time consuming, and difficult to fit in the schedule. However, the essence of meditation is not a “doing” but is “being”- and “being” never goes anywhere. Sure, it can be clouded over by “doing” but “being” is a natural state. Meditation then becomes a way to become familiar with that sense of “being”. Exploring the awareness of “being” clears the clouds of obstruction and allows the present moment to be what it is, even during all of doing of the things that need to get done. There is an opportunity here to wake up to the truth of being. No matter what the conditions are in the world, opening to a shift in perspective away from identifying with all of those conditions to an identification of pure presence and of pure being may provide the answer.  This creates a feeling of “don’t know” which could be the source of all wisdom- as Socrates famously observed, “I know one thing, that I know nothing.”

Synchronicity and Intuition   When you explore awareness, fun things can happen!  In this episode, we discuss Synchronicity- a concept made popular by psychiatrist   Carl Jung who said that synchronicities are “meaningful or even miraculous coincidences that occur in your life” which are “experiences that seem far more significant than day to day encounters.”  Yet, to see them happen in life requires a sense of presence, “Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have the eyes to see.” A rational, concrete, analytical mind could be dismissive to a perceived synchronicity and discount them as mere coincidence, but presence and awareness transforms a coincidence into synchronicity! Once you start seeing them, you may get a sense that you are more in the flow of life and move around in the world with more intuition as being present and mindful allows one to start picking up on things that weren’t noticed before. These qualities are emergent from meditation practices, and the guided meditation in this episode is a way to get started.

Episode 38: Lessons From The First Year-The Anniversary Episode The exploring awareness podcast is a year old, and in this episode, Frank and Lisa discuss how the podcast got started, and their experiences over the year.  “Exploring Awareness” has become a question - an invitation to a journey toward a way of being that includes and then goes beyond thoughts and emotions. All year, the discussion has been about how to apply mindfulness techniques to explore “awareness” and how this leads to connection to the deeper insights into the truth of life.  Mindfulness allows us to recognize and accept the present moment, and awareness allows us to transform them into presence. The phase “yes, and” is a good phrase to remember – “yes” to what is in the present moment – good or bad, plus “and” – which is the awareness that transforms and leads to healing. The “and” points to the fact that even if the present moment has pain or fear, there is another way. Awareness is a way.

Episode 37: What Is Your New Year’s Intention? The start of a new year brings opportunity. Instead of the typical “New Year’s Resolution”, why not consider a “New Year’s Intention” of exploring the possibility of another way of being in the world  beyond what our current situations and culture offer. Some intentions of course can be practical and make a lot of sense, but here we discuss deeper intentions of connection to core, finding inner peace and moving through the world on solid ground. We discuss an Adyashanti quote- “The truest intention is something that we receive rather than something we create”. When we do the work to connect to something deeper and timeless, we connect to the deepest sense of peace, joy, love and generosity- and these then become intentions that emerge from within- from the bottom up – that guide a life that’s yours. And, in 2021 and beyond, may all remember that the pure light of yourself is always there.

EPISODE 36: Exploring The Spirit Of Gifting and Giving From A Heart of Generosity The holiday season is a season of generosity. Through exploring awareness, gift giving can take on a deeper meaning and reflect the core elements within each of us-peace, joy love and generosity. Where does generosity come from? It’s a human expression of love and connection expressed through the gifting of a tangible item- chosen or made during a process of attention to what might make our loved ones happy and an in investment of our time and energy to make it manifest. Even how an item or food treat is wrapped communicates something about the intention.  In a season where many celebrate the idea that humans have divine origins, generosity is an expression of our divine nature. Despite everything else going on it the world, it’s wonderful and marvelous that we have a holiday where we -as interconnected beings- celebrate a common truth and share our own divinity through generosity and gift giving.

Episode #35: Do painful things always have to lead to suffering? It is easy to say that pain is part of the being human and suffering is optional -but when you are in the middle of it, this can be difficult to hear. In this episode, we break down this concept- with a focus on mental pain. We discuss the mindfulness techniques and exploring awareness concepts that create some space between the painful situation and the reaction to it. We ask the ultimate questions- are you willing to give up your story to alleviate suffering and how does it feel to be connected to something that isn’t suffering? A guided meditation is provided so that you may find your own answers. Awareness just could be a generous gift you give to your suffering self this holiday season.

