Sages talk about self-discovery and freedom as a function of self-awareness. It starts with watching the thinker, the Ego, and realizing that we are not our thoughts. When we do this, we gain the perspective of the observer, our true self. To do this, we must achieve a high degree of self-awareness.
With the right tools, we can increase self-awareness. Self-awareness exercises for introspection teach us how to observe our thoughts. Visualization methods for observing the thinker show how thought and emotion are related. External feedback tools give us data about our worldview. The goal of these tools is to identify and remove the roadblocks to personal development.
Finding Freedom Through Self-Awareness
The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not the thinker. The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated. ― Eckhart Tolle
The state of being free is liberation from restraints. But restraint is something we determine based on our level of perception. Much of what we call freedom is circumstantial and can change and fluctuate. Let’s say you move into a house and find it spacious. But when several other people move in, then suddenly, it feels crowded.
The Beginning of Freedom
Much of our thoughts and feelings about reality come from our instincts and personality. Another level of programming is the cultural narrative. So, what we believe is liberating is a function of our programming. We can learn to handle the programming of our Ego and change the programming of cultural folklore.
Watching the thinker is the ability of our awareness to disconnect from the control of our Ego. We experience everything inside our minds. But who is observing what’s going on? The real you is the observer of the Ego.
So, do we remove the programming to be free of the Ego, or do we need to meditate or use other tools to get beyond the active mind?
Our brain is much more than the thinking apparatus between our ears. The real you is the observer, the entity you talk to inside your head. The observer who experiences your dreams is the real you. Eckhart Tolle refers to the thinker as the Ego. So, achieving freedom of awareness from the Ego is the key. So, freedom begins with a mindset, not external things or circumstances.
The path to freedom is what Joseph Campbell calls the Hero’s Journey (1). It begins when we answer the voice inside our head, urging us to investigate it to find out what lies beneath the surface. Eckhart Tolle calls watching the thinker the goal of self-awareness techniques. It gives us perspective on how we affect everyone in our circle of influence.
Self-Discovery and Freedom Observing the Thinker
The observer is beyond the mechanism of the Ego. However, most people identify with their personality and instinct as being them. But this isn’t the case. These are the default mechanisms our consciousness uses to connect with our bodies. The awareness that transcends these mechanisms is the real you.
To view the machine that is thinking, we must find a way to move beyond the controls of personality and instinct. Several tools can help us achieve this inner peace.
True freedom starts when we disengage the Ego’s autopilot and realize who is witnessing what is going on. The goal is worthwhile. Learning how to get beyond the Ego allows the observer to take its rightful place in our awareness.
Some people are born with the ability to witness from a separate state of consciousness. In ancient cultures, these people were the Seers, the Shaman, and Healers. But the modern world has no place for them, nor does it understand their point of view, so they label them undesirable and treat them as mentally ill. Not so long ago, we burned them as witches.
Let’s look at the tools that expand the bandwidth of awareness.
1. Self-Awareness Exercises for Introspection
The tools of introspection are methods that help us capture and analyze our thoughts. These tools teach us that self-discovery and freedom go hand-in-hand.
Journaling is a powerful tool for introspection. Begin by setting aside a quiet time each day to write about your thoughts and feelings. You can start with prompts like, what am I feeling right now? or what did I learn about myself today? This practice helps you track your emotional patterns and gain insights into your inner world. Journaling helps you find freedom through self-awareness of the writing process.
Seated mindfulness involves sitting comfortably and focusing on your breath. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. As you breathe, pay attention to the sensations in your body and the flow of your thoughts. If your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath.
This exercise helps you become more aware of your present moment-by-moment experience and your habitual thought patterns. As we bring awareness to the present moment, we are observing the thinker as it presents thoughts and emotions to our awareness. We can then identify harmful thought scripts and change them.
Moving mindfulness can be practiced through activities like walking or yoga. As you move, focus on the sensations in your body and the rhythm of your movements. Notice how your body feels with each step or pose. This practice helps you connect with your body and observe how your thoughts and emotions influence your physical state.
Automatic writing is a process where you write without thinking about what you are writing. You don’t worry about grammar or structure. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and write whatever comes to mind. Don’t stop to think or edit. This free-flowing writing can reveal subconscious thoughts and feelings. It’s one of the self-awareness exercises for introspection that has been demonized because it has been misused. Have the courage to try this tool, which broadens your awareness.
The repeating question exercise involves asking yourself the same question repeatedly, looking for new answers. Writing down your answers and look for patterns or new ideas. For example, you might ask, who am I? or what do I want? each time you answer, dig a little deeper. This exercise helps uncover layers of your identity and desires that might not be immediately apparent.
Another useful exercise is mind mapping. Start with a central idea or question in the middle of a page and draw branches to related thoughts and feelings. This visual representation can help you see connections between different aspects of your life. It’s a visual perspective that can help you gain a clearer understanding of your inner world.
Visualization is a powerful tool for self-discovery and freedom of thought. Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place where you feel safe and relaxed. Spend a few minutes exploring this place in your mind, noticing the details and how it makes you feel. Visualization can help you access deeper parts of your psyche and bring clarity to your thoughts and emotions.
Incorporate these self-awareness exercises for introspection into your routine. They will increase the capabilities of the mind and give you valuable insights into your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. But we can dig even deeper into the mechanisms of the mind with external feedback tools.
2. Visualization Methods for Observing the Thinker
Visualization is like creating a movie in your mind based on the words you read. One of the best ways is with the creative visualization process found in the Shamanic journey.
