Where are you now? What are you feeling? Fundamental questions to which we think we know the answers - although we're often wrong, having been misled by our own minds. After you've finished this Ezine, pause for a few moments to ask and answer these questions. Then, set the alarm on your 'phone or watch for some random time later today. When you hear the alarm, stop what you're doing and ask yourself those questions again. Knowing where you are is the beginning of self-awareness... knowing how you're feeling is self-awareness.

Given the automated nature of the ordinary mind and our repetitive patterned behaviour, we are unlikely to know the answers to the questions posed in today's Quick Tip - unless we stop ourselves in our tracks and really give the questions some attention. Not knowing where you stand is no place to start coming to terms with reality and what you have to do to get to where you want to go... assuming you've some fix on that (which may be one assumption too far!). History is awash with examples of where normal self-delusion gets us: from General Custer to Kodak who, for some strange reason, didn't notice that celluloid film was going out of fashion! And, if you want an insight into how we incessantly repeat patterned behaviour, simply ask your local marriage or relationship counseller.

Knowing where you are is the beginning of wisdom. Knowing where you really are is an extremely complex task for the normal mind - because the normal mind always, be default, perceives a predetermind, automatically chosen, reality that is not where you are right now. It takes time, commitment and discipline to get your mind to a level where you can, at the drop of a hat, see, feel, hear, smell and taste where you are right now.

However, you need to be able to do this at the drop of that proverbial hat - because now keeps changing and, like any good game show, there's a time limit on taking life's opportunties as they present themselves! In other words, we've to be present as much of the time as is humanly possible, free of the thoughts that bind us as much as that is humanly possible, clear of mind and alert to the reality of what's going on and what might be in it for us.

Your life is passing you by and you're not even there... the minute you start turning up to the here and now, however, everything changes... you won't know yourself!