Tools for self awareness

Dr. Urvi Shah

Power of Awareness
Quantum physics has proven the transformative nature of consciousness. The ability to change the nature of something, just by becoming aware about it.

Supportive ualities

!. "onesty

#. $ocus Attention on self

%. Patience

&. 'ompassion

(. c)lebration

*nternal Tools

O +e,itation O -.hy/0 O -*s that really why/0

)1ternal Tools

O Psychology O -+ichael Teachings0

2ine 2ee,s
*n the +ichael teachings there are nine 3universal3 nee,s that act as unconscious motivators in our lives, inspiring us to evolve spiritually, an, to see4 out the lessons most appropriate for our growth. .hen our nee,s are met we5re generally happy with the shape an, focus of our lives, but when they5re bloc4e,, a clou, of ,iscontentment ,ar4ens every corner of our e1istence. 2ee,s are so influential that if they are consistently unmet we5ll fin, ourselves trappe, in a ,ownwar, spiral of ,issatisfaction an, e1treme frustration. 2ee,s will not be ignore,.

*,entifying 6our 2ee,s

Nine Needs: Security Adventure Freedom Expansion Power Expression Acceptance Communion Exchange

Security (+Trust Fear! 76 DA8) 9:)99 People with a nee, for Security are uite happy with the status uo. They ,on5t li4e to roc4 the boat because this coul, lea, to perilous situations, an, these people never want their lives to be in jeopar,y. .ith this nee, there is an overwhelming compulsion to feel safe at all times. All ,ecisions in life will be base, on such templates, which involves fin,ing a sense of balance an, trust in the 4nowle,ge that everything will be alright. :elate, to the *nstinctive center an, the !st cha4ra, Security focuses on the machinery of survival that5s nee,e, in life, ranging from having warm clothes to wear to getting a stea,y paychec4. people with a nee, of Security are wary of change. They can be obsessively cautious, will rarely ta4e ris4s, an, in their negative manifestations can become so in,ecisive an, paraly;e, by the fear of a new set of e1periences that they5re unable to function. *n every,ay e1istence, people with a nee, of Security might be those frien,s you have who preach the virtues of getting a secure job with lots of benefits. "aving a substantial amount of money in the ban4 an, amassing as much life insurance as their monthly salary will allow are a,,itional in,icators. <f course, many people aspire to these same i,eals, but security min,e, fol4s can almost become phobic in such ambitions. People with a nee, of Security are forever researching an, investigating their options, an, they will never step into action, for instance, to ta4e a new job, without the assurance that they have a 3sure thing.3 *n the positive pole of Trust, people with Security are stable an, groun,e,. Since they have built a secure foun,ation to stan, on, they feel comfortable with the win,s of life in their face, an, will even ta4es ris4s when necessary. *n the negative pole of Fear, there5s an irrational sense of apprehension an, caution, an, a refusal to move forwar, or confront life in any way. *n e1treme cases the person actually becomes too terrifie, to move.

"ow the Need o# Security A##ects the $st Cha%ra The !st cha4ra governs basic survival issues an, the will to live. An important tas4 of this cha4ra is to learn to be fully present in the bo,y. 7y staying in the positive pole of Security an, avoi,ing fear=base, reactions to events in life, the !st cha4ra remains more balance, an, healthy. The negative pole of Security can affect the !st cha4ra, resulting in problems li4e financial ,ifficulties, a,,ictions an, compulsive behavior, se1ual ,ysfunction, an, intense fear. >oss of groun,ing is a common issue, ma4ing life a constant struggle. People who are ungroun,e, can become victims of their own fears an, lose the ability to manage their most basic nee,s. A total ,epen,ency on others is often an unfortunate outcome. $in,ing an attainable goal can be the first step towar,s re=balancing the !st cha4ra an, the nee, of security. Simple acts li4e going for a wal4 or ten,ing to the gar,en can be a simple catalyst in brea4ing negative patterns. Positive affirmations to try are? * am safe an, protecte,. * am love,. * release all negativity from my life.

