Consciousness

Conscious living is an acquired skill. Reactive bouncing from one experience to another is not conscious living. Acting out a role of expectations, provided by parents, lovers or society, is not conscious living. 

Conscious living entails developing consciousness. This is not a New Age fiction. Consciousness is real. It is observable in the words and actions of those who have it. Its absence is observable in those who do not. 

I believe that the development of consciousness is a prerequisite to living a full human life. Being with consciousness is quite different from being without consciousness. Becoming my better self from moment to moment requires consciousness in each moment. 

Observation , reflection and meditation all contribute to my consciousness. I observe myself and my environment. I reflect on my observations. I meditate to maintain a clear and open mind. If I also maintain my health through eating well, sleeping enough and exercising daily, my consciousness is tuned in from morning until night. I perceive and experience my reality with clarity from a full experience of being. I am able to see the choices I can make to become the person I wish to be. Consciousness allows me to see that this is a lifelong process. It is at the core of my humanist practice.