Are you noticing a lack of kindness in the conversation lately? We are all taught to be kind but thinking that you must be kind is different from “being” kind. What if kindness was an innate quality that is already a part of us? Through exploring awareness, we may discover that “loving kindness” is a core element that already exists within, no matter what other people might be saying.  A place of “awake awareness” that is not affected by the challenges of daily life, but is already within for us to tap into.  How to find this place starts with awareness of the breath, body, thoughts and emotions. Exploring awareness transforms the difficulties trying to be kind or dealing with unkind people into an experience of loving kindness.  Through exploring awareness, we can wake up to the truth of our being and discover an innate sense of loving kindness that emanates from the core not from thoughts in the  brain.  As Loch Kelly expresses in the book The Way of Effortless Mindfulness “Discovery of natural loving kindness is the foundation of a new motivation for compassionate activity that is not based on external rules but comes from the direct experience of interconnection with all of life”. Call it the “ultimate truth of interconnectedness”.

What’s your “story”?  Are you aware of the stories you tell yourself about what happened in the past or what may be in the future? “Being awareness” means we can know that we have stories, and in the knowing we can know who we are. It brings up the question- who are you - beyond the labels and conditions of life? There may be something more to life than the stories we tell ourselves, or the stories people have about us. If this resonates, try using the mindfulness techniques explained in this podcast and the guided meditation in this episode. Waking up from the story can reveal a deeper place of love, peace, joy and generosity that we all share. We discuss the lyrics from The Beatles’ song- Within You And Without You, and a line it says it all- “with our love, we can save the world”

Current times can seem chaotic, and cause us to experience a multitude of feelings and emotions.  There are simple tools available to remind us how to connect to a deeper place of peace, love, joy and generosity. Tara Brach’s RAIN tool – Recognize, Allow, Investigate and Nurture and Don Miguel Ruiz’s 4 agreements- Be impeccable with your word; Don't take anything personally; Don't make assumptions; Always do your best- are 2 tools we discuss in today’s episode. On the surface, they seem simple and make sense. We are left though with “how” to implement these tools at a deeper level. Today, we discuss how to combine “exploring awareness” with these tools. By establishing a connection to our core through using mindfulness techniques, these tools take on a whole different perspective. Instead of top down, where these tools can seem like rules, they flow from the sense of authenticity derived from exploring awareness. These tools then become a reminder of who we really are at our core – calling on them anytime as a quick reminder.

Episode 31: What's Behind the Stories We Tell Ourselves? Exploring awareness of thoughts goes beyond just single thoughts to the sometimes elaborate stories we create in our own mind. In this episode, we explore awareness of what drives our need to create stories and figure things out.  Clearly, we use our brains to solve problems but sometimes we think we have to figure things out with stories that may have no grounding in truth. Sometimes, these stories have a flavor of competition or defensiveness- told to ourselves to gain an advantage, and leads to thinking our version of the story has to be right or to "win”.  In some ways, It may be an inherited survival technique or perhaps a learned practice.  The compelling thing about these stories is that you think they are true- thus creating a false narrative that has implications. By exploring awareness, we have an opportunity to see all of this happening from the awareness space, investigate it and see where it comes from and evaluate if it's helpful. Are these stories serving our innate qualities of peace, joy love and generosity, or are they creating a small world, closing off opportunities for a freer and more open expansive life. Consider this Buddhist quote- “The winner sows hatred because the loser suffers. Let go of winning and losing and find joy.” Enjoy the discussion and the guided meditation. Perhaps you will discover a “silent sense of knowing”, a realization that in the awareness of these stories, a transformation occurs and the world becomes a much bigger, expansive and more wonderful place.

