Finding Time for Self-Awareness in a Busy World

We live in a busy world, and most of us hesitate to take time for ourselves outside of one or two vacations a year. I’m sure many of us could use more money, but time tends to be an even scarcer resource. We live in a temporally impoverished society, at least that’s how we experience the passage of time. However, our relationship with time is subjective. We often overlook that bringing attention back to the Self can provide us with an experience of having time, or even moments of timelessness.

It’s commonly thought that personal development requires us to carve out more time from our busy schedules. But this is a misunderstanding of how embodiment and self-awareness should work. These practices can be integrated into our hectic work weeks or even at home. Bringing attention back to the Self and living in Sensation are practices that allow us to truly experience life. Here are some thoughts on the subject.

Use It or Lose It

When clients come in for a Rolfing session, they often ask if they should take it easy afterward. While I wouldn’t suggest running a marathon right after a session, I do recommend continuing with ordinary activities. Working out is fine; just maybe skip your most strenuous workout right after a session. We aim to make changes in posture and movement that filter into everyday life. When we actively use these changes, they become embedded in our nervous system. Over time, they become more permanent.

In reality, it’s the inner work that matters through a series of Rolfing sessions. This process brings attention back to the sensation of the body. It allows the brain to create a better mental map of the body as we systematically explore it from head to toe.

Self-Awareness Makes the Change

As we begin to cultivate awareness of ourselves through bodily sensations and proprioception—the sense of where our arms, legs, and neck are—we develop a sense of embodiment. This sense of embodiment can help us return to our center of gravity, even amidst a busy life. Posture and ergonomics are useless if they vanish the moment life’s stresses enter the room.

Yes, taking a break to sit quietly or meditate can be helpful. But when self-awareness, posture, and movement are challenged by everyday stresses, that’s when the real development begins. How do we act in real life?

Work in Life

G.I. Gurdjieff's system of conscious development emphasizes working on oneself amid everyday life. Ida Rolf, a student of Gurdjieff's teachings, was influenced by this idea. Consciousness in this system involves being aware of the Self while navigating life, not just in a quiet room. This self-consciousness should embrace bodily sensations along with the energies of the mind and emotions.

Bringing attention to oneself in this way is referred to as Self-Remembering, which along with Self Observation, is key to Gurdjieff's system of development. It’s stressed that if one develops a sense of self awareness in a monastery or on a mountaintop, they will lose it when they leave. Therefore, this work must be done in life—at work, in traffic, at a crowded supermarket, and even during conflicts. Gurdjieff's students who survived multiple wars understood this well.

Attention Begins with Lack of Tension

To be more accurate, attention begins with being aware of tension in the body and trying to let it go. To be present to our experience, we must become more sensitive. One isn’t sensitive when they’re tense. Unnecessary muscle tension blocks the free flow of movement in the body and can also hinder the flow of energy. From a metaphysical perspective, it not only makes us less sensitive to the world around us but also interferes with receiving energies from outside.

When we’re tense, it’s hard to be aware of much else besides our tension. We generally lose contact with finer sensations in the body. Moreover, when we’re tense, we use our bodies inefficiently, relying on large muscle groups to perform simple tasks. This leads to fatigue.

The first step in becoming more aware of ourselves is to notice unnecessary muscle tension and holding patterns. The next step is to actively let go of them. Sometimes we can let go, and sometimes we can’t. The key is awareness. Holding some awareness on ourselves while engaging with the world around us adds an additional dimension to our attention. This is how we develop Being and Embodiment.

Cultivate Stillness and Silence

I know a busy person might think these ideas are for those who aren’t busy, but I would argue that if you’re busy, these concepts matter even more. We can periodically take a moment to stop, be still, and let go of the loud thoughts and compulsive movements that dominate our daily lives. This pause allows us to collect ourselves before facing work and interacting with others.

Can we find a quiet place inside while interacting with people? Or a still place while in the midst of movement? We probably won’t find either unless we actively try. They’re hardest to hold onto while in action, but that’s where they truly matter.

All these inner practices take time to develop, but they don’t necessarily take time away from our outer lives. Gurdjieff called it a Work in Life, a Yoga of fast progress—Haida Yoga or "hurry up" yoga. A similar idea is expressed in the Bhagavad Gita, a cornerstone of Hindu philosophy. In the Gita, the concept of Karma Yoga—a yoga of action—was introduced. This book has drawn the attention of many of Gurdjieff's students and spiritual seekers worldwide.

Work with embodiment and work in life have been hinted at in many spiritual traditions. Not everyone is meant to lead the life of a monk, tucked away from the ordinary struggles of work, family, and survival. Those who choose to can use daily conflicts as a vehicle for embodiment and self-awareness instead of viewing them as obstacles to inner fulfillment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s essential to remember that personal development doesn’t require us to step away from our busy lives. Instead, we can integrate these practices into our daily routines. By focusing on self-awareness, embodiment, and the sensations of our bodies, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves. This journey is not just about finding time; it’s about making the most of the time we have.

So, let’s take a moment to breathe, to be present, and to reconnect with ourselves. After all, the journey to a healthier, more aware self starts with just one small step.

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