It takes effort to notice your thoughts, your shame, your fear, your body, your choices, and the way you react to other people.
That effort can feel draining because you are no longer living only on autopilot.
You are asking your mind and body to slow down, pay attention, and choose with more honesty.
Does feeling tired mean awareness is hurting you?
That can create fatigue, especially in the beginning.
But the fatigue does not mean awareness is hurting you.
It means you are using parts of your personality that may have been avoided, hidden, or underdeveloped for a long time.
Why does awareness need compassion?
This is why awareness needs compassion.
Without compassion, awareness can turn into another way to judge yourself.
With compassion, awareness becomes a way to say, “I noticed this pattern, I do not need to attack myself for it, and I can choose one healthier step now.”
Is awareness supposed to feel peaceful?
Awareness is not always peaceful at first.
Sometimes it feels like work because it is work.
But over time, it becomes less draining because you are no longer spending as much energy hiding from yourself, and you are learning how to stay present with yourself in a healthier way.
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Related guides:
what is misdirected awe (sadness, fear and wonder)? One unhealthy spiritual pattern is misdirected awe
"Awareness and compassion are not always peaceful at first; sometimes they feel like work because they are work."
Explore the NextSelf Blog. Start with this post explaining the world of souls, and what does it mean to be light? And my Youtube. Content is published to this facebook first and a few days later, to the blog.
The blog lists all the difference patterns to study, understanding patterns is how one can develop 'Daas' [felt knowing].
Content does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care.