JOIN USNo, it's no joke, an organisation in the US is trying to make the “dangerously unaware” American citizens aware for a month, say December, which according to them is enough to tune in with their surroundings. In an effort to combat what organisers are calling “our current epidemic of complete and utter obliviousness,” the American Foundation for Paying Attention to Things has declared December “National Awareness Month.”
This is all cute, but based on utter misunderstanding of awareness. Awareness is like breathing. If it is not practiced every day, one cannot become aware suddenly for a month. I would like to share some Osho insight with people interested in adding light to their life: Start awareness with the breathing process. At least for one hour every day, sit silently just watching your breathing, doing nothing –– not even chanting a mantra. You simply see the breathing; it is a natural mantra: it goes in, goes out, goes in, goes out. You simply sense it is going in and coming out.
You try to remember it, and you will find difficulties even in this simple process. For a few seconds you will be aware, then you will forget. Then your mind has taken you away –– to your business, to your woman, to your children, or a thousand and one problems are there.
Again after a few minutes you will remember: “I have forgotten; I am not watching my breath” –– then again come back. There is no need to repent, there is no need to fuss about having forgotten. Whenever you recognize that you have lost track of breathing, come back; again start watching it. Doing it slowly, slowly, one day you will be able to watch your breath.
If a person can watch his breath for forty minutes continuously, then there is no problem in life.
He can watch any problem. And by watching, any problem can be dissolved. But first you have to learn how to watch with very simple things.
Watch either breathing or walking. Buddha himself did both: for one hour he would sit under the Bodhi Tree and watch his breathing, and when his limbs would feel tired, then he would walk for one hour and watch his walking.
And slowly, as your watching becomes stronger you can try it on other things: anger, greed, sex, possessiveness, jealousy.
But it has to be every day, for sure, not once a year!