Member-only story
An Inquiry of What It Means to Be “Conscious”
The term “conscious” tends to be an overused buzz word, but can also hold the key to getting more of what we really want.
What does being “conscious” mean to you?
I often find it tricky to use the term “conscious” to describe ways of being or action, not only because it tends to be an overused buzz word, but also because the distance it can create.
For some, the concept of being conscious resonates on many levels and is something to strive towards and be identified with.
For others, it seems to be a confronting concept. One that creates resistance, unease, and even passive aggression towards those who would use such a lofty term to describe themselves.
While we can always add meaning and definition to words, something I like to do is check out the definition and etymology of words.
For starters, according to Webster, the definition of conscious is to be “aware of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.” or alternatively, to be “fully aware of or sensitive to something.”
The etymology of the word shines further light. According to Etymonline, the adjective variant of “conscious” stems…