& 'eve(s o# Security !@ 7lin, $aith #@ $alse hope %@ 'linging to tra,ition &@ Security base, on theory (@ Security base, on reliable sources A@ Security base, on e1perienceBintuition C@ Trust in Tao

Adventure (+Presence )rama! The nee, for A,venture ,rives people to see4 various forms of stimulation. The pursuit of e1citing new e1periences an, an inherent craving for any form of a,renaline rush are common components of this nee,. People with a nee, for A,venture ten, to be in,epen,ent, optimistic, confi,ent, an, possess an e1uberant ;est for life. They love to ta4e ris4s or meet challenges, an, the sense of ,rama that normally accompanies such enterprises is enormously satisfying to them. *n the negative pole, this flair for ,rama can be use, inappropriately, lea,ing to either the creation of crisis for effect, a rec4less regar, for life an, limb, or a self=,estructive pattern of compulsive ,isor,ers involving alcohol, ,rugs, se1, an, e1cessive spen,ing. A nee, for A,venture is occasionally chosen when souls have fallen asleep at the wheel too many times in previous past lives. The nee, po4es an, pro,s people to stay awa4e or to see4 a higher ,egree of presence in their lifetime. Those who have become too attache, to security will often choose a nee, of a,venture in or,er to a,, e1citement to what normally might be a safe but boring life. There is a push with this nee, to meet the worl, hea, on, an, to e1plore agreements, engage the life tas4, an, complete 4arma. The thrill of ,iscovery is tantamount with this nee, an, occasionally an into1ication can ,evelop from the sheer e1hilaration of it all. This can be both fulfilling an, e1hausting, especially when the hunger for new e1perience becomes insatiable. At some point regar,ing certain e1periences, the reali;ation must be ma,e that the 3tan4 is running on empty3 an, there5s nothing to gain from en,less repetition. A,venture can manifest in many ,ifferent ways, from a love of traveling, to an entrepreneur starting a new company. :oller coasters enthusiasts, recreational ,rug users, fans of *n,iana Dones movies, or rea,ers of horrorBsci=fi novels might all have a nee, for A,venture in common, as well as people who seem ,riven to fre uently change jobs, spouses, or the places where they live. $alling ma,ly in love with someone is one of the more pleasant e1pressions of this nee,

"ow the *nd Cha%ra A##ects the Need o# Adventure This cha4ra focuses on the emotional self an, is ,riven in the pursuit of pleasurable e1periences, both sensual an, se1ual. *n short, the main goal is to enjoy life. This ma4es for a nice partnership with the nee, for A,venture. <n the positive si,e, this cha4raBnee, combination lea,s to creative an, resourceful people who live life fully an, with gusto. *n the negative, he,onistic behavior can ta4e root. There can be great suffering in life an, ,ifficulty in letting go of negative attitu,es. )1amining the root causes of emotional ,istress can be the first step towar,s healing. $in,ing something that is enjoye, an, ,oing it passionately can also help in ,issipating negative energy. "elpful affirmations are? >ife feels great. * love myself an, * am love, by others. * am supremely happy with the way my life is unfol,ing.

& 'eve(s o# Adventure !@ Destructive ,rama #@ 9lamourBA,,ictionsBA,renaline rush %@ )1citement of senses E,rugsBse1@ &@ Stimulation of min,Blearning (@ SelfB*nner ,iscovery A@ )ssence contact C@ )nlightenmentBPresence

