Dissolving Negative Traits through Awareness

Replying to the question received from a seeker on Facebook.
An important question in the practice of Awareness.

First of all, becoming aware of a trait within oneself is the first step in a successful Shadow Work.

What is Shadow Work?
Shadow work is working on one’s deeper darker aspects. We have learnt all along we grew to suppress, avoid, unacknowledge, or ignore. One who is seriously doing Shadow Work will begin becoming more consistently aware of every negative or darker aspect of oneself, as and when it surfaces or shows up. If one is constantly becoming aware of these, it is a boon! For hardly many become aware of it. Even if they do, it goes unacknowledged. When unacknowledged, the trait either escapes ones attention and continues thriving or becoming stronger. Because, the hardest part on the journey is failure to acknowledge one’s own flaws, which then makes the attention more outwardly, towards external flaws of everything around, thus deluding it by avoiding taking responsibility. Owing full responsibility over ones negative traits is the core requirement for a seeker to move ahead. It is only by acknowledging its presence to oneself, that any traits can be dealt with face-to-face. Acknowledgement happens through awareness. By becoming aware. So becoming aware is a good indication that one has taken responsibility. Trust me, most of the work is done here.

The next step, after becoming aware, is not really to battle it. It may seem that though one is aware of it, it one is unable to eradicate it.  The solution is – to seek no solutions to curb it, fight it or destroy it. What is trying to destroy it is the mind and not the awareness. In pure awareness there can be no judgement or reaction. Till the awareness was happening about observing the negative trait, it was fine, but immediately after that the mind takes over, wanting to take some action over what you had just become aware of. Judgement and reaction means the mind has made you move away from awareness. You are no more in awareness. So all that you need to practice is to stretch that awareness by Shifting Into Awareness and just observe all it’s play. Even if the mind becomes active, become aware of that too.

Important: If you are practicing awareness, it simply means you are working on yourself, and if you are working on your negative traits, there is no question of feeling guilty about it. Guilt is also a trait that needs attention. Become aware of the guilt also. Anything such that comes, engulf it into your awareness.

It doesn’t really matter what flaws are there within us because none of them can be just removed like that overnight. Know that, Awareness is Light. Meaning, the moment you become aware of a dark trait, you are shedding light on it, which is why you will see that when you observe any trait in awareness, that trait becomes powerless. It only gains power the moment the mind comes in, otherwise it becomes powerless in the light (awareness). That is how all the deep negative traits start dissolving and losing grip over you every time you simple become aware of it. Hope this helps