The Act of Observation
In life we are taught how to observe something from a scientific point of view. Sometimes from a literate point of view. Observation is, according to a strict Webster's dictionary definition:
The action or process of observing something or someone carefully or in order to gain information.
A remark, statement, or comment based on something one has seen, heard, or noticed.
An act or instance of noticing or perceiving. An act or instance of regarding attentively or watching. The faculty or habit of observing or noticing...an act or instance of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for some scientific or other special purpose.
Observation is then noted as a sincere study and notice of how something interacts with itself, others, and its surroundings. It is about concentration and focus so that an understanding can be obtained in regard to that which one is observing.
A great example of something under observation would be an anthropologist. Jane Goodall for example.
She spent an entire lifetime observing the life of Chimpanzees in the jungles of Tanzania. What did it involve? A literal lifetime of writing down observations she had observed with several different tribes of Chimpanzees. Focus and intent. This is the prototypical definition of what humans define as observation. It is great for scientific research and a much needed aspect of science. So the definition fits. Science acts upon observed fact.
For the purposes of this article the act of observation is an insight bringing one to a point of stillness in the soul. Meditation is act an of observation. What meditation does is allow you to become on observer to your thoughts. The mantra brings you back to center and allows the thoughts to flow through your mind without action on those thoughts. One does not hold the thought, but lets the thought flow through your consciousness without holding the thought. You do not shut the mind off. Rather you let the mind operate without acting on the thought and the mantra centers the mind. This allows you to find the quiet space inside which brings bliss and peace to the soul. It is non action because action is not needed. The thought resolves itself by flowing through consciousness.
With the strict act of observation, as I have been taught observation, the act of observation can be taken one step beyond meditation. So true observation is not the act of allowing the thought to flow. It is the lack of a thought. It is where you reach a point where the mind is shut off to the point the mind does not process information. How is this done? At first, the mantra is simply the word 'observe'. Observe mantra pulls the mind back to center and acts as the mantra. Soon the mantra is no longer needed and the mind is free from thought.
The next step in the process is observance with your eyes open. This works best in nature and you may need to re-apply the mantra until you can clear the mind to a blank slate. This can be difficult as the conscious mind has been trained to process information. The task is teaching the mind how to stop processing. In a sense, you are shutting down the mind and allowing the physical body to function on instinct. The body knows what to do and will respond when needed. The body instinctively knows what it needs to do to protect itself. Trust that the body will act in accordance with its needs.
The final step is walking in the waking world while in a state of observance. This takes work and it can be extremely difficult to train the mind on how to function in a world that has trained the mind to process information the senses observe. In order to achieve the act of observation with the eyes open and the world whirling around you it takes a lot of practice and trust. Trust that the body will function instinctively and practice, practice, practice with the mantra 'observe' until the mantra is no longer needed.
The mind wants to process information constantly. Like a computer that is always on it reads and process everything. Stop signs, billboards, colors, cars, people and the clothes they wear. Smells from food being prepared and flowers in bloom. Whatever touches the senses, the mind is trained to process each and every piece of information which presents itself to the senses. The mind wants to run. It takes work to shut the mind off. The mantra of 'observe' will train the mind to do just that.
It takes time. But once the objective is obtained and the act of observation has been achieved you can reach a state of bliss where you are one with creation while performing in society. It is a state of un-focus. A state where you are not focused on anything, yet you are aware of everything. It is a state where all your senses are one with everything. A calmness and bliss possess your state of existence and you truly feel whole in spite of everything that is happening in your life.
It takes practice, but it is available for you if you would like to pursue it. Practice when possible until you feel it is safe to expand your horizons in concert with, and trust of, your physical bodies abilities.
Shaballa