Freedom (++ndependence Fear o# Commitment! *n,epen,ence an, spontaneity are the chief components of this nee,. The structural confinements of wor4ing F=(, along with the commitments an, ,ea,lines often impose, in such lifestyles, are heavily frowne, upon by people who see4 this form of in,epen,ence. People with a nee, for $ree,om see4 mobility an, the lu1ury of having an, ma4ing in,ivi,ual choices. The ,enial of these choices an, the personal free,om that comes with them can create much unhappiness. *n a nutshell, these people ,o not li4e to have rules impose, upon them. *n the positive pole of in,epen,ence, these people are self=confi,ent, responsible, an, in,epen,ent thin4ers who possess a high self= esteem. *n the negative pole they can literally run away from responsibility, avoi, relationships, ,istance themselves from others, an, painfully ,eprive themselves of achieving true intimacy. *f you are in a relationship with someone who has this nee,, learn to give them breathing room. They may initially shy away from commitment, but if you grant them the carte blanche of free will an, avoi, rules an, restrictions that fearfully try to bin, their wan,ering spirit, they will love you for it an, your relationship will prosper. People who have their nee, for free,om minimi;e, or obstructe, will often feel tremen,ous anger an, resentment. 'onversely, an inappropriate use of free,om often results in the loss of latitu,e so ,esperately ,esire,. >i4e anything, a sense of balance is re uire,, especially when acting without compulsion. $ree,om comes in many guises, from the free,om to love to the free,om to create. "aving the free,om to share personal truths is another manifestation, as well as the free,om to move through life with total autonomy. Since free,om has similarities with both the higher intellectual center an, the Ath cha4ra, the 4eeping of a journal is not an unusual habit for those with this nee,. A common catharsis is a longing to e1press ,eep secrets an, ,esires without fear of being ju,ge, by others. The nee, for $ree,om is about avoi,ing confinement, both physically an, mentally, along with a ,esire for unfettere, e1perience == which ma4es this nee, very popular with Scholars. *t shoul, not be confuse, with the nee, for A,venture, which focuses on stimulation. "umorously, people with this nee, might ,ream of having the wor, 3choice3 tattooe, on their forehea,s. They strongly ,esire to choose where to live, who to have relationships with, what belief systems to a,opt, an, anything else that involves the process of ma4ing personal ,ecisions. The art of living in the moment is strongly embrace, by those with this nee,, an, these people long to e1press who they truly are without concern for societal norms or e1pectations. $ree,om also paves the way towar, more e1perience an, growth, primarily because the life compass tries to chart a course aroun, all obstacles that hin,er e1perience.

"ow the Need o# Freedom A##ects the ,th Cha%ra :elate, to the Ath cha4ra, the inner yearnings of this nee, can ,irectly effect how this cha4ra functions. 2ee,s are often chosen to better facilitate the life tas4, an, the cha4ras most necessary for this tas4 are usually ta4en into consi,eration when selecting the nee,s. *t appears that both the nee, an, the cha4ra wor4 han, in han,. A person with a nee, for free,om is often intereste, Eperhaps on a subconscious level@ in balancing their mental faculties with a focuse, left brain an, an open right. )nhance, levels of ,iscernment an, wis,om occurs with this balance, an, a greater un,erstan,ing of both the inner an, outer worl,s can result. An interest in this nee,Bcha4ra connection sometimes stems from a previous lifetime where the in,ivi,ual was either too reliant on their intellectual capacities an, theori;e, habitually Ea problem for many Scholars@, or was overly ,epen,ent on their right brain an, rec4lessly live, life in the moment with little regar, for the future. A nee, for free,om stimulates the Ath cha4ra in a way that brings these issues forwar, to be wor4e, on. +n order to -etter #u(#i(( this need you might as% yourse(# .uestions (i%e: .hat is confining me in life/ .hat ta4es up most of my energy/ Am * wor4ing har,er than * shoul,/ *s there a sense of balance/ Am * ,oing what * love/ Am * allowing my potential to fully blossom/ Am * intellectually stagnate,/ Am * allowing my intuition full reign in or,er to balance both si,es of my brain/ Do * suppress my feelings/ Do * see the bigger picture/ An unfulfille, nee, of free,om often manifests in hea,aches, confusion, irritability, an, a propensity towar,s intellectual col,ness without insight. .ays of balancing this nee, inclu,e? 8isiting frien,s or family an, ma4ing warm, heartfelt social connections. )1ercising more. +e,itation. :ea,ing min,=e1pan,ing boo4s or e1ploring art. >istening to music that satisfies on both an intellectual an, emotional level. Ta4ing spontaneous trips or vacations. .or4ing freelance an, avoi,ing jobs with too many rules.Trusting intuitive insights an, learning to allow both thoughts an, feelings to govern ,ecisions. if you5re pre,ominantly left=braine,, the following e1ercise will be useful? Ta4e a blan4 piece of paper an, force yourself to write the first thing that comes into your min, without e,iting the results. This e1ercise shoul, continue for three minutes, an, the goal is to write as uic4ly as possible, non=stop, without a care about how ,isjointe, or erratic the thoughts may seem. Dust 4eep writing. 7y turning off the internal e,itor Eleft brain@ it allows the right brain to gain more ,ominance. 9etting a feel for what it5s li4e to use the right brain is the first step towar,s using it more often. *t5s also an important step towar,s reali;ing more personal free,om, both on an intellectual an, emotional level. 7y freeing your min, you liberate your life.

