Awareness With Other People

[abhs]

I've known for a while that I can be very aware of myself when I am alone but when I am interacting with other people I lose that awareness very easily. It's as though I enter the role I subconsciously know that I must play in my relationship and I lose the ability to watch myself as I do it. I'm able to exit this frame and become detached again while with others but only with a great deal of effort and concentration. And to my knowledge I have never been aware of myself for a long period of time while talking to others, only while quiet. Does this happen to other people? Are there any tips to improve my awareness around others? Of course, I consider awareness like a muscle and strive to exercise it as much as possible, especially when I am in a social setting. But I don't know how to stop this almost automatic loss of awareness and entrance into this relationship role.

BTW I was extremely baked (on weed) the other day and I lost awareness in the manner that I do when in a social setting. I noticed myself lose the ability to watch myself and enter a state of mind where I could only react to thoughts rather than watch myself react to them. I understood then that my awareness is my (I guess consciousness wouldn't be mine, would it =p) most prized asset in life.

[SarahLuvzYu]

You shouldn't be reacting at all. Not to thought, not to anything. Just observing reality. Ha! if anything while stoned it's easier to stay observant and aware rather than reacting.

and consciousness is you. You're the only conscious thing here.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by SarahLuvzYu

You shouldn't be reacting at all. Not to thought, not to anything. Just observing reality. Ha! if anything while stoned it's easier to stay observant and aware rather than reacting.

and consciousness is you. You're the only conscious thing here.

Who is aware of objects,who is the observer?Is it "individual" concsciousness or pure awareness(pure consciousness)?

[David Cain]

Does this happen to other people? Are there any tips to improve my awareness around others? Of course, I consider awareness like a muscle and strive to exercise it as much as possible, especially when I am in a social setting. But I don't know how to stop this almost automatic loss of awareness and entrance into this relationship role.

Yes I also find it more difficult to be aware when I'm talking to someone. I think you are quite insightful in saying that we tend to begin to play out the role we're used to playing in the relationship, and that means we identify with our egos and lose the ability to be aware.

It seems to me that the key is to focus on the other person and what they are trying to say so intensely that you almost forget you are there at all. You are just observing them (like you are trying to observe your thoughts), and the thoughts drop away as you simply absorb their message without judgment or reaction, at least until they are finished speaking.

It really got me thinking and I wrote an article about how to do that. Try this and see if it works for you.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by abhs

I've known for a while that I can be very aware of myself when I am alone but when I am interacting with other people I lose that awareness very easily.

It's more challenging to remain aware in company because you're creating more. Alone, it's just you and the environment, adding other people means you have to personalise each individual and then even interact with them.

Creating other people is one thing, but to create them and then interact with them especially in larger numbers requires more energy. Next time you're in a group, don't interact with them, just observe each one as they react, study them and you will see yourself (not your ego) in every one.

Judge

[SarahLuvzYu]

Originally Posted by Judge

Creating other people is one thing, but to create them and then interact with them especially in larger numbers requires more energy. Next time you're in a group, don't interact with them, just observe each one as they react, study them and you will see yourself (not your ego) in every one.

Judge

he-he for me it is different. When I interact them, and observe them when interacting with them I see myself in every one of them. However before when my ego used to try and control I would stay back, and react to the fact they weren't communicating with me and get angry etc... Interesting though