Howdy folks,

Have you been meaning to get more regular massage work but just never get
around to contacting me? Want a reminder? Drop me a line and I'll put you
on my reminder list. Then I'll know to touch base with you every month (or
however long you want between sessions) and see if you want to set up
another appointment. If it's not a good time, no big deal; we'll try again
later.

*****


Today I thought I'd write a bit about something that I mention a lot, but
don't really enjoy talking about: developing awareness. It's a strange
thing to talk about because to talk about it suddenly makes the idea seem
like something that it isn't. Once you talk about it, the idea of awareness
seems to become mystified, like you need to develop some kind of special
power or sixth sense to understand what it means. No doubt the problem gets
exacerbated because of the connection between marketing and mysticism in
this business. Many practitioners of alternative health want things to be
mystical because then, if we get it and you don't, it's good for our ego,
and you have to keep paying us for enlightenment.

This, of course, is nonsense. The things we are trying to become aware of
are not mystical or tucked away in any hidden dimensions that only certain
people can see. It's just the opposite. The things we are trying to become
aware of are banal and right in front of our senses. That's why we don't
notice them.

Try picking out all the white noise in the room you are in right now. (You
need a break from work anyway. Seriously. You're looking a little
peckish.) Notice all the multitudes of little motors running (how many
different pitches does your computer motor make?), the noises of traffic
close and distant, even that high-pitched ringing in you ears (is that
really your ears or something actually in the room?). Many of them aren't
even subtle; but even the subtle ones are no longer subtle once you hear
them. Probably if you spent 10 minutes a day doing this, you would hear
things you have no idea are there now, but once you hear them they are
obvious. You would also start isolating what is causing certain mystery
sounds.

It's the same with physical awareness. All the signals in our bodies are
right there coursing through us. It's not mystical. We just don't notice
them because we are used to them. So how do we start to notice the things
right in front of our senses? As far as I can tell there are two main
things, which I'll get into next month. In the meantime, if the white noise
is driving you crazy, here's something to listen to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKkeDqJBlK8&feature=related

Try to hear all the ways the flute is used. It goes from obvious to
extremely subtle.

Have a good month.
cam

Cameron Aiken
www.cameronaiken.com