Our individual consciousness is known as awareness. It is immortal and it is mixed with sense, body and mind awareness. This awareness is the form of ‘I am’. With this comes awareness of my body, my senses, my mind, and my identity. We learn how to purify our awareness in the sadhana of Yoga.

When we close our eyes, we see our thoughts being played out. They can be like a film, a television show, a book or a comic. Much comes up from the past, we see our nature being played out in all its forms. Unknown events play in the chidakasha. Now how do we develop psychic awareness?

Every day, practice awareness

Close your eyes. Start with one minute, five minutes or ten minutes. Just be aware of yourself. It is extremely difficult to maintain unbroken, continuous awareness. You are aware of your form, ‘I am’. Now a thought comes in and you start thinking about your work or your kids. There is a break in your awareness. It is very difficult and it is natural and normal. Practice several times a day. Eyes closed and maintain this awareness of ‘I am’. Somedays it will be difficult to practice as your mind is full of discomfiting thoughts. Then you practice breath awareness with So Ham, 54 times counting backwards. Return to the sadhana. No effort is required.

Extracted from Yoga from Shore to Shore. 1968.
Lectures by Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Aim Hrim Klim