Dear Rob, Are You Serious???

Dear Rob,

I enjoyed your first post, and it made me realize that we really need to be clear about what the c-word means to us. I know it makes you cringe, so maybe we can use the term "awareness" in the future, but for now, let's go back to the dirty consciousness word.

You wrote about your yak "He looks pretty conscious". You also wrote "Consciousness is one of the only things you really have. You get it when you're born, and you have it (in most cases) until you die." I'm thinking, do they have enlightened yaks in Tibet? Are we born as little Buddhas, fully aware of our spirits, or higher-selves, beneath the drool? And what about the majority of humans, are we predominantly conscious beings? 

Well, as you were making yourself a latté today, I inquired about what you really meant. You explained to me that the c-word has been loosely defined and interpreted by many different authors (such as Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle...etc), but its true meaning goes beyond words and language. For you, a synonym of being conscious would be "being awake". That explains the yak, the drooling babies and the rest of humanity. Now I can agree with you. Yes, they are awake (except when they are sleeping, then they are not conscious). So, just to be clear, when we are talking about "Conscious Living Solutions", we are not talking about "Awake Living Solutions." We are talking about Aware Living Solutions. Is the a-word better? Awareness?

Anyhow, let's move beyond the word, the concept, and agree on a meaning. How about this definition by author Nathaniel Branden (The Art of Living Consciously):

"Living consciously is a state of being mentally active rather than passive. It is the ability to look at the world through fresh eyes. It is intelligence taking joy in its own function. Living consciously is seeking to be aware of everything that bears on our interests, actions, values, purposes, and goals. It is the willingness to confront facts, pleasant or unpleasant. It is the desire to discover our mistakes and correct them. Within the range of our interests and concerns, it is the quest to keep expanding our awareness and understanding, both of the world external to self and of the world within. It is respect for reality and respect for the distinction between the real and the unreal. It is the commitment to see what we see and know what we know. It is recognition that the act of dismissing reality is the root of all evil."

Does that resonate with you? Maybe our readers have other definitions of living with awareness they'd like to share in the comments below? I'm enjoying this process of blogging with you already because it's creating an interesting dialogue between us. We are able to move beyond "honey, can you take the trash out?" By the way, here is where the "bitch chore" keyword came from. The good  news: you will get $1 for taking out the trash (if you don't forget and drive off to Calgary).

Now, regarding your comment "I guess my goal is to not get murdered". Um...I'm going to have to find a way to make you watch The Secret. Seriously dude, don't mess with the law of attraction, it works whether you believe in it or not! Think of yourself as a gigantic magnet. There is no difference between "I want" and "I don't want", you will get whatever you focus on, so we are going to stop focusing on your murder right now. Oh, one last thing. Forget about the banners at your funeral. Did I mention how powerful visualization is? Start visualizing that cold, crisp beer while you are comfortably watching The Secret, feeling empowered and blissful...

Time to lighten things up on this blog. You have a natural talent for that, so you get to pick the next topic!

Love,
Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com