A person without consciousness would be like a robot: perfect in his movement, nor would he make too much or too little movement in unconditional goal orientation.

He would feel no emotion and feeling and would be carefully protected from pain. But since man is not a machine, it is good that he pays close attention to his consciousness. Being aware of oneself is natural to us and allows us to choose and make decisions. The freer we are in body and spirit, the easier we direct our life, while ignorance makes us prisoners of a vicious circle of problems and illnesses.

Our organism is a complex and developing system, so it constantly forces us to nurture its integrity so that we are completely aware of it and try to advance in every level of living. A person’s consciousness is the one that allows all parts of the system to be efficient and cooperative. Self-awareness allows us to feel the shortcomings in our system’s functioning; only constant learning prevents us from shying away from problems. Learning the AEQ method is the approach that allows us to know and act, which gives us invaluable experience.

The etymological interpretation of the word consciousness points to the original meaning in the compound za and veda – meaning I know, i.e. to know – which comes from the ancient Indian root veda. Proto-Slavic vede originally meant I saw, from which the meaning of the word consciousness can be explained as something that exists because we have seen it and therefore know that it is, that therefore it exists.

But we cannot equate consciousness with reason. The reasoning is like a computer, which only works when connected to electricity (the consciousness). Consciousness and reason go together hand in hand but caring for the mind alone are not enough; we must also train our self-awareness. This will allow for a calm and penetrating mind that will also be felt by those around you. Self-awareness expresses our inner energy; this, in turn, decides the quality of our lives. It frees our emotions.

Biological systems have developed themselves in accordance with the principles of integration and specialization. A person is a system (organism) created out of almost four trillion cells, which are connected as a whole and highly specialized. Other natural and social systems are created in a similar way, the ecosystem, families, or large corporations. Any system can develop full performance and efficiency only when it is comprehensive (somatic). Biologic systems that aren’t complete die out quicker. Man-made systems can also be incomplete and still achieve the desired goal, but they use significantly more energy, materials, and resources. Such systems can eventually evolve and become more connected and completed, or they crumble completely due to entropy.

When we lie down to perform an AEQ exercise, we have to be clear on why we are doing this. Our purpose is to consciously control certain muscles and learn how to tense or relax them better. Thus we feel ourselves better, and we observe how the mind guides our muscles in full awareness. It is a wholeness that lies within ourselves as the potential for movement inherent in bodily needs. Allow us full and beautiful movement with careful observation: one thought, one movement, one thought…

Aleš Ernst, author of the AEQ method and AEQ breathing