Healing And Coping With A Major Medical Diagnosis By Exploring Awareness Living with chronic pain or a disturbing medical condition creates a great challenge but can also be an opening to exploring awareness. As paradoxical as it seems, these types of difficulties can present an opportunity for transformation. Physical pain can be accompanied by resistance, fear, regret, judgment and other thoughts and emotions. It is said that “(pain) X (resistance) = suffering” In this episode, we explore awareness as Lisa reveals a serious medical condition, and how exploring awareness is teaching her how to “live her life”. There is an opportunity for peace within it can’t be thought up but it can be experienced  You can actually find peace in fear  and you can actually find peace in the pain  and you can find peace in the regret  and you can find peace in the judgement  and when you return home like that  those things start to fall off  they’re not serving you...they’re causing suffering  Transforming all of the difficult emotions and physical conditions into a sense of joy, love, peace and generosity doesn’t seem logically possible, but through awareness, it is possible- and relief may just be found in the most unlikely places.  

The Courage To Be Your True Self Finding Peace and Joy in the most unlikely places seems impossible given the way things are going in the world. In this episode we continue to explore how connecting to a stable inner core can be accomplished, no matter what the situation. Exploring the words “faith” and “courage”, and incorporating a guided mediation, we describe our own experiences and journeys working with these concepts. With quotes and poems from David Whyte, Adyshanti and Mark Nepo, we explore how we can become free from “life draining patterns” and have a life that reflects the “mysterious inner core of our being”.

Title -What You Resist Persists and The Only Way Out is Through Our collective challenge these days is a constant flow of difficult information that pulls us out of the present moment.  Sometimes we think about things and anticipate different outcomes, none of which may ever happen. For many, this leads to a sense of fear or foreboding that is a constant backdrop to our everyday lives. By exploring the awareness of fear and the underlying components of the fear - perhaps fear can be transformed into love. Fear makes senses from an evolutionary and survival perspective but many things that cause fear and distress aren’t going to happen – so dwelling in it decreases the potential for a full and rich human experience. And, if something bad happens, we will deal with it then. This episode is about the courage to face these things as they are, using the old adage- what you resist persists and the only way out is through.  Connecting to an inner calm, returning home to an inner presence, a new path, a different way  emerges that is lead by peace, joy, love and generosity.

Do you react or respond? What is the difference? Is there a sense of spacious freedom that can be naturally experienced? Exploring awareness 24/7 changes the way the day unfolds and just may result in a lived experience that doesn’t include angst and fear – but instead peace and joy. We have talked a lot about being aware using meditation techniques, sometimes called “formal” practice.  Today we discuss exploring awareness 24/7- sometimes called informal practice. It may be easy to say you area aware of things, a type of mental awareness, but the awareness we are talking about is much deeper, and extends awareness from the thought of awareness to the awareness of thoughts, and even the awareness of awareness. Our discussion covers the meaning of these concepts, the frustration that comes from trying to figure this out, and ends with a guided meditation that guides the listener to the experience of awareness, watching everything as a does the lighthouse keeper. As Awareness connects us to all, a realization of the unity of all beings and our connection to divine nature can spontaneously arise- no thoughts needed.

Ever think about what brings you a sense of security or what you may be holding on to in life that may not best serve you?  Who are, or what are you attached to, and what would happen if you didn’t need to attach to anyone or anything including your own ego? Some people have a yearning for something more -it may be a loud voice or a just a whisper, and for some perhaps there is no yearning- but if that yearning is there, we’d invite you to join us on our exploring awareness journey.  In this episode, we discuss attachment to thoughts, habits, ways of being that may contribute to the sense of attachment, and how exploring awareness of these patterns may be a new and more authentically feeling way to be in the world. It’s hard though, because becoming aware of all of the things that seem to be self-defining will start dropping away which may, as Adyashanti says, “be distressing to your ego”.  Being aware of attachments is the first step, watching them drop off could be the second step, then resting as awareness may open up a new sense of freedom where attachments aren’t the driving force- instead you may just realize that peace, joy love and generosity- the inherent qualities that are already there- become the motivators. Listen to “Within You and Without You” by the Beatles and note the line “With our love, with our love we can save the world, if they only knew” .

