Psychiatrist and author Eric Berne, famed for 'Games People Play', encapsulates the essence of cultivating free attention when he observes, "The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing.” He goes on to say that “Awareness requires living in the here and now, and not in the elsewhere, the past or the future,” and that “We are born princes and the civilizing process makes us frogs.”

 Through years of dedicated inner exploration, one may develop a heightened sense of free attention, empathy, and emotional intelligence. In Zen, this state is known as 'The Tenth Bull', symbolizing 'Entering the Marketplace with Helping Hands'. However, my experience suggests a continuous cycle: returning from elevated states to address and integrate unconscious behaviours. This involves delving into the depths of one's personal universe, examining attachments to identities, including spiritual ones, and recognizing that all identities are, in essence, constructs. Our true Self, pure awareness, transcends identity. Identification with any attribute –"I am this" or "I am that" – obscures our authentic nature and self-awareness.

 A genuine, enduring realization of one's true Self becomes unattainable when attention remains fixated on personal needs, wants and desires. Instead, our intentions must shift outward, considering others and our environment. Focusing attention, guided by responsibility, compassion and a desire to serve, towards alleviating the suffering of all sentient beings, initiates a potent and continuous purification. I contend that once an individual awakens to the understanding that all is interconnected and grasps the profound significance of St John of the Cross's words, "there is nothing better or more necessary than Love”, this realization fosters an acute awareness of the suffering experienced by all sentient beings. This, in turn, inspires a deep-seated desire to alleviate suffering wherever possible, dedicating one's life to service. I posit that our beliefs dictate all our responses and reactions.