Summary A positive manifestation of the free,om nee, pro,uces insightful, imaginative, an, intuitive people who are a source of inspiration to others. *f they can stay balance, an, not fall prey to the se,uctive ,ance of illusion, real transcen,ence can occur here.

& 'eve(s o# Freedom !@ Destructive irresponsibility #@ AimlessBUnfocuse, %@ :elease,Bunshac4le, &@ +ental liberation (@ )motional liberation A@ 'hoosing freely C@ :eali;ation of unlimite, potential

Nine Needs Expansion (+prosperity indiscriminate growth! This nee, is popular with those who are ,etermine, to push themselves in all en,eavors. People with this nee, really see the big picture an, they5re forever loo4ing towar,s the future. The focus is on growth an, e1pansion, with a continuous ,esire to either create something new or buil, on something ol,. Depen,ing on soul age an, in,ivi,ual goals, this can manifest anywhere from creating vast real estate empires, amassing enormous wealth, buil,ing an art collection, or a,vancing science. Plumbing the ,epths of spiritual wis,om, for e1ample, can be another e1pression of this nee, an, something perhaps pursue, by an ol,er soul. *n short, people with this nee, will try to e1pan, themselves on all levels. *n the positive pole there5s a strong ,esire to ma4e a ,ifference in the worl,, an, to bring recognition to other people or a,vance awareness about important cultural movements or far=reaching societal concerns. Art, music, literature, science, an, even spirituality, are all noble en,eavors that a person in e1pansionmight want to champion. This nee, is virtually limitless in its scope an, motivates people to strive towar,s the attainment of true wis,om an, authenticity. *n the negative pole, e1pansion can result in compulsive gree, an, false pri,e. The person becomes so convince, of their superiority in all things that they lose their sense of reality an, spiritually sli,e bac4 to where they starte,. There5s also a ten,ency to become confuse, by the comple1ity they have create, an, petty ju,gments often arise. <besity is another ,istorte, manifestation of this nee,, along with uir4y obsessions to hoar, things or various forms of in,iscriminate growth, such as cancer.

& 'eve(s o# Expansion !. cancer #. in,iscriminate growthBaccumulation %. sprawl &. stretch of i,eas (. emotional e1pansionB growth A. e1pansion of spiritBawarenessBtransformation C. total awarenessBprosperity.

Power (+Authority Authoritarian! People with a primary nee, for Power seem ,riven to be in a position of influence. They enjoy being in charge, or 3calling the shots,3 an, ,esire to be figures of authority in any area they choose to master. There5s an impetus to place themselves in situations where they can e1u,e confi,ence, an, a strong sense of responsibility is learne, from that. People with this nee, ten, to be goo, organi;ersG they5re self ,iscipline, an, they usually set a goo, e1ample of lea,ership that others can follow. .hile this nee, often involves an e1ploration of lea,ership in one form or another, the nee, can also be fulfille, by association with others who are in a position of power, or by helping people empower themselves. 7eing blin,e, by personal agen,as is a common pitfall of this nee,, an, a sense of ,etachment is necessary in or,er to manifest what is most ,esire, in life. *n,ee,, the creation of personal reality is a chief lesson here. 2ot surprisingly, the art of ,iplomacy is actively stu,ie, by those with this nee,, re uiring the ,evelopment of patience an, tolerance of other people an, learning to accept their in,ivi,ual points of view. 2ot succumbing to the ,ebauchery of power is yet another lesson, one where mo,eration in all things is learne, an, self=in,ulgence an, e1cess is avoi,e,. This is a common ol, soul focus. *n the positive pole, the attainment of Power is use, for the greater goo, an, true e uality is share,. There5s also the ability to wor4 with others in a positive way an, the art of ,iplomacy is in full vigor. *n the negative pole, issues of control becomes an obsession, often to the point of tyrannical behavior. Anger an, manipulative behavior can result, along with e1plosive emotional outbursts an, abuse.

