[naturesflow]

Originally Posted by Gem

My view is to be self-concerned and not concerned with others. At first this sounds selfish, but it isn't, because if one is not self-aware and compelled by desirous reactive mind, then they are self centred. but not particularly self aware. If we were self aware we would know what we are doing as opposed to being, like, 'they know not what they do'.

I know your view is self concerned, its an important view to being open and self reflective through the ongoing process of yourself in the world, with others and navigating more in alignment with your own values as I see this. I don't see it as selfish, but I can see why it would appear to be this way. Self awareness all the same comes through the ability to notice as much as you can with where you are in yourself. The mind/boy/spirit awareness is only as open to itself as it is open and aware and conscious of itself. So I see self aware is only a good as the one open to notice themselves ongoing and as deep as the reflection takes them. Some people are not open to themselves and don't know what they are doing because they don't have something within to meet be aware of more, more consciously, so we have a blindsight in process. Of course the awareness of more will reflect back to itself to know, but if others are not open to that, then the "playing out" can be very blinded and unnoticed to itself until something more is reflected to notice. So with regards to others I feel its important to understand this through your own self awareness and navigation and engagement.

In first instance, upon noticing what we are actually doing, a person may be shocked to find out 'so this is what I have been doing all this time'. For example, I once meditated next to man on retreat, and at the end I asked him how it went. He told me he had realised he had held a grudge for a very long time, but previously was not aware he was holding it. Then he noticed it arising as a 'distraction' to his meditation, so now, having been noticed, that grudge can't play out unconsciously any more. Each time it arises in his feelings he will notice, like, 'See - there it is again'. So, he now knows what he does.

People come to know themselves in all manner of ways of this world. Whether through self awareness and life experience in each moment, or through spontaneous sudden experiences out of the blue. There are so many ways of being and living in this world that can open things to notice yourself and more that is seeking you to notice in life itself. Your story highlights someone who became aware of his issue, and then, is able to, consciously maintain a correction point in himself as it arises in life or in his meditation practice. This is perfect to understanding deeper the end of old patterns and cycles each of us carry more complete. I know its potential in this way, and I know we can move as deep to end these things.

How you see yourself within yourself, plays a major role in how to be in the world also. I see myself as life/nature itself then I too can become all manner of ways to express and be as life and nature shows. I have choices then, but if I contain that life in myself to boundaries or limitations, then the real and true potential of myself and others, will be limited by those bounds.

I can find balance through all streams and build a bigger picture of self awareness and purpose of myself in the world in this way and express from that point of awareness of course. The potential points, will come down to deep trust to speak and be what life from within you wants, to open up what the "I" aware can become deeper. Sometimes this can be viewed as "not the way" another might precede and be, but within all streams of life, acceptance of all ways can build a deeper awareness of how I need to be in the world, but allowing and moving through it all more open to what is.

In being OK with everything, that is fine in a sense, but we can't 'allow' any nature of abuse, and there are times to say, 'This is not OK'. There has to be an ethic to weigh benefit against harm, and in our true intent we know of ourselves if we intend to hurt or benefit. It's just a bit tricky to know true intent as mind is such a convincing storyteller, so this runs deep into virtues of truthfulness. People have to respect the boundaries of others, which comes back to ethics of consent which is free of coercion, manipulation, influence and so forth.

Discerning intervention is a skill in and of itself. I try to look at each situation more as it arise to know the discernment of action or inaction, there is a deeper listening that involves more than just listening to oneself alone in this way and there is a great skill in being in trust to intervene as one needs to in this way of listening. Sometimes looking in, it may appear to be unkind, intentional, but I think understanding what is carried within most people, conditioned, repressed, unknown can arise in ways that will sometimes inflict without cause other than the cause of itself needing to arise and express itself. And sometimes this can be a good thing to clear out the channels to open another way of being. The unlocking of itself to show more within itself. If each person is taking personal responsibility for their own feelings, it supports this situation I am mentioning, sadly not all are this self reflective especially through wounds that haven't mastered as their own wounds to heal. I tend to learn through others to support my own self awareness but that is just me of course. I guess when you understand pushing through your own bounds or containment with total acceptance, then this naturally allows for others to be as they are and you as well.

In the end, being a presence more clear and open and aware more complete of him/herself is ideally the ultimate, so we only have ourselves to find that that point as. Life is an ongoing learning process of deepening into many aspects that we come to know. So what I know and understand has to become its own lead in this way. So yes self aware/self concerned/self navigated.What other life is doing and being ( I can be aware more consciously of them as part of my own engagement)is entirely up to them.