Self Awareness & The Quest for Happiness

Why self-awareness? “I think, therefore I am,” said Descartes.
Here are some questions: Who are we? Why are we here? What is the purpose of our lives? How many people are self-aware? What does being self-aware translate to?
The two connections to our mind and body are:
1. Metacognition – being aware of our thoughts and feelings, and
2. Learning to understand our body signals, listening actively, and collaborating with our bodies for good health.

“Know thyself” is a Socratic exhortation that has been forgotten.
Why? Because we have no time with ourselves, no more solo walks in nature, no more silence and solitude.
We are bombarded with the outside world stimuli: social media posts, videos, reels, TV news alerts and cruel movies, advertisements, online games, etc,.
Everything that occupies the sacred space of our mind steals from us our time for metacognition and getting in touch with ourselves.
Under the noise of the media, we can hardly pay attention to our mind and mood – how we feel, what thoughts we entertain, and our body sensations – such as hunger, thirst, or the need to use the bathroom.
Paying attention to our intuitive feelings is often lost when stress and noise levels are high.
We put our own inner show on stand-by to watch other people’s shows.
How about starting to nourish our body-mind relationship?
Perhaps thinking about what we would love to do with our lives, with the precious, inestimable time we have.
We must reflect on our:
– Love and Relationships- identify areas where there is room for improvement.
– Vocation – are we doing what we love or just dragging our feet in a job where we leave our soul at the door before entering?
– Health and wellness – how we can improve our body and mind and keep them healthy. How can we prevent disease?
– Time and Money Freedom

Let us philosophize a bit! Philosophy is the love of wisdom and we want te become wise!

“The idea of “Know thyself,” or gnōthi seauton, has never been truly forgotten; rather, its meaning has evolved and been reinterpreted throughout history. While it is most famously associated with Socrates and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the concept has persisted as a central theme in philosophy and psychology. However, its application has changed over time.

• A lifelong journey: Socrates viewed self-knowledge not as a destination but as an ongoing process of self-examination. In Plato’s Phaedrus, he states that he has no time to contemplate mythological tales because he is “not yet able…to know myself”.
• The examined life: For Socrates, self-knowledge was essential for living a good and virtuous life. He famously declared that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” because ignorance of oneself prevents rational and moral action.
• Recognition of ignorance: One of the key aspects of Socratic self-knowledge is recognizing the limits of one’s own wisdom. His famous assertion, “I know that I know nothing,” is a direct result of this deep introspection.
• Dialectical and social: The Socratic method is based on the idea that self-knowledge is a dialectical, conversational process, not just internal introspection. Through dialogue, individuals could uncover and challenge false beliefs about themselves and the world. 

• Christianity and mysticism: During the Middle Ages, Christian thinkers understood self-knowledge in relation to one’s sinful nature, seeing it as a path to knowing God. Similarly, Islamic scholars linked the concept to knowing one’s relationship with Allah.
• Modern introspection: In the 17th century, philosophers like Descartes shifted the focus to internal consciousness. Later, Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis adopted the phrase “know thyself” as a guiding principle for understanding the unconscious mind and its impact on a person’s life.
• Contemporary relevance: The pursuit of self-knowledge remains highly relevant today in fields such as psychology, self-help, and personal development. Modern versions focus on understanding one’s motivations, biases, emotional patterns, and purpose in a complex and distracting world.