Self-Awareness through Meditation

The value of self-awareness can’t be overestimated. And nether can the value of meditation as a tool for achieving it

Aspects of our character we’re uncomfortable with are often projected on to others in the form of criticism. As an adult, I’ve come to realise that my father was very authoritarian in his approach to parenting. As a result of this, I’ve developed a complex around authority and find myself uncomfortable around it or people who have this demeanour. It’s followed me all my life. Once I become aware of this fear, though, I’m much better equipped to deal with the consequences. Authority frightens the child within me, and there are unhealthy consequences.

One other aspect of this that I’ve recently come to understand is how I have an authoritarian approach to myself. I’m very hard on myself. And it’s always our self who’s our worst critic. It follows that if I’m very critical and judgmental of my self, and not seeing this, I’ll project this on to others.

We can think of critical judgement of others as our minds attempt to heighten our self-awareness

Through acknowledging the characteristics we criticise in others and then meditating on where we learnt that very same characteristic, we heighten our self-awareness.

We might ask: What is the advantage of heightened self-awareness? And my immediate response is that knowing ones self awards us wholeness. Wholeness leads to improved control over the mind and our general well-being.

The unhealthy consequences of unrecognized fear, for me, is the coping mechanism of eating unhealthy food. Knowing that fear and embracing it helps me to heal the inner child. Not through an authoritarian “pull yourself together” but through love.

“I hold my face between my hands,

No I’m not crying,

I hold my face between my hands to keep my loneliness warm,

Two hands protecting,

Two hands nourishing,

Two hands preventing,

to prevent my soul from leaving me in anger”

– Thich Nhat Hanh