Being Aware

Being aware is partly a practice of being in the moment and partly a practice of education. I need to be aware of an issue before I can shift my thinking or change my actions. 

I also need to be aware of my threshold for bad news and my limited ability to process and build better habits! Slowly, Turtle.

Agenda: 

1. Read "Present Moment Awareness"

2. Nature-Culture awareness

3. Inspiration and awe practice

1. Read "Present Moment Awareness":
I've been reading this book by Shannon Duncan (2001) that takes awareness one step at a time: First, body and senses; then beliefs and limitations; then emotions; and finally, reactivity. It seems like a straightforward plan!

Chapter 1 is The Power of This Moment. We've covered being present, breath, and body tension.  The fifth section is Detaching from our Thoughts. She says, "In learning to observe our thoughts without becoming absorbed in them, we have the opportunity to learn the triggers behind much of our mental static and emotional reactions. This is how we can begin the process of quieting our noisy minds and increasing our enjoyment of life."

Am I really aware of my thoughts? I think I'm pretty good at being present and letting thoughts go, but am I really?

I can practice Thought Awareness anytime, and all day long, from morning planning time through the day of relational conflict and fatigue:

1. Anchor myself in my breathing.
2. Do a body scan for tension and sensations, and relax tensions.
3. Open myself to the life going on around me -be present.
4. Observe my thoughts, detach, let them float by.

2. Nature-Culture awareness:

This week I've been educating myself about water in my region, and I asked, what pollutants flow into our river?

The Oregon Department of Quality (DEQ) listed the Willamette River as impaired due to elevated water temperatures, elevated levels of mercury concentration in fish, and elevated bacteria. This is bad news for aquatic organisms that depend on healthy streams, as well as downstream drinking water users and people who enjoy fishing and recreating in the Willamette River watershed. Other local water bodies, including Amazon Creek, Amazon Diversion Channel, and Fern Ridge Reservoir, are also impaired due to elevated bacteria levels, low dissolved oxygen levels and elevated turbidity.

When water quality standards are not met, the federal Clean Water Act requires that a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) be established. A TMDL serves as a restoration plan for waterways that have been impaired by pollution and habitat degradation. The City of Eugene’s TMDL Implementation Plan identifies actions the City is taking to restore and protect water quality in local waterways and the Willamette River.

Action items include (among others):

1. Reducing stormwater pollution with street sweeping, preventing spills from getting into the sewers, preventing erosion from construction sites, constructing rain gardens and swales, and waterway inspections, maintenance, clean up and restoration activities.
2. Planting trees and shrubs extensively along publicly managed waterways and provide opportunities to participate in voluntary tree planting and stream restoration activities
3. Provide information about sources of stormwater pollution affecting our waterways, and actions individuals can take to prevent and reduce these pollutants
4. Conduct regular water quality sampling and use the data to inform future program adjustments.

3. Inspiration and awe practice: 

I've wanted to build in a day each week to look for inspirational quotes, videos, and images that inspire me. Today I tried to get an update on the Amazon Creek Restoration project.

The project involves removing a portion of the 66-year-old concrete channel that runs through Amazon Park enclosing the creek between 19th and 24th Avenues and planting native vegetation to restore the ecosystem. Restoring the creek will encourage animals and plants to thrive, cool the water for aquatic life by planting shade trees, and clean storm water through infiltration into the soil. Apparently the work is progressing slowly. I want to take some photos soon.