Why Is It So Difficult To Love Ourselves? In this episode, Frank and Lisa discuss one of the innate qualities that emerge from exploring awareness- a sense of unconditional Love. From the awareness perspective, this type of Love is not conditioned on anything, but purely exists as a quality of or inner aspect of a conscious, aware life. It is the love and presence that we can all see in babies who have not had the experiences of life that may bury that love in doubt and judgement and difficult life experiences. Past traumas, difficult childhood, poor work environments or dysfunctional relationships might make it appear that love is only given in certain circumstances, or is somehow a reward for acting in a certain way. Our innate sense of love for ourselves and others may be covered, or even smothered, by the experiences of life. Many people see themselves as loveable or not loveable by how they act, what they believe, or how they were raised. Practicing awareness of thoughts and emotions has the potential to open up these innate qualities. Everyone has the potential no matter under what conditions you grew up in, and no matter what your brain might be telling you. It’s in the awareness of your thoughts and emotions that the inner qualities can emerge.  Love and Peace and Joy are inside us, but they are not going to fight their way to the top – but they will emerge when we take the time to rest as awareness. Skepticism about this is also normal, but give it a try – the only thing you will lose is the very thing that may be holding you down. A guided meditation is included to provide a path for experiencing just this.

How To Feel Steady In Unsteady Times This episode consolidates many of the concepts of exploring awareness to bring together the ideas and tools we have discussed that would allow you to feel more steady in unsteady times.  Inner calm, moving outside your comfort zone, equanimity and connecting to your core so you always feel at home no matter where you “go.” Our focus is always on the “how” with an emphasis on experience and an acknowledgement of the inadequacy of words and thoughts to describe the experience.  Doing this work does require at least a hope that Peace and Love and Joy are inherent qualities we   already possess and that they get “covered up” with thoughts and conditions and emotions. We’ve been working on finding our inner core that contains all those things, while non-judgmentally and compassionately becoming aware of those thoughts and emotions so we can respond instead of react. We are talking here about the present moment as a state of being-a very personal experience of the present moment and the steadiness that can be accessed in anybody at any time under any circumstance.  There are many ways to practice awareness, we use meditation as an opportunity to connect to that experience of being a fully authentic human- and then rest as Awareness.  Exploring awareness opens the possibility for a “realization” - the realization of oneness with the universe -the one thing that connects us all -it’s actually always been and always will be -We are a way for the universe to be aware of itself.

What Burning Man can teach us about Love, Peace, Generosity and Joy. Put aside what you think you know about Burning Man and in this episode learn how this event is a model for a life that puts the core essences of exploring awareness into practice. In the exploring awareness podcast, we always return to the core human essences of peace, joy, love and generosity- accessed through meditation practices. These core essences also underlie the 10 principles of the annual Burning Man event in Nevada. Although the event itself is lasts only one week, the underlying principles create a city and culture that can be put into practice anywhere and anytime. When connecting to these inner essences, an expression of your truest self-starts to emerge. In this episode, you will hear about how gifting, self-expression, inclusion, participation, immediacy -among others-informs the construction of a city- its form, it's art and its culture.   But it only lasts a week – and then it’s gone- without a trace. Impermanence and non- attachment are built in. On Saturday night of the festival, the effigy of a person goes up in flames and in a sense you’ve burned the ego. On Sunday night, in the utter silence from the 70,000 participants, the Temple burns – and in a sense the institutions that have bound you are gone. Whatever you thought was important, your preconceived ideas, your attachments, your expectations, your losses - are gone. What’s left is you, and you’re still there ...to live your own life. You go forward with what’s real, and then the music starts back up and you dance! It’s a metaphor for our own personal work in exploring awareness. Included in this episode is a guided meditation that connects the 10 principles of Burning man to the core of our being.

Why can’t I figure this stuff out? There is a difference between figuring something out and letting it be. Meditation and awareness practices are about letting things, people, situations be – as they are. Our powerful, amazing and analytical brain- a great tool- will try to figure this stuff out. When we talk about exploring awareness, there is another layer to access to how we are in the world, something beyond figuring it out. Instead of trying to figure something out exploring awareness invites us watch the brain try to figure it out and see whatever happens from an awareness perspective. It doesn’t mean a passive acceptance of injustice or wrong, but it does mean seeing what is – to which you can respond from a deeper sense instead of reacting unconsciously. Why would you want to do this? Perhaps there is a yearning to experience something different or to connect to something deeper. Doing these practices, there can be a return to a deeper core and sense of self- a process is this questioning of all those ideas that you had about yourself. When you get to a point where you feel really whole and complete, there comes a sense of spaciousness and a sense of oneness which is a feeling of returning home. We spend a bit of time in this episode talking about judgments, as judging people is a very common, unconscious reaction that leads to a very limited and uninteresting way of being. From an awareness perspective, the figuring and judging from the brain becomes an action just like breathing- something we can be aware of, and in that awareness is spacious solid ground that allows an authentic response guided by love, peace, joy and generosity- no matter what the situation and no matter what conditions, habits and beliefs say. Are you going to be able to figure that one out? That’s where the paradox comes in. To be in an open, receptive, spacious place that may take some effort or discipline of sitting and meditating and entering your day in a different way. Effortless effort begins to unfold as you get more experienced with meditation. Instead of having to sit and meditate, the whole day becomes a meditation. Finding your own “home” in spaciousness anywhere you are, is a very personal experience, not something you figure out.   

