Importance Of Awareness And Contemplation

For the majority, life means simply drifting through it, struggling with mundane duties and livelihood and culminating in the final exit. However, the opportunity of human life is too precious to be mere survival. According to Aristotle, "The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival." This dictum holds the key to a fulfilling and meaningful life.

In Buddhism, 'awareness' has been equated to 'mindfulness'. In essence, awareness means living life with alertness and understanding. It is attentiveness from moment-to-moment about ourselves and our surroundings.

Awareness has to be cultivated with effort and then practised till it becomes a habit. First, we develop awareness about our own self -- our body, mind and intellect -- which in due course expands to our surroundings and different facets of lives. Consciousness about our body results in good health with timely prevention and containment of diseases. Awareness of our mind means control over our thoughts; incipient, negative thoughts can be replaced by healthy ones. This in turn disciplines our speech, feelings, emotions and actions.

Awareness allows us to be observant of our surroundings, facilitating us to connect, empathise, be receptive to others' distress and accordingly extends our services.

When we lead an attentive life, we consciously choose to evade frivolous activities and indulge only in those that add value to life. We do, read and speak only the meaningful, thereby conserving precious time and energy.

Sustained awareness is synonymous with focus. No task, done without awareness, can ever achieve perfection. Hence, a state of constant awareness is a sure path to self-enhancement.

Leading an aware life means capturing each moment, thereby dwelling totally in the present. Grief of the past and anxieties of the future get relegated to the background; only the present dominates. Spontaneously, we develop a sense of reverence for life's blessings and can live life to the fullest.

Like awareness, the practice of contemplation is also vital to a harmonious and enriched life. Contemplation and awareness are closely interlinked. In fact, awareness can rightly be called a by-product of contemplation.

Contemplation is one of the finest attributes of man, though practised only by a select few. It means profound reflection or thoughtful observation. By analytic reflection on our day-to-day experiences and an honest, critical self-appraisal, we can bring smoothness into our lives.

An agitated mind cannot contemplate. Only a peaceful mind can think rationally and with clarity. Via contemplation, many problems can be worked out with logical solutions. We tend to perceive our mistakes and shortcomings and make amends accordingly. When pondered over sagaciously, many situations, which in the heat of the moment, appear unbearable or unjustified, lose their toxicity. Tense relationships get eased out. Over time, as contemplation deepens, we start comprehending the nuances of life and its functioning. The 'how' and 'why' of life experiences start getting lucid. We start perceiving clearly that life experiences are not random -- each of our deeds (cause) is impeccably balanced by its effect (our fate). The feeling of being victimised by life disappears. We find peace and happiness.

In the current scenario of the pandemic, awareness of our self and our surroundings is paramount for our own and others' well-being. It is also the time to contemplate deeply on the positive aspects with faith and hope -- it will light our path through the darkness.