Lavinia–
Awareness in itself is transformation. I have taught and applied personal growth for over 5 years now in my life, did all this law of attraction stuff, and in the end I still struggled with areas of my life no matter how many goals I set.

Then, when I discovered awareness, things began to change very rapidly. I was able to see HOW I do what I do. Therefore, naturally what didn’t serve me dropped away. And since I could see the thoughts and beliefs that led to my actions, I could easily change them and act appropriately to get the results I wanted.

Keep up the excellent work! Using awareness is a gradual shift, so if things become challenging let that be okay. Awareness is becoming conscious. And to the ego that is its death. So, the ego or dysfunctional mind will do all it can to make itself known and come through the back door.

The key is to let that be okay and just notice your thoughts and feelings. You don’t want to push those in the basement and disown them with judgment, criticism, etc. That results in more dysfunction. The purpose of your mind is to think. So let it think and watch it think. From that perspective, you will always know what to do.

I use to have a lot of bad habits, especially around money. And when I brought awareness into the picture, those bad habits began to drop away. However, it took awhile to drop all the dysfunction in my financial life. Even though I practiced awareness, I sometimes still did the dysfunction–but with awareness. Then it wasn’t long until it completely went away and a more resourceful life filled in.

Sometimes the process takes awhile. And sometimes the dysfunction drops right away. I had both happen to me.

Keep it up! Your life will transform for the better.

–Nick

Hi George,
I appreciate your concerns. Yes, if you want you can unsubscribe or feel free to come and go as you please.

A lot of my material and speaking is “off the cuff”, meaning that I don’t plan anything or script it out. So, I may use the word trust me, though I don’t have a negative association with it.

All in all, the word “trust me” is just a word that has no meaning except for the meaning you give it. In fact, you could even practice the awareness principle when someone says “trust me”. Maybe there’s past trauma there? Almost all trauma in life comes from unconsciously taking on the position that the world is a dangerous place. This is nobody’s fault because when we were young we didn’t have the mental filters developed yet to decide for ourselves.

So, when you hear the “trust me”, watch your thoughts and feelings. How do you feel? Where is that feeling in your body? Watch and see what your mind does. Over time, with awareness, you will see what the negative or positive connection is between your beliefs/thoughts and the word “trust me”.

The wisdom of the ages has been around since time began. So the insights are already within you. I’m just trying to facilitate those insights into practicality and daily living.

Take care!
-Nick

Thanks Geneva…great comments! Please, continue to add your input!

-Nick

Great news Geeta…the ego mind sees awareness and presence as it death. So it will do its damnedest to make itself known. This could potentially become a problem because then it becomes disowned. The purpose of awareness is not to disown states of mind inside of you. Awareness and presence are about embracing and including the states/aspects of you. Observe, acknowledge, and love the thoughts and feelings you have. That is the essence of meditation and makes you a very functional person.

I talk about this later on.

Take care
-Nick

Good stuff! I know what you mean…I made a phone call yesterday to someone who really has mastered this material and my heart was racing so fast I thought it was going to explode. Then, I noticed that feeling and I could see how I was doing that “nervousness”. I realized it was just a feeling and went through with the call. I was still nervous, but it was a good nervousness and because I was aware, I didn’t sabotage myself in lack of confidence.

Another good point…Awareness helps you distinguish when to act and when not to.

Take care,
Nick

PS. Laura, they call chatty mind “monkey mind”. Everyone has it and the key is to let the mind do its thing- think. Even if its a bad thought, let it be okay. Its just a thought, not who you are. As long as you realize that you have this thought, you are not it, so no worries

Hi Angela,

I appreciate your comment. All spiritual teachers and mystics ultimately help people realize two things: 1. Attachment is suffering and 2. You are never missing anything and are “one.” No matter how hard we try, we will never be completely unattached. In fact, trying to become unattached is a Koan Zen Masters use for their students. We live in this physical world of impermanence. All we can do is deepen our understanding about ourselves, others, and world, and that leads to freedom.

I can understand your loss and have been through that situation. Let me give you a gift that someone has given to me before:

1. Take out a piece of paper and write down all of the qualities (separate lines) that you love about your mom. This may be a lengthy list.
2. Next to each quality about your mom, write the initials of someone you know, who is alive, that has whatever quality you are looking at.
3. After you complete the whole exercise ( #1 and #2) what do you realize?

Feel free to post back here again about this topic once you complete number 3.

You do not have to let go of your mom, you just have to let whatever happened be. Accept the fact, but always keep her in your heart and the exercise above helps you do that.

Now, I’m not telling you when or right now to get over her, no. Levels of acceptance are different for people. Only you will know if it is “dysfunctional non-acceptance” compared to the natural human process of grievance.

I hope this helps

Peace and love,
Nick