Episode # 21 Making The World a Better Place From The Inside Out Awaken to Something Deeper We always hear from people “I can’t meditate”. Take that thought and put it in awareness. Instead of letting thoughts create a restrictive and small world, take the opportunity to let yourself move through constrictive thoughts to a place of spaciousness. What you resist persists, so it’s your choice to live with more spaciousness. If you can move through it there is vast spaciousness on the other side. This episode is a recap of meditation and how stopping to explore awareness can lead to a new way for you to be in this world instead of tight and stuck in the past. There is a Loving sense that emerges as you give yourself the chance to move past the fixed ideas and beliefs that don’t serve you. Beyond those old thoughts is an authentic and centered loving and peaceful state of being. Yes, you move past what you thought was your comfort zone, but then the “whole universe becomes your comfort zone”. A so called “comfort zone” is a little box you put around yourself to keep you safe. Once you leave your cave, so to speak, the present moment is always safe. If you’re looking for a more meaningful, richer experience of life then you may want to try these meditation techniques to open up to that deeper place. It can be a scary ride and sometimes even difficult but on the other side of that is freedom! Freedom for yourself is only the first step. Freedom for the world comes next. The only way the world becomes a better place is that each person does their own work to realize their own true nature as love, peace, joy and generosity, live that way and encourage others. Imagine what would be the result.

Episode # 20 Finding Fulfillment is an Inside Job In this episode Frank and Lisa explore the word “fulfillment”, and provide methods as to how we can connect with the sense of fulfillment. The word can have different meanings depending on your mindset. Feeling fulfilled may come from achieving something that you have striven for- a material item, a relationship, a vacation, a job- or feeling fulfilled can come from a deeper place that comes from an inner voice that may be telling you something else. This inner voice is your home, it might seem difficult to do - but it’s within your power to find your home and fulfillment wherever you are and whatever is happening. Transform any issue by exercising the full potential of your fullest humanity and bring these things to awareness and then rest as awareness – being freed from swimming in the chaos results in a feeling of fulfillment. It’s easy to say -and sounds good- but the philosophy of our podcast is to discuss the “how” so that anyone can have a method to connect to the deepest sense of fulfillment. Since you can’t think your way through this, we provide another guided meditation - as you practice mindful awareness in meditation and in daily life, the feeling of fulfillment will naturally arise and you will notice, kind-of in retrospect, that life is more fulfilling. Ultimately its your choice- once you meditate and find your authentic self -you’re home- and those things you thought would fulfill you may not have the same urgency. When you are fulfilled you might just move in the world to help other people feel fulfilled. Someone who is fulfilled with themselves is going to be a very different partner than someone who is looking to their partner for their fulfillment. If you are a parent, or in any community, the dynamic completely changes when you yourself are fulfilled and not relying on your friends, you partner or your co-workers for your fulfillment. Nagging creates a sense that love or acceptance is conditioned on acting a certain way. So many of the ways of interacting that we were taught creates tension or problems of unmet expectations. Creating a community of Love from a sense of fulfillment is much more satisfying then depending on others to meet our expectations – the very expectations that came from the false sense of fulfillment to begin with. The paradox in all of this is that you will get what you want, if what you want is coming from the place you find when you explore awareness.

