Eyes are closed, consciousness of your surroundings is suspended = NOT WOKE.
Eyes are open, consciousness is full, intact and alert = WOKE.
That’s the literal definition of woke — actually, awake, because woke is a verb (post-asleep).
The term woke emerged in the 2010’s, and increasingly, has meant not only racial consciousness, but also that of gender, and other discriminated identities.
13 years since its inception, woke has become the centerpiece of hardcore political campaigns, as well as a targeted slur, aimed at those who deny closing their eyes to compassionate causes, injustices, and the fragile state of our country and planet.
Let’s back up a little, shall we? By about 2,500 years.
When the Buddha sat under that Bodhi tree and observed the coming and going of his precious breath, mindfulness, aka, heightened awareness, or waking up, was born.
And, at the very heart of the ancient practice of mindfulness, lies compassion and heartfulness.
If these are characteristics of being woke, then I plead guilty.
I am woke! And I hope you are too.
Quoted below, is a working definition of mindfulness, provided by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author, teacher and creator of MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction).
Mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.
Non-judgment is one of the core tenets of mindfulness. It invokes the art of acceptance.
Acceptance would go a long way in our current state of division.
IMHO, blatant disregard for civil and human rights, rewriting history to suit a “making things great” narrative, and dismantling decades of human progress, is not a platform that I will support now, or ever.
In order to live well in these times of dichotomy, I keep my eyes open, (except when I practice meditation), I stay curious, and I cultivate as much peace as I can, both inwardly, and especially, outwardly.
Please join me in the short meditation practice below, with the sole intentions of falling awake into each present moment, and savoring what is.
Next time someone asks you if you are woke?
You might simply respond YES, with pride.
I live in South Florida. Where the only thing that comes to die here..is Democracy. Of course this is strictly my opinion.
Love these videos...and I appreciate these so much during these times of our lives. Being numb, detached , disassociation are coping skills that eventually do not help me " Cope " at all. Being present in the moment...is still difficult for me..but just a little bit of practice and it becomes easier. Thank you for helping us.
Love StacyO 💕
Perfect, Perfect. I meditate twice a day, morning just after awakening and again before dinner but have not done a guided meditation in a while. Here it is in the middle of the day and, boom - I've fallen awake. So sweet. Thank you for the reminder on what Woke really means.