What we dwell on in our minds and in our hearts is what we attract into our lives. When we are living in "flow," when we are the best that we can be, when we live true to ourselves, only then can we project the kind of positive energy that attracts like-minded, soulful people into our lives.

A Sampler

What is it to be conscious? ¼What others have to say. Webster says that the definition of conscious is ...2) perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of controlled thought or observation. 7) done or acting with a critical awareness. Ok, what does this mean? Is being conscious being mindful, aware, awake, meditative, present, thoughtful? Probably all of these things. Here are some different perspectives.

From Buddhism

It is said that when the Buddha reached enlightenment he passed a man on the road. This man was struck by the extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence of the Buddha. The man stopped and asked, "My friend what are you? Are you a celestial being or God?" "No" said the Buddha. "Well then are you some kind of magician?" "No" said the Buddha. "Are you a man?" Again the reply was "No." "Well my friend then, what are you?" asked the man on the road. "I am awake" said the Buddha. Practitioners of Buddhism talk about the need to be meditative and practice a form of meditation call mindfulness. Sharon Salzberg writes in book, A Heart as Wide as the World (1997) about this point. She states that by practicing meditation, we bring forth some splendor, luminosity, and power into the activities of an ordinary day. We practice meditation to be aware, no matter what we are doing. And the deeper our awareness. The greater the luminosity. Through meditation we come to life so as not to someday die as "one who almost lived." (p.6)

From Gestalt Therapy

In a book called Awareness (1970), John Stevens notes in the introduction to this book that it's incredible how much you can realize about your existence by simply paying close attention to it and becoming more deeply aware of you own experiencing. He continues to remark that there are (even in 1970) a lot of self improvement books that tell you how to change yourself. When you try to change yourself, you manipulate and torture yourself, and mostly you just become divided between a part of you that tries to change and a part of you that resists change. Even when you do accomplish change in this way, the price in conflict, confusion, and uncertainty. He maintains that his book is based on the discovery that it is much more useful to simply become deeply aware of yourself as you are now. (p.1-2)

From Psychomotor

One of my mentors, Al Pesso, co-founder of Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor, believes that we are pushed by our genetic nature to develop and expand our consciousness. One of the results of the development of consciousness is to come to know the meaning of one's life.

From the Moody Blues

First voice: "I think¼.. I think I am¼¼¼.. therefore I am¼¼... I think. "Second voice: "Of course you are my bright little star. I've miles of files, pretty files of your forefathers fruit and now to suit our great computer, your magnetic ink! "First voice: "I'm more than that, I know I am, at least I think I must be." Third Voice; "There you go man! Keep as cool as you can! Face piles of trials with smiles. It riles them that you perceive the web they weave and keep on thinking free." Edge (1970)

From A Conversation With God.

"So the question is not: Why start off on such a path? (the path of becoming your true self). You have already started off. You did so with the first beat of our heart. The question is: Do I wish to walk this path consciously, or unconsciously? With awareness or lack of awareness? As the cause of my experience , or the effect o it? For most of your life you've lived at the effect of your experiences. Now, you're invited to be the cause of them. That is what is known as conscious living. That is what is called walking in awareness. (Neale Donald Walsh, p.156)

From 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 the self and the world within, It is respect for reality and respect for the distinction between real and unreal. It is the commitment to see what we and know what we know. It is the recognition that the act of dismissing reality is the root of all evil. (Nathaniel Branden, p.11)