A belligerent samurai, once challenged a zen master to explain the concept of heaven and hell. But the monk replied with scorn, "You're nothing but a lout- I can't waste my time with the likes of you! "

His very honor attacked, the samurai flew into rage and pulling his sword from the scabbard, yelled, "I could kill you for your impertinence. "

"That," the monk calmly replied, "is hell. "

Startled at seeing the truth in what the master pointed out about the fury that had him in its grip, the samurai calmed down and bowed, thanking the monk for the insight.

"And that" said the monk, "is heaven."

Awareness of one's own feelings as they occur.

It might seem at first glance that our feelings are obvious; more thoughtful reflections reminds us of times we have been all too oblivious to what we really felt about something, or awoke to these feelings late in the game.

Self awareness or metamood as psychologists say, is the sense of an ongoing attention to one's internal states. In this self reflexive awareness mind observes and investigates experience itself, including the emotions.