Self-awareness and Self-observation
Self-observation and Self-awareness go together. We cannot observe ourselves if we are in a state of identification with thoughts emotions or external objects. We must be alert and vigilant in order to avoid identification which is a state of waking sleep.
To observe ourselves is necessary to turn one part of our attention inside us in order to be aware of our own beingness otherwise we will easily identify with the contents of the mind instead of witnessing it.
If we are established in the silence within then becomes relatively easy no to identify with the mind and observe everything that appears in it objectively.
Meditation, self-enquiry and other practices can help us develop our capacity to remain more and more aware of our beingness.
The development of dispassion and concentration are also very important qualities that help us to stay self-aware and not identify with the mind.
The development of self-awareness help us develop the self-observation and the self-observation help us discover and dissolve the various defects that keep us identified and asleep. In its turn the dissolution of the defects causes more clarity and sharpness in the mind and opens more free space in the mind and thus we are more capable not to identify and to develop more the self-awareness.