Reflection

I have noticed that for me reflection is integral to the process of awareness.  It is often said that experience is the "best" teacher.  I believe it might be said that it is the only teacher, but we do not learn from experience alone.  Clearly, there are many unhappy people who appear to make poor choices resulting in undesirable consequences repeatedly.  So it is not just experience, but also understanding.  If we understand then we learn.  For me, reflection is the process of transforming experience into understanding that leads to awareness or greater consciousness. To be fully conscious is to be in the Now.

Reflection is not dwelling on the past and passing judgement as to mistakes and success. These notions are created by the ego-self to deflect us - our true higher self - from the truth that we are all connected and Life in this form is the journey to that understanding.  Each day, each moment we are challenged to demonstrate - to express our understanding. As we grow we are drawn toward the light but are held captive by our attachments, and so it is said "attachment is suffering".  But the Force is our nature - the Force is Love - it is, in fact, our nature to love, care and cooperate with each other.  As we connect to our true self we recognize this truth, and if we reflect upon those experiences that have brought us "true" happiness we realize that it is when we acted from the unselfish concern of others. I say true happiness in contrast to the illusion of happiness that most people believe is happiness.  If it has anything to do with satisfying the needs of the ego-self it is not about love and therefore will never bring true happiness.  Indeed some would argue that the word happiness does not convey the right idea since it has been so misused.  Joy and peace are commonly used to express the feelings associated with loving actions.  The words are not important, it is our feelings that reveal our level of understanding - our consciousness.