Open eyes, open ears, open mind, open heart.
Awareness is seeing and knowing what is happening in your locale, the world, and within yourself. It is a constant state of being connected to humanity, your soul and Hashem. Awareness breeds concern and helps to refine the other middot.
Try and notice 3 new things on your daily commute (sign, tree, house, etc…) that you haven’t noticed before.
Become aware of your breathing when you are driving or performing tasks. Do you tend to hold your breath? Practice active awareness with your breath this week, being conscious of full breaths.
Find a way to engage in a local or online event that you normally don’t attend so you can become more aware of your local community.
Meditation
Daily Questions
Are you aware of how your actions and behavior affect others?
Are you aware of your weaknesses in certain middot and working actively to strengthen yourself?
Are you current on world and local events and how you can engage yourself?
Do your struggles come from being unaware of your behavior or do they just come from nowhere? Do you have any role in causing them and if so what is your role?
Is there a character trait you are not aware of that causes you to have many struggles in life? Are you aware of how Hashem or others are working with you to overcome this trait? Do you allow yourself to be molded?
Do you isolate yourself in your own bubble and remain out of touch with the needs of family and friends? How can you engage more?
How aware are you of your effect on others? How can you make your effect more positive?
Featured Articles
Quotables
All of Israel is responsible for one another. —Shavuot 39a
Rabbi Eliezer says: "Let other peoples dignity be as precious to you as your own." —Pirkei Avot 2:15
Rabbi Akiva would say, "Human beings are beloved because they were created in the image of God. It is an even greater love that this was made know to humanity, as it says, 'and in the image of God were people created.'" -Pirkei Avot 3:14
If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished? — Rumi
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. — Albert Einstein
In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you. — Leo Tolstoy
Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it. — Andy Rooney
Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. — Susan Sontag
You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down. — Charles Chaplin
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. — John Wooden