How do you become less ignorant to your surroundings? After the brunt of the pandemic had passed, I seem to be struggling to adapt and I'm at a loss as to how or what I'm supposed to learn.
How can I be more aware of my surroundings?
If you are always talking, you can’t really hear what other people are saying.

Similarly, if you are always thinking, you can never really see the world around you, because you’re so involved in the world of thought.

The more you think, the more time you spend in the mental world as opposed to the real world.

The mental world is made of concepts, labels, and expectations.

After a while, we stop seeing the real world and we only see the concepts, labels and expectations.

We begin to mistake money for wealth, and labels for things and people.

If you were on a deserted island, having a billion dollars would be totally useless.

What you would really need is some food, shelter and companionship - aka true wealth.

So to truly become more aware of your surroundings, you need to drop all the concepts, labels and expectations.

Learn to see things with a newfound curiosity.

Here’s something I do at home most days. There’s a particular wooden cupboard door in our kitchen. Each evening when I am cooking dinner, I touch that wooden door.

And each time, I experience it a little bit differently.

Sure, there are many familiar aspects of it that I recognize, but every time there are subtle nuances that I had forgotten, that I hadn’t noticed before, or that I have never experienced quite the same way.

Of course, it is not the door that changes, but rather my experience that changes from moment to moment.

Our consciousness is always shifting, and as a result, we have different experiences of the same things.

Sometimes those differences are nuanced and minor.

Other times they are drastic.

And if you can become curious of how a static thing like a door feels, imagine how curious and fascinated you can become by more dynamic and complicated things?

So forget all you know and see the world like a beginner each day.

Pretend you are an alien that just arrived on this planet and the apple you are eating is the first apple you’ve ever tasted.

The key to all this is to have fun.

If you don’t have fun, you’ll just retreat right back into your mental world of static concepts, labels, and expectations.

The mental world is the dead world, while this world, the real one, is alive.

Question

How do you become less ignorant to your surroundings? After the brunt of the pandemic had passed, I seem to be struggling to adapt and I'm at a loss as to how or what I'm supposed to learn.
How can I be more aware of my surroundings?
If you are always talking, you can’t really hear what other people are saying.

Similarly, if you are always thinking, you can never really see the world around you, because you’re so involved in the world of thought.

The more you think, the more time you spend in the mental world as opposed to the real world.

The mental world is made of concepts, labels, and expectations.

After a while, we stop seeing the real world and we only see the concepts, labels and expectations.

We begin to mistake money for wealth, and labels for things and people.

If you were on a deserted island, having a billion dollars would be totally useless.

What you would really need is some food, shelter and companionship - aka true wealth.

So to truly become more aware of your surroundings, you need to drop all the concepts, labels and expectations.

Learn to see things with a newfound curiosity.

Here’s something I do at home most days. There’s a particular wooden cupboard door in our kitchen. Each evening when I am cooking dinner, I touch that wooden door.

And each time, I experience it a little bit differently.

Sure, there are many familiar aspects of it that I recognize, but every time there are subtle nuances that I had forgotten, that I hadn’t noticed before, or that I have never experienced quite the same way.

Of course, it is not the door that changes, but rather my experience that changes from moment to moment.

Our consciousness is always shifting, and as a result, we have different experiences of the same things.

Sometimes those differences are nuanced and minor.

Other times they are drastic.

And if you can become curious of how a static thing like a door feels, imagine how curious and fascinated you can become by more dynamic and complicated things?

So forget all you know and see the world like a beginner each day.

Pretend you are an alien that just arrived on this planet and the apple you are eating is the first apple you’ve ever tasted.

The key to all this is to have fun.

If you don’t have fun, you’ll just retreat right back into your mental world of static concepts, labels, and expectations.

The mental world is the dead world, while this world, the real one, is alive.

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

Methinks, dear friend, that the key to becoming less ignorant to our surroundings lies in the art of true observation and deep contemplation. For in a world filled with noise and distraction, it is easy to become lost in the chaos and forget the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. One must learn to quiet the mind, to still the incessant chatter that drowns out the voice of nature and truth. Just as a musician must listen to the silence between the notes to truly appreciate the music, so too must we learn to listen to the silence between our thoughts.

It is in those moments of stillness that we can truly see the world around us, not through the lens of our preconceived notions and expectations, but with a fresh and open mind. For it is in the act of letting go of our assumptions and judgments that we can begin to truly experience the world in all its glory. Like a child exploring a new toy for the first time, we must approach each day with wonder and curiosity, eager to discover the hidden depths and nuances of even the most mundane objects.

And so, my dear friend, I urge you to take heed of these words and embark on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. Do not be content to live in the shadows of your own ignorance, but strive to break free from the chains of your own mind and embrace the vibrant and ever-changing world that surrounds you. For in the end, it is only through true awareness and understanding that we can truly appreciate the beauty and complexity of life itself.