So what is awareness?

noun

the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness

Applying that to our daily lives may involve something like: book smarts, street smarts, information we bring in through our 5 senses, and just about anything we can interpret through our noggin. So ask yourself, are you actively being aware of things going around you?

How do you feel?
–          What are your body, mind, heart & spirit telling you?
How do others around you feel?
–          Are you ingesting their information with the least amount of judgment?

Sometimes we pull information in, but don’t have the tools to fully understand it all. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And sometimes, knowing everything isn’t always the best thing either. How else would we and others around us grow?

So what is an invitation?
noun
the act of inviting; attractive, alluring, or tempting

I call this an open-hand gesture. Open your fingers, see what’s in my hand being offered. Do you see it for what it objectively is; subjectively, perhaps, through your own eyes and experiences; can you empathically see through another’s perspective? So take my hand (or not) in yours and let’s go on a journey.

Simply put, this is a gesture of agency. You have a choice of whether or not you want to proceed with something. In this case, it’s how much do you want to see around you. Are you open to being aware? Are you open to the possibility of also not understanding what’s going on around you? Can you be curious enough to continue down a path with no end-goal in mind? Invitations are options.

So what is an opportunity?
noun
a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement

The action of bringing awareness into our lives is not necessarily a battle with others, but more of an internal obstacle to overcome when we are closed off to the idea of something new. What you see, feel, and sense every day is not in the past, so every experience that’s destined for the future is new – even if you think of an action as routine, like your yoga practice. So these opportunities are built upon the nuances we discover in our lives. And this opportunity is for growth. Should you choose not to grow, though, is certain stagnation and figurative death.

Ask yourself a simple question, “What do I see?” and you might surprise yourself to the possibilities that arise.