Resting in the Hammock of Awareness
I love the imagery and lived experience of lying in a hammock. Out in the fresh air senses awaken, the body softens, the breath slows, the mind quiets. We notice clouds, birds and planes cross through the sky. Light dancing through the leaves. The sounds of insects, wind and rustling branches. The warmth of the sun and cool touch of a breeze. And all the while, we are doing nothing but resting, as a neutral observer, aware of all of it without becoming any of it. We can notice the birds but not be the birds, notice the sun but not be the sun…you get the idea.
Whether literal or metaphorical, the hammock is a helpful way to understand observing our experience as a gateway to mindfulness - awareness.
Awareness is the ability to notice what’s happening right now without needing to fix it, change it or make it go away. There is curiosity and interest in this view. It is noticing a breath, a thought, a feeling, or a moment of connection as it’s occurring. Awareness creates pause. Pause creates space. And space gives us choice.
This is the real mindfulness, not a perfect panacea of bliss, or a contrived calm - but the honest, sometimes gritty practice of noticing what is, even if we don’t like it, as we rest in the hammock just watching all of it move in and move out.
Often describe as a “Triangle of Awareness”, we can pause, rest and perhaps notice:
thoughts - flowing, changing, and often snatching our attention away
emotions - pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, always carrying a feeling tone, running in the background
body sensations - tension, ease, pain, calm, restless, warm, open, contracted
Each side of the tiangle influences the others. Thoughts shape emotions. Emotions speak through the body. Sensations trigger thoughts. All three are in conversation.
Healthy awareness is flexible, like a hammock swaying in the breeze. We can sense the body, notice the mind and stay present with emotional tones without becoming rigid or overwhelmed. We can remain pliable and adaptable finding our way to transformational resilience.
Why does this matter? When awareness narrows we can become reactive. When awareness expands, we can become responsive - able to ask, “what is this moment asking for now?” Awareness can help us regulate stress, support presence, and allows us to meet life with greater clarity and compassion.
Begin resting in your hammock. Notice what you notice. And the moment you notice you’ve drifted is the moment that you are back - resting in the hammock of awareness.
In-joy the rest,
Debbie