COLUMN: 'I notice the music playing as well as the mumblings of other people...'

In modern times, we frequently see the word “awareness” in psychological/self-help literature.

I would like to explore the theme of awareness while being personally aware.

This is an exercise of sorts where I will explore what is happening for me in the present moment.

So, I invite you to notice what takes place for me and what also takes place for you as you read.

What sensations or feelings do you experience?

I am sitting in a coffee shop.

I notice the music playing in the background as well as the mumblings of other people’s conversations.

I feel the feeling of the keyboard keys beneath my fingertips.

I notice the music has now changed tempo.

I get a slight feeling of nostalgia and familiarity as I hear the song playing - Justin Bieber’s hit song, Let Me Love You.

I notice how it is not the lyrics of the song that makes me familiar but it is the feeling it evokes.

I take a sip of my coffee and notice the smell and taste.

I am satisfied. I become aware of the readers’ experience who may stumble across this article and wonder what is going to happen next but also aware that I am exploring and describing an experience I find personal to me. The music changes again.

This time, I noticed that the theme of the song is “memories” as the singer sings.

I find it fitting that this is the song that precedes the track that went before.

The theme of nostalgia is still present.

I wonder if the playlist is titled, Bringing Customers to A Dreamy World of Introspection!

I notice that I am reaching for my experience a little and feel the need to pull back and ground myself.

I take a deep breath.

A sense of relief passes over me as I feel I have gotten something off my chest.

The very sharing of my experience with my imagined reader has a reminiscence of a sense of connection.

I smile as I use the word reminiscence. It makes me sound articulate and clever!

So, I now reflect on what has just taken place. The first word that comes to mind is “exhilarating” as I stayed present with what was happening for me, moment by moment. Also a sense of tiredness in the act of sharing my experience.

I wonder what happened to the reader.

Were you curious as to what was to come next?

Did you relate or not relate at all? Did you find that it did or didn’t evoke any sense of wanting to know more possibly.

Did you read through it fast or slow?

Perhaps you were struck by the difference in my experience and what you would imagine what it is like to do this exercise.

Maybe there are similarities.

I think this was a useful exercise to demonstrate what another person’s experience is of the concept of awareness.

Perhaps it has provided some more perspective and appreciation for what another person may experience in awareness.