Becoming Less Self-Conscious

In Yoga Nidra, the ancient art of deep relaxation and profound meditation, we drop into the background and watch the changing phenomena in the foreground. The background is changeless. Everything in the foreground is born, grows, exists, and then dies. But the background remains ever the same.

For some, it is easy to identify with this changlessness. It is vast, still, open, silent, and welcoming. You can follow the path of the breath inward. Just allow awareness to rest in the stillness that comes at the end of the inhale and again at the end of the exhale.

The magic comes when we realize we are the background! For so long we have identified with our body, our mind, our thoughts, or our emotions. When we see all of these come and go, and yet we remain; then we KNOW we are this changeless essence. No words can describe this, but we know it instantaneously!

What is happening, in part at least, is that we are no longer "self-conscious" but rather open to all that is unfolding. The self-consciousness is a sort of preoccupation with how we look to others. It is identification with the separate self, the body-mind and all of the conditioned roles we play.

As we recognize who we truly are, that self-consciousness begin to dissolve. This can be frightening for the separate self, but stay with it. Stay in the openness, the space that welcomes everything. Let life unfold.

At the end of the Yoga Nidra session, we are reminded that "Yoga Nidra mentors us in the understanding that all is One. There is only awareness. We are awareness and all objects are expressions of awareness. Whenever we are serving our Self, we are serving all others. Whenever we are serving another, we are serving our Self."

Awareness Never Changes

Beyond the moving mind lays a background of Stillness that never changes.


The mind must come to know the Self as this pervading background of Stillness.

Realize that nothing observed or experienced is you.


Nothing experienced binds or obscures you.


Take no notice of what is not your Self.


Nothing observed is ultimately who we are.

Be aware of being aware.


Be aware deliberately and consciously.


Broaden and deepen this field of awareness.

You are always conscious of the mind.


Now be consciously aware of yourself as being aware.


Be Awareness.


In this there is no separation of observer and observed.


Look upon the objects of the world.


See that all objects are extensions of Awareness.

There is only Awareness.


There is only Presence.


There is only God.

~ Richard C. Miller ~