"ow the /rd Cha%ra A##ects the Need o# Power This cha4ra governs personal power, the things we stan, for in life, an, learning to choose wisely.

& 'eve(s o# Power !@ 'rush <pposition #@ <ppress Self H <thers %@ 'ontrol Self H <thers &@ 9ui,eB*nfluence Self H <thers (@ )rase Personal )nergy >ea4sBSelf Discipline A@ Spiritual Practices to 7uil, Power C@ Personal AuthorityBSpiritual Power

Expression (+Creative 'ies! People with this nee, are happiest when opportunities to e1press creativity are given full reign. There is a ,esire to reali;e the full potential of their creative gifts, whether through the use of wor,s, speech, art, music, or ,ancing. *n,ee,, true artistry can be reali;e, with this nee,. <n the other han,, sometimes e1pression will e1cee, the boun,aries of goo, taste, an, li4e some Sages in the negative pole, the in,ivi,ual creation will be crafte, more for its shoc4 value than anything else. *n the positive pole, in,ivi,ual creativity is use, for the benefit of self an, others. )1pression releases the inner sanctuaries of people, an, this helps them achieve a greater un,erstan,ing of both themselves an, the worl,. *n short, it shows who we are an, allows the e1pression of any talent, whatever that may be. *n the negative pole, a self=centere, attitu,e prevails, an, in,ivi,ual e1pression is thoughtlessly thrust into the space of others. Temper tantrums an, moo,iness can ,ominate, along with a chil,ish insistence on having things go one way. 8arious forms of lying an, ,eception can also fin, e1pression here. *n worse case scenarios, self=,estruction can occur in a final act of e1pression that ,estroys the self.

& 'eve(s o# Power !@ Total Destruction #@ Destructive Acts %@ *nfamyBShoc4 <thers &@ .or4 Projects (@ )ntertain A@ Artistic Self )1pression C@ :enaissance Person = $ull Use of 'reativity

Acceptance (+0pen 1anipu(ative! Accentuating a fun,amental ,esire share, by most humans, the nee, for acceptance involves the acceptance of self an, others. "ow we ju,ge humanity is a uintessential lesson we must eventually learn before cycling off, an, this nee, e1emplifies that by encouraging tolerance for all who wal4 the earth. .ith this nee, there is a ,eep ,esire to be love,, accepte,, an, to mirror this bac4 to others, whether its through intimate relationships, family bon,ing, lifetime frien,ships, or close connections in a community. :ela1e,, well=mannere,, an, uic4 to offer a frien,ly wor, if it will ma4e someone feel goo,, people with this nee, are generally affable souls who are comfortable to be aroun,. >i4e the goal of $low, they accept what life brings them without much fuss, an, are usually willing to forgive any transgressions ta4en against them. Although true for most people, having a significant other as a safe haven is vitally important to those with this nee,. .ithout this intimate connection there will be consi,erably less happiness an, a feeling of being lost or ,isconnecte, from the worl,. *n the positive pole this nee, encourages close bon,ing, romantic connections, an, an open acceptance of people, ,espite obvious ,isparities. <ver time, levels of altruism an, total agape may eventually be reache,. *n the negative pole, flattery or ingratiation will be use, to gain favor by ,eliberate effort, such as the use of a phony smile or the courtesy laugh. $urther, there can be an outright rejection of others an, value ju,gments about everything. Preju,ices concerning groups, lifestyles, or customs are all too common. There can also be a ten,ency to lie. *n,ee,, lying usually stems from a fear of not being love, or accepte,, an, it5s use, in hopes of avoi,ing that pain. Sa,ly, lies are insi,ious in their se,uctiveness an, can become an a,,ictive response to all unpleasant situations. The problem for people with a nee, of acceptance is when they resort to ,ishonesty they not only contra,ict themselves an, ,amage their own self=worth, but they rob others of the ability to choose an, ma4e ,ecisions not erroneously base, on falsifie, information. This un,ermines the ,ignity an, autonomy of the person being lie, to because their choices might have been ,ifferent if they ha, 4nown the truth. +uch self=4arma can come from lying.