Why Can't I Just Let Go? We always hear the phrase – “Let it Go”. We are asked to let go of old habits, ideas  or demands and expectations that we impose on others that aren’t working. It's a paradox- the part of you that’s trying to let go is the same part of you that’s holding on -which means you could be holding on and letting go at the same time! Sometimes, “letting go” looks like "just putting it out of your mind"-but there’s a big difference between letting something go vs burying it or suppressing it which just creates more problems for yourself.  Yet trying to let go creates an unsolvable problem that sets one up for failure. Wanting, forcing and grasping can bring the opposite of what you want! Letting go is not really something you can do, but happens organically when you are completely open to accepting what’s happening in the present moment and not necessarily looking for something outside of yourself. As long as you’re holding on to something it doesn’t go anywhere, but once you let it be - it can dissolve- it can drop off.  The invitation here is to try something different. In these podcast episodes, we use Meditation as a mindfulness tool to open to something deeper, and in the opening to something deeper you may find that the very thing you are trying to let go just falls off -it’s not the same energy as trying to let go but in retrospect, falling off looks like letting go! Meditation is a tool for the discovery of your truest deepest self. It’s opening to a deeper awareness that is going to allow the letting go happen without you trying Once you start identifying as awareness then there is really nothing to hold on to and nothing  to let go of -it’s a different way of being so that striving or that yearning will be less and there will be less suffering for you and others. Awareness allows you to feel yourself rather than think yourself  Perhaps “Let it Go” is better said as “Let it Be” and when you let it be, those attachments and demands lose their energy.  Of course, your mind will say if I do this – who will I be, how will I get what I want, how will I get anything done? The answer to this question is within you- practice mindful awareness and maybe once you connect to your deepest and truest self THE THINGS YOU WANT WILL BE DIFFERENT-Or just maybe you will already have found what you’re looking for. Try the guided meditation in this episode for a week and see what happens. Being open to what is, loving what is, starting at a place of peace, love, joy and generosity may shift the dynamic. If you can't live without these feelings, bring that to awareness as well.

Wondering what you can do? Start with yourself! The world situation now makes finding peace and joy in the most unlikely places seem unlikely! In this episode Frank and Lisa discuss the bottom up approach to discover an inner essence that connects every human being. A grace, if you will, that unites us in something deeper. Thoughts, emotions and reactions without awareness can lead to racism, judgmentalism, dismissal, denial, and unconscious bias. Through awareness of thoughts and emotions, we can see the ideas that have been constructed through history and culture and have left an imprint, and decide for ourselves if this is consistent with our true nature. It may be painful to watch old ideas drop off, but the only way out is through. Identification with thoughts makes for a small world, opening to awareness of thoughts leads to an immense freedom that can’t even be thought of, only experienced. Join us in this episode to explore another way.

Tumult continues during a global pandemic, and in the United States, a massive response of millions of people demanding change.  There is an option to make sense of this – an option that includes accessing a wellspring of inner wisdom that can inform thoughts, response and action. This inner resource isn’t accessed by thoughts, because it  dwells before thoughts- or as we put it- exploring awareness of thoughts. Exploring awareness takes practice and a good way to start is by first becoming aware of the breath. Exploring awareness will open an awareness space to give us access to the place before thoughts. To go there takes a leap of faith and courage, and an intention to connect to something deeper.  With intention and practice, you my find an inner place of freedom-free from preconceived ideas, judgement, defensiveness, offensiveness, and suffering that opens way of being and moving around in the world where you one can respond to the issues of the day with strength, wisdom and love. Meditation is a great way to realize that the answer is not what you think but what you are. Thinking your way through this won’t work, so a guided meditation is provided to help find that space. Your mind will resist, but there is another opportunity to find peace. A peaceful person makes a peaceful family A peaceful family makes a peaceful neighborhood A peaceful neighborhood makes a peaceful city A peaceful city makes a peaceful state A peaceful state makes a peaceful country A peaceful country makes a peaceful world A peaceful world make a peaceful universe “In this world, hate has yet to dispel hate -Only love dispels hate”

