Awareness and the Illusion of Psychological Safety

 The Three Levels of Mind: Self (Awareness), Story, and Nature

As we continue our deep exploration into awareness, a useful contrast has emerged in the context of an upcoming organizational leadership retreat I will be attending. One of the core topics they will be discussing is psychological safety, a buzzword in modern workplaces and an undeniably important factor in creating healthy work environments.

But as I reflected on it through the lens of our practice, I realized that the way psychological safety is often discussed—purely within the realm of emotions and cognition—provides a perfect opportunity to illustrate a fundamental truth about awareness.

Psychological safety, as a concept, fits squarely within the second layer of our Modern Monk Mind Map—"Your Story", which consists of:

• Thoughts (beliefs, interpretations, opinions, cognitive distortions)
• Emotions (fears, anxieties, desires, joys)

By contrast, awareness exists outside the story.

It is the observer that watches the movie play out.

It is the sky that holds the changing clouds of thoughts and emotions.

And it is only from this vantage point that we can begin to truly understand, regulate, and transform our psychology.

What Does “Psychological” Actually Mean?

We often use the word psychological interchangeably with “emotional” or “mental,” but let’s break it down:

• If we were talking about the body, we would call it physiological safety—ensuring basic survival, protection, and physical well-being.
• When we refer to psychological safety, we are talking about the story we tell ourselves about our experience—how we interpret external situations, how our emotions react to them, and how safe or unsafe they feel.

From a Modern Monk perspective, psychology = story.

And the problem with being stuck in our psychology—our story—is that it is inherently biased.

It is shaped by:

• Past experiences
• Unexamined assumptions
• Emotional reactions
• Fear-based conditioning

And yet, awareness itself has no psychology.

It simply sees.

The Horror Movie of the Mind

Let’s take an example from our movie theater metaphor.

Imagine that you are watching a thriller or horror movie in a darkened theater.

The protagonist is creeping through a dark house, the music is building, and we—sitting safely in our seats—are feeling the rising fear, tension, and anxiety.

At that moment, we are completely immersed in the story.

We want to shout, Don’t go down to the basement!
We feel our heartbeat accelerate.
We might even grip the armrests a little tighter.

But what is actually happening?

Nothing.

We are still sitting in a safe theater, eating popcorn (possibly stale, as in the behavioral economics experiment I referenced yesterday).

Yet, our mind and body react as if we are in danger.

Why?

Because we are lost in the story.

Now, let’s translate this to real life.

When we feel psychologically unsafe, what is actually happening?

• The story we are telling ourselves is a product of a threat response.
• The narrative itself is triggered by emotions that feel real, even if they may not be entirely warranted.

This is why awareness is so powerful.

Awareness: Stepping Out of the Story

When we shift from being inside the story to being the one observing the story, we immediately gain perspective.

Instead of being trapped inside a psychological thriller, we recognize that we are actually sitting safely in the theater of awareness. From here, we can begin to usefully address our situation, however safe or unsafe it may actually be.

When we cultivate awareness, we stop believing every thought, feeling, or reaction at face value.

We create space.

We create choice.

We move from reactivity to responsiveness.

How Awareness Relates to Psychological Safety

Now, this is not to dismiss the importance of psychological safety in workplaces or relationships.

Clearly, environments can be toxic. Power imbalances do exist. Social and emotional well-being matters.

But what I am pointing out is that true safety—lasting safety—cannot come purely from external conditions.

Even if the workplace becomes perfectly safe,
Even if no one ever judges you,
Even if every external factor aligns,

You still have to contend with the internal story. Plenty of people seem to 'have it all', but are still miserable inside. 

Because the feeling of safety is not only about what’s happening out there.

It is about how we perceive what’s happening out there.

And perception is shaped by where our awareness is placed.

Working From Outside the Story, Not Inside

When we are trapped inside the story, it is very difficult to change it.

• We react defensively.
• We take things personally.
• We get caught in loops of fear, anxiety, and self-doubt.

But when we cultivate awareness, we gain a higher vantage point.

From this perspective, we can:

1. Observe our own psychology without being trapped by it.
2. Recognize unhelpful patterns and begin to shift them.
3. See how the external world influences our story, but also how we shape that story.
4. Create real safety—not just in the workplace, but in our entire approach to life.

Final Thought: The Movie Is Not Real, But You Are

The next time you feel a sense of psychological threat, insecurity, or emotional turbulence, pause.

Ask yourself:

• Am I reacting to the actual moment, or to a story about it?
• Is this fear justified, or is it a projection?
• Where is my awareness right now? Am I lost in the story, or am I observing the story?

And most importantly:

Am I still sitting safely in the theater?

Because when you can step back and recognize that you are the observer, not the story, you begin to cultivate true safety—not just psychological safety, but a deeper, more profound safety that comes from knowing that no matter what changes, your awareness remains untouched.

And that awareness is your true self.

This is from our Daily Teaching, which is a small part of our Daily Practice.