If you befriend a Buddhist, you will learn that the Buddha vowed to sit beneath the Bodhi tree until he became enlightened (woke up).
Pessoa (Post 198) reported that upon waking up, he needed time to know if he existed.
Joseph Mauricio spoke for Daily Dharma Gathering on January 2, 2016. His topic: Becoming Awake.
My eyes squinted as I experienced a mini enlightenment flash when I heard Mauricio say, “Thinking is not being awake.”
The implication is that while we are in our in our heads thinking, we are not awake. What do you think of this idea?
Being in our bodies, feeling sensations and feelings may be when we are truly awake. This is not my usual state but since working with a Somatic therapist to correct kyphosis (rounded shoulders), I have more awareness of my body sensations – which sometimes are uncomfortable. Sometimes I’d rather not be awake.
What do you think constitutes being awake? Do you want to be awake?
Thanks for exploring the mystery – Nicky Mendenhall