What wakes us up?

As a coach I sometimes invite my clients to take up the practice of creating a never-ending list. Here is the start of a never-ending list of what wakes us up from the haze of unconsciousness to ourselves, others, and our life that we often live in:

• An unexpected confusion
• A sudden awareness of death
• An embarrassing humiliation
• Failure to meet a commitment
• A surprise
• A lover's rejection
• A parent's rejection
• A loss of employment
• A loss of opportunity
• An unresolved conflict
• A job left incomplete
• Seeing the whole
• Seeing the foreground and the background
• A poem
• A song
• A love letter
• A play
• A movie
• A musical
• A distinction
• A lover
• Vigorous exercise
• Just sitting
• Feeling our emotions fully
• Sensing our body fully
• Experiencing our experience fully
• ...

What else wakes us up?

When we wake up ... what do we awake to?

With love,

-Steve

Comments

[Amy Lenzo]

What fun to come across a fellow journeyer... we have at least two mutual friends who have spoken of you to me, and I am very glad to have found your blog on such an auspicious day. :-)

This is a great question, and something I would add to the list you've started is photography - sometimes I see something in one of my photographs that I had no idea was there... I see a unity or harmony that was hiding just behind the veil of surface, but now that I see it changes my whole experience. Or other times when I am looking through the viewfinder my vision is transformed by the momentary fragments of reality I see... each one so perfect and flowing flawlessly into the next to create a perfect whole.

I think this is one way to answer your question about what I find when I "wake up" ...

As a major reader I'm intrigued by your personal reading list, especially the new Almass & Betty Edwards and the Johanna Putnoi also looks fascinating, and I haven't even started exploring your suggested reading list!

There is much on your blog to inspire me on a number of levels! I'm so glad to have met you, and I invite you to come play with me on my blog - The Beauty Dialogues - too. I think we're even both in the bay area so it could be fun to meet up for an in-person conversation and cup of tea one of these days. Anyone else here in the bay area that would like to join us?

Blessings,

Amy

[Steve]

Amy,

Thanks so much for your comments and addition to my list. Yes, photos are wonderful and "wakeful".

Take care,

-Steve