& 'eve(s o# Acceptance !. *ngratiation #. Pleasing %. Toleration &. 'on,itional Acceptance (. +atter=of=fact o4=ness A. >ove C. Agape.

Communion (+Sharing +ndiscriminate contact! People with this nee, ten, to be tribal an, family oriente,. They are highly social an, will use just about any e1cuse to justify gathering a group of people together. *n short, they ,o not li4e to be alone. *n the positive pole, these people are happiest when they are sharing with others, both emotionally an, mentally. Physically, there is almost always an open invitation from them to come share their worl, in one capacity or another. 2ot surprisingly, people with this nee, ma4e great hosts, an, e1cel when they are given the responsibility of organi;ing community events, parties, or other social functions. They also seem to have an natural affinity for wor4ing with chil,ren. There are many layers to this nee,, ranging from feelings of ,evotion to a higher being, to a nee, to be with a tribe or greater community, such as other +ichael stu,ents. Associations with family members an, true frien,s represents another layer, along with a ,eep ,esire for intimacy. :egar,less of role, there is an obvious talent for sociali;ing here an, an apparent ease in ma4ing goo, impressions on others. $rien,s or family members who are less outgoing can uic4ly feel overwhelme, by these gregarious, social butterflies, who en,lessly try to thrust them into encounters with other people. *n the negative pole, there can be a ,esperate nee,iness that ,rives others away. This sort of behavior can lea, to increasing levels of shallowness an, in,iscriminatingly approving of an, accepting the company of anyone just to avoi, being alone. *n the most negative e1tremes, this can sometimes manifest in criminal behavior in or,er to attract attention.

& 'eve(s o# Communion !@ *n,iscriminate contact #@ Desperate nee,iness %@ $raterni;ing &@ Sociali;ing (@ +utual closenessBwarmth A@ *ntimacyBcommunion C@ Unity

Exchange (+disseminate and a-sor- s(ander2 gossip! The nee, for e1change is about the sharing of information an, 4nowle,ge, especially with those who are intereste, in reciprocity. This nee, is not about mere chit=chat or social banter, but instea, focuses on something of value. Using many guises, this form of e1change fin,s e1pression through activities li4e teaching, meaningful ,iscussions, energetic connections with frien,s, the giving of gifts, intimate e1pressions of love, an, so forth. There is an interest in truth an, integrity with this nee,, an, this often gui,es the metho, of e1change. This nee, e1presses itself through s4in contact, e1pen,itures of time, an, social interaction. .ith s4in contact there5s generosity involving physical touch an, the e1pression that can give. .ith time, the ol, e1pression of spen,ing 3 uality time3 with someone comes into play. .ith social interaction, there5s an open flow of communication an, general receptivity to others. All of the forms of e1change are important to this nee,. *n the positive pole, people with this nee, can be a valuable source of 4nowle,ge to others, pro,ucing both great teachers an, stu,ents. There is a won,erful openness in all forms of communication here, an, an interest in wor4ing with others to achieve a common goal. )1change in general is a vital means of e1pression that all humans nee, in or,er to stay balance, an, connecte,. *n the negative pole, there5s inappropriate communication, such as slan,er an, gossip. There can be an unwillingness to e1change information an, an urge to 4eep it a secret. 2egativity an, cynicism can pre,ominate here, as well as the use of information against others or simply lying an, ,eceiving.

& 'eve(s o# Exchange !. slan,erBwar #. gossip %. i,le chatter &. tra,eBbarter (. mutual profit Ewin=win@ A. un,erstan,ing C. teachingBlearning.

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