The Shamanic journey is likely one of humankind’s first tools for exploring consciousness. All you need is a drumbeat and imagination.
Sit or lie down. As you close your eyes, you start to focus on the drumbeat and your breath. Take slow, deep breaths to relax your body and mind. In the background, you hear the rhythmic beat of a drum or the soft sound of a rattle. The rhythm helps you enter a trance-like state. It alters your brainwaves and allows you to access a deeper level of consciousness. There are many shamanic drum tracks available online.
With each beat of the drum, you visualize yourself in a natural landscape. Perhaps you see a dense forest, a vast desert, or a serene beach. This place feels safe and inviting. As you explore this landscape, you might encounter a path or a doorway. It is your gateway to the spirit world. The Shamanic journey is one of the core visualization methods for observing the thinker.
You step through the gateway and find yourself in a different realm. Here, you might meet spirit guides, animals, or ancestors. These beings offer guidance, wisdom, and support. You communicate with them, asking questions and receiving insights. The experience is vivid and real, as if you’re truly there.
This landscape symbolizes the psychic structures of the mind. We can then confront burdens that are hindering our growth.
After spending some time in this spiritual realm, you feel it’s time to return. You thank the beings you’ve met and make your way back to the gateway. Stepping through, you find yourself back in the natural landscape you started in. Gradually, you become aware of the drumbeat again, guiding you back to your physical body.
You slowly open your eyes, feeling a sense of peace and clarity. To integrate the experience, you might write down what you saw and felt in a journal. The Shamanic Journey is a way of watching the thinker create a landscape that represents the symbolism of your subconscious.
Here are some other visualization methods for observing the thinker.
Visualize Yourself in a Story. Start by reading a passage from a book. As you read, try to picture the scene in your mind. Think about what the characters look like, where they are, and what they might be doing. For example, if the story says, The boy walked through the dark forest, imagine a boy walking under tall, shadowy trees with leaves rustling in the wind.
Next, focus on the characters’ thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself questions like, what is the boy thinking as he walks through the forest? and how does he feel? Maybe he’s scared because it’s dark and he hears strange noises. Picture his face showing fear and his heart beating fast.
Drawing from the Mind’s Eye is another method of drawing what you visualize. Take a piece of paper and sketch the scene you imagined. Draw the boy, the forest, and anything else that seems important. This helps you see the story more clearly and understand it better.
You can also act out the scene. Pretend you are the boy walking through the forest. How would you move? What would you say if you were scared? Acting it out helps you connect with the characters and understand their experiences. Visualization methods for observing the thinker can transform your relationship with your thoughts. They give you the perspective to decide whether to accept a thought or feeling. So, you are increasing your emotional control by observing your thoughts.
Rehearsal visualization is a technique used by athletes, performers, and speakers. In this technique, you visualize yourself completing a task or achieving a goal. For example, if you’re preparing for a presentation, you visualize yourself speaking confidently. You mentally practice engaging the audience and delivering your points clearly. This method boosts your confidence and improves your performance.
3. External Feedback Self-Awareness Tools
Here are some external feedback tools that provide insight into your worldview. They give us data about our personalities and cultural beliefs. These mechanisms are the filters that make up our worldview.
The Enneagram is a personality typing system that identifies nine distinct personality types. Each type has its own set of characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. By understanding your Enneagram type, you learn about motivations, fears, and behaviors. This data enables us to remove unhealthy programming.
The Cultural Assessment Questionnaire evaluates your cultural beliefs. It includes questions about biases, communication styles, and understanding of cultural differences. This questionnaire is particularly useful for people working in diverse teams. It helps identify areas for improvement in cultural competence.
360-degree feedback uses anonymous data from peers about various aspects of your performance and behavior. This data helps you understand how others perceive you and identify areas for development.
The Johari Window model is used to improve self-awareness through feedback. It consists of four quadrants: open, hidden, blind, and unknown. By sharing information about yourself and receiving feedback from others, you can expand your open quadrant. This helps you understand what is known to both you and others, thereby increasing self-awareness.
StrengthsFinder is an assessment that identifies your top strengths. By focusing on your strengths rather than weaknesses, you leverage your ability to change. It shows you what you naturally do best and how to leverage these strengths in your personal and professional life.
Summation of the Tools for Watching the Thinker
We’ve outlined the concept of self-discovery and freedom as functions of self-awareness. these tools help us to uncover the programming of our minds and how to expand our abilities. By realizing that we are not our thoughts, we gain the perspective of the observer, our true self.
Achieving a greater level of self-awareness helps us grow and deal with life’s changes. It requires a combination of introspection, visualization, and external feedback. True freedom begins with a mindset shift. It doesn’t depend on external circumstances.
Much of what we perceive as freedom is influenced by our instincts, personality, and cultural narratives. Using visualization methods for observing the thinker, we can disconnect from the control of the Ego. Self-awareness exercises for introspection help us monitor our thinking. The feedback from external tools helps us identify unhealthy thinking and values. Together, these tools are a path of self-development. It’s a path Joseph Campbell calls the Hero’s Journey. Answering the inner voice to take this path leads to deeper self-awareness.
In Conclusion
Self-observation is the key to distinguishing between the brain’s thinking machine and the observer. The observer is the person operating the machinery. Once you can observe the mechanisms of the mind, you are in a position to alter the programming. Exploring the inner world leads to finding freedom through self-awareness.
References
(1) Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.