Many of my conversations with my spiritual teacher have focused on feeling a deep sense of being aware and awake in the world. One of my teacher’s favorite quotes is, “Once you know, you can’t not know.”
My teacher spoke about being awake in the world by comparing it to squeezing toothpaste out of its tube. She said, “Once you squeeze the toothpaste out, you can’t put it back in. Being awake is the same. When you become awake, you can’t go back to being unconsciousness.”
She acknowledged that being awake in the world might mean being more attuned to both the joys and sufferings of other people. We can choose to be fully alive or stay in a slumbered state.
“You may sit at a dinner table and be the only one aware and awake. While you may not feel seen or heard, people will be able to feel the life inside you. Continue to be your brilliant, loving, vulnerable, and joyful self. We need more people who are aware and awake.”
I knew she was right. There really is no turning back now. The toothpaste is out of the tube.