The Light Within the Darkness

There are moments when people are unable to listen. These moments can last an entire lifetime. There are always reasons as to why some shutdown their awareness. Here, we are not attempting to ascertain these reasons. Learning to adjust individual awareness in an environment that is unable, for whatever reason, to be similarly aware is a constant struggle. This process must be adaptive and consistently applied, with awareness being reacquired in every moment.

We are unable to bridge the holes in anyone’s awareness. Certainly, we can shine a spotlight on these holes. If the object is unwilling or resistant to the light of awareness, then we must be cognizant of that truth. That is, after all, part of being aware. We must be careful here too. Often, the aspirations of people and their willingness to act on those aspirations do not overlap. It is far easier to say you want to be better than to actually do something substantial about it.

This is why we must always come back to our presence. It is worth our energy, our time and effort to continuously return to being present, to being aware. This may seem exhausting, to consistently keep our attention and awareness on the present moment. The mind wants to do what it wants. It wants to be distracted by the external conditions as a way to avoid internal exploration. And, there are so many external conditions to be distracted by!

As our presence in the moment strengthens, those around us can directly benefit. When we’re more present, we pay attention to the impacts of our actions and inactions. In fact, often those around are not aware of all that we do to alleviate their pain and suffering as they themselves are not present for each moment where we make a decision to think about others. We should not expect acknowledgment for anything we do or don’t do for anyone.

Also, the aspirations of others can feel our strengthening presence and opening awareness, conflicting with their willingness to change. It is these moments that maintaining your presence is most difficult. We can do this, though.

Sometimes, we don’t have a choice in where we are and who we surround ourselves with. Sometimes, we don’t get to affect our conditions in the way that is most effective. As we wrestle with our own ignorance, we must continually readjust and reacquire our presence and our awareness of others. We must always be able to take fresh observations. Everyone can change even if most choose to not.

We must be careful to not hold the past actions of others against them. This does not mean we forget the past, or that the past does not come back into the present. It means we don’t hold these actions against them moving forward. We can easily hold onto the past; it is part of how we got to today. Sometimes, we have traumas that continually need ventilation in the light of our strengthening presence. This is an aspect of awareness and presence that can be quite difficult to manage.

All of these internal nuggets our mind has been holding onto finally begin to feel the warmth of the growing light of awareness. It is only natural that the past begin to open itself up into our present. We’re stronger now; we’re more aware now; we can handle this. We can take care of these traumas in a way we couldn’t before. We’re here for ourselves now.

Our awareness is like a light, and ignorance doesn’t like the light. Ignorance is stubborn; it is dark; it is suffocating. It doesn’t want to breathe; it doesn’t want to change; it wants to persist. We have to be aware of this natural inclination in ourselves and within others.

We can do this. We can become aware in an increasingly unaware world. We can be a light in the darkness of ignorance. We can understand all reactions to the light of awareness, to the calm of presence. We can persevere, despite all of these internal and external reactions. In fact, these reactions are the source of our practice. We don’t have to perpetuate ignorance. We don’t even have to react to it. We can understand it as we ourselves are ignorant and have been for so long. 

Other Ridding of Ignorance Articles
Counteracting Awareness Shift
The Awareness in Vulnerability
Expanding Awareness, From the Source of Hope and Dream

Email me: radicaldifference@gmail.com