From Disconnection to Conscious Living: My Personal Journey
- Brian Berneman
- Nov 6, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 10, 2025
Reconnecting with Myself
There was a time when I thought I was fine. I lived a “normal” life - studying, working, socializing, doing all the things I thought I was supposed to do. But deep down, I was disconnected. I didn’t truly feel my emotions, my body or my deeper self.
Like many of us, I grew up believing the story we are feed that success and happiness came from doing more, achieving more, and thinking more. Yet, behind that constant activity, I felt an emptiness I couldn’t name. I was living in my head, disconnected from my heart.
It wasn’t until I began exploring mindfulness and holistic practices that I discovered something profound: true well-being begins with connection: connection to myself, to others and to the world around me.
The Turning Point: Learning to Feel
Discovering Tibetan Yoga and Meditation
My journey toward conscious living began when I walked into my first Tibetan Yoga class. It was the first time I truly felt my body. Until then, I had been so used to living in thought that I didn’t realize how numb I had become to my physical sensations and emotions.
Through Tibetan Yoga and Meditation, I started to experience presence not as an abstract concept, but as a felt sense of awareness. For the first time, I wasn’t thinking about life; I was living it.
This practice helped me notice how much I had been repressing: the stress, the anger, the fear. All the emotions I had buried beneath the surface slowly began to rise, and instead of running away from them, I learned to breathe through them.
Energy, Awareness and the Power of Presence
As I continued exploring, I was introduced to energy healing - specifically, Reiki and other techniques that opened me to a new understanding of the body as energy in motion. I began to feel subtle shifts within and around me: a sense of connection that went beyond the physical.
Later, as I studied neuroscience, I found the bridge between this ancient wisdom and modern science. I began to understand how mindfulness and energy work are not mystical ideas but practical ways to rewire the brain, regulate the nervous system and bring balance to our lives.
This realization deepened my commitment to live consciously not just during meditation, but in every moment.
Integrating Conscious Living into Everyday Life
From Reaction to Response
One day, I noticed that something had shifted. A car cut me off in traffic, and instead of reacting with anger, I simply took a breath. I felt where that frustration arose in my body and allowed it to pass through me.
That moment might seem small, but it was a profound sign of transformation. I realized that conscious living is not about escaping life - it’s about bringing awareness into every situation, especially the challenging ones.
Deep Practice and Inner Transformation
Living in a Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Center
Eventually, I had the opportunity to live for two years in a Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Center surrounded by the redwood forest. Immersed in daily practice, I learned that mindfulness isn’t limited to sitting on a cushion. It’s a way of being: cooking, cleaning, working and relating to others with presence and intention.
This experience taught me that spirituality is not separate from life. Every moment is an opportunity to practice awareness, compassion and connection.
Healing Beyond the Self
Understanding Systemic Family Constellations
Later in my journey, I encountered Systemic Family Constellations, a practice that helped me understand how much of what we carry (our behaviors, emotions, tendencies and patterns) often doesn’t belong solely to us.
By acknowledging and releasing inherited traumas and stories, I found deeper compassion, both for myself and for those who came before me. This healing expanded my sense of self beyond the personal, connecting me to my lineage and the collective human experience.
Living Consciously in Today’s World
Living consciously doesn’t mean being perfect or peaceful all the time. I still face challenges - we all do. But the difference now is how I meet them. Instead of reacting with stress or resistance, I respond with awareness and compassion.
Conscious living is a continuous practice, an ongoing invitation to return to presence, to remember our essence and to act from that space of connection.
If my story reminds you of your own moments of disconnection, I hope it also reminds you of this: You have the power to come home to yourself. You can choose awareness over autopilot. You can live consciously - starting right now.
Key Takeaways for Conscious Living
True connection begins within: with your breath, your body and your inner world.
Awareness transforms everything; it turns reaction into response.
Ancient wisdom and modern science complement each other in understanding the mind and body.
Healing often involves uncovering and releasing what we’ve inherited from our family system.
Conscious living is a practice: one that invites peace, presence and purpose into every moment.
If you’d like to explore these themes more deeply, listen to the full episode “From Disconnection to Conscious Living – My Personal Journey” on The Conscious Action Podcast.
It’s never too late to reconnect, to heal, and to live consciously.
Ready to explore this journey more deeply? Connect with Brian for one-on-one guidance, group sessions or upcoming workshops designed to support your path of presence and conscious transformation.
Don't miss this enlightening episode filled with inspiration and profound insights 🎧✨
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