The first meditation of Jeddah Mali’s Seeds of Enlightenment focuses on becoming more conscious of our awareness. Awareness is constantly present. It is always there and always available to us. It is not dependent on age or ability or education. It is something we are.

When you tune into the “sea of awareness,” you are able to enjoy wonderful peace and serenity. It is amazing that we have this incredible resource right at hand, but so seldom consciously notice and tap into it.

Here are a couple of techniques for bringing present moment awareness into your everyday life:

• Decide on a specific prompt that will cause you to take a few conscious breaths—perhaps each time you stop at a traffic light or access your email account.Just take a few moments to notice your inhale, the space immediately following the inhale, then the exhale and the space immediately following that.
• Periodically stop and notice what is going on in and around you. Ask yourself, “Right now, what am I doing, feeling, hearing, smelling …”

It is amazing how noticing your breath connects you with the present moment and aligns you with the sea of awareness. You are consciously choosing to notice what is going on right here, right now.

The more you incorporate practices like these, the steadier your connection to conscious awareness will become. The paradigm will shift from one of highs and lows and ebbs and flows to one that is harmonious, light-filled, and expansive. Awareness will constantly remind you how beautiful and infinitely capable you are. What great feedback!

Here’s a meditation you can try on your own: Simply close your eyes and breathe. Watch your breath, the inhales and the exhales, for 15 to 20 minutes. Five minutes is also good, and longer is better.