There is Wisdom in Change How to be a Cow with no Nostrils In this episode, Frank and Lisa continue exploring awareness in the context of the changing corona virus pandemic. We are all witness to a very changing lifestyle guided both by our intense desire to return to normal life, while at the same time knowing that it could be dangerous. How you move around in the world is a matter of practical concern, but from the awareness perspective, brings up the idea of impermanence. When one “takes a backward step” and looks at each situation from an objective awareness place, the changing nature and impermanence of all things becomes clear. Holding on to the past can be seen as impractical because the past is already gone, and wanting something for the future cannot be guaranteed. The present moment is for sure, and we discuss the wisdom that being present can bring. This whole situation is asking us - in a very pronounced way - to be present. Perhaps then decisions as to how to proceed can be wisdom informed instead of desire informed, wisdom informed instead of conformity informed. There is a freedom in impermanence because no longer being pulled around by thoughts of past regrets or a better future. Its kinda like being a cow with no nostrils (listen to this episode to find out what that means!) From another perspective, it can be said that “Nothing new appears until something old ceases”. To get a feel for this, we read Rumi’s Poem “The Guest House” The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. — Jalaluddin Rumi, translation by Coleman Barks (The Essential Rumi) Whether or not it's good or bad how do we get to the place where we accept “what is? The only way for the world to realize it's full potential is if more people start to wake up to who they really are, and perhaps exploring awareness will guide us as to how.

In this episode, Frank and Lisa explore openheartedness as one of the qualities that emerges when using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness. Who would you be, if, no matter what, you could be openhearted? Issues, events, people’s decisions and acting out from bias and fear can create negative thoughts that lead to a reaction of close heartedness. Today, we discuss a space “before” thoughts that is vast, open and freeing. We use the word “essence” to point to the quality that exists within that will guide us, if we let it.  When we “wake up” from thoughts, we can experience life in a very different way. We use quotes from Ram Dass, Tara Brach and Adyashanti to guide the discussion. The question is always “how”- and that’s where your own personal experience with meditation and exploring awareness comes in. Meditation then doesn’t become a chore, but an opportunity to experience a “special” place that opens a place for openheartedness. These words are a guide to your own personal experience of openheartedness so instead of reaction, the response is guided by unconditional love and peace and joy.

Where there's Love there is Joy and when there is Joy there is Peace! Frank and Lisa continue the conversation and the journey during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a guided meditation on being aware of what connects you to a deeper place of calm. What do you connect to that bring you joy? Walking in nature, taking time to meditate? They discuss how using mindfulness techniques to explore awareness opens a place where the richness of life that can be experienced when you're present, go within and find out what's true. The discussion provides an invitation to connect to your deeper sense of calm and purpose and reveals your own personal inner guide as opposed to listening to all the conflicting and paradoxical information coming in from the outside world. In life we have many habitual, patterned ways we react to something, non helpful reaction to what's happening that cloud out that inner calm. What happens in the space “before thinking”? Inner calm is there-it is in every human being no matter what. in this discussion, learn how to connect to your inner calm. A good word to describe this inner calm is equanimity. Equanimity a bit difficult to explain but refers to a cool and quiet sense of stillness that we all can attain. It looks like calm amidst the storm, It looks like stability amongst the unstable -Solid...stable...thoughtful...clear-that's equanimity. No matter what your brain may tell you everyone has that within them.

    In this episode, Frank and Lisa focus on Love as one of the inherent qualities of human nature. Expressions of Love are in such display during the pandemic- even staying at home is an expression of Love. Through exploring awareness, we can “know” that love is being expressed and see more clearly how Love is an inherent motivating factor in all of our lives. We learn to “know” this through meditation. The discussion includes how meditation can let us experience the “one that knows that it knows” and how there is a place before thinking that opens something new, vaster and open. The question is always HOW? If there is an intention to know this place, and a at least a sliver of faith that something else is possible, the next step is a bit of discipline and concentration. Settle in a chair and practice mindfulness of the breath and body to start and move to mindful awareness of thoughts. Start with 5 minutes per day and work your way up.   In this place, before thought, a whole new space opens- the “other side of thought”. Don’t think of it as another thing to do, but an opportunity to know yourself better. In this vast and open place, before thought, is a universe of “knowing” and you may being to “know” that Peace, Joy, Generosity and Love are just waiting there for you to experience. Perhaps in that place, old wounds are healed and fall away. You can’t think these things up, but find them already there. A basic guided meditation is also offered to help with the concentration aspects of meditation that helps get this knowing opened up.