Siman

Awareness and flow seem opposites to me. I do a lot of computerwork and i am still finding out which way is more effective. Sometimes i try to be very focussed, no music, trying to stay aware (or catching myself drifting away). At other times i put on relaxing music and i'll get into the flow and get a lot of work done (without resisting or overthinking). I like working in "flow" but it seems kind of low-conscious to me, time flies away without me being aware. Is flow low-conscious? What are your experiences, which do you prefer and why?

My experience is that becoming aware through mindfullness really helps. I currently eat a lot of vegetables, with a fallback once in a while (don't get to dissapointed by a fallback and get back on track). Remove easy acces to food and for transition use some better backup foods. I've had apples for a while, which i did not love, but i found ok to eat. When i got hungry or had a need for food i took an apple. Or you could take 10 deep breaths before eating and take a conscious moment to think if you really need tot eat, or just feel to eat. Learn to listen to your body. And you could ask people to help you remind you that you are on a diet. I caught myself off guard while eating with family or friends. It's easy to get seduced, when in low consciousness (like me). Don't know if this applies to you, but maybe it helps. I really loved Leo's video with the message that people with a strong mind do not get seduced by food for pleasure. It's weak! Although it might be hard (at first) you'll be proud when you'll succeed. You can do it!

If you find focussing on your breath difficult, you could simply count to 100. Start counting focussed and experience how easily you get distracted. If you get distracted start over again. This might help you to see your continious thoughts which are popping up. Often the thoughts grab you and take you away from your focus. Meditation can help you to keep focussed and let unwanted or uninteresting thoughts fly by. Good luck... and just start!

@TruthSeeker I struggled with this no free will issue as well. The reason i started training awareness was because i thought it would be kind of like the pause i needed before acting automatically. I think now there is no free will, but i still find it kind of hard to grasp. I really love a Carl Sagan quote: "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you first need to invent the universe." The same you could say about your thoughts which seem to trigger your actions. A thought is the product of not just your experiences, but also those of your forefathers and everything that happened on earth AND in the complete universe. Personally i am also interested in creativity, which is seems sometimes like magic, but in the end it is just remixing the stuff which is already there and giving it a personal spin. Stil magical, but not magic, i guess.

Hi Lory, I quit watching t.v. by removing my cable box. If i wanted to watch t.v. i had to reconnect it, which gave me a moment to think if i really wanted to watch. Now i almost watch no t.v. except shows i really really don't want to miss (like south park). Be aware of not simply switching to Netflix or lot's of youtube, although it might be better than t.v. it is just as time-sucking.

@Abhijeeth Nice post, but it's almost like asking "Leo could you move over here, become my neighbour and personal coach, for free. Thanks!" Try and make yourself a list of all the video's and content Leo has created, It's a huge list, with great content, and most of it completely free. Be thankful for that and this great forum with a lot of interesting intelligent people.

@drelamore Thanks for the feedback. You make me see that i still try to find the "universal best solution", while the best solution is different for every specific moment. I think you are right saying it depends on the goal, if it works it works! I like working in the flow (being productive) but i do think being aware, or practicing awareness is more important in the bigger picture. Have to prioritize @Alen Thanks. I really like your idea of the difference between the "know" (automated tasks) and the unkown (new tasks). @Ayla Thanks, you might be right. With awareness i mean the way Eckhart Tolle uses it. Like when i'm working i try to put in micro-pauses to notice my breath, or notice my mood changing and things like that. What i mean with flow is like Alen replied, more like doing automated stuff. Maybe i'm using the wrong terms. Doing automated tasks feels good (getting things done without much effort or resistence), but also kind of feels pretty unconscious to me.

I also read both books and saw his Oprah show (i like how they bring this great message to a wide audience). A new earth explains how society (and we ourselfs) work in a great way. Now we "just" have to pring it to practice, that's what i still find very hard.

Thanks fo sharing, will check it out. I did read "In search of the Miraculous" by Ouspenksy (who was being taught by Gurdjieff). Kind of a weird book, the content about human behaviour was very interesting. The part of how the universe works was kind of weird and simplistic, but it seems to be a "mindfuck" by Gurdjieff (testing his students).