Mindfulness of Awareness

In the Asheyana path, Calm Abiding practice is supported by one's work with the Eight Renunciations, having developed some space of mind in stepping back from bivalent perceptions.

Here is an extension of the Calm Abiding practice to deepen one's work with the step : "5. Open the Mind." This extension can be used during Calm Abiding practice or outside of defined practices sessions.

Called here "Mindfulness of Awareness," this extension is inspired by the third of the Nikaya Buddhist Four Establishments of Mindfulness, called "Mindfulness of Mind."

During a session of Calm Abiding, while working with the 'Five Points of Practice,' Location, Physical, Sensory, Attention, and Mind, one begins to focus more on the fifth Point of Practice, that of the Mind. One brings one's attention to one's awareness--the totality of one's experience, allowing whatever may arise or subside within one's awareness to arise or to subside as long as arising or subsiding naturally occurs.

• • Drawing back from evaluations or judgements of what may arise in one's awareness, one simply connects with the totality of one's experience.
    
    

  • If what arises in one's awareness highlights the felt sense of body, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the felt sense within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.
          

  • If what arises in one's awareness highlights the other sense perceptions--sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the sense perception within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.
            

  • If what arises in one's awareness highlights an emotional state, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the emotional state within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.
    
    

  • If what arises in one's awareness highlights any particular phenomenal experience, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the phenomenal experience within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.
    
    

  • If what arises in one's awareness highlights any particular noumenal experience, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the noumenal experience within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.

• • If what arises in one's awareness highlights attention to any particular object of experience besides the totality of experience, one draws back from evaluation or judgement and simply looks to find the object of experience within the context of the totality of one's experience, gently returning to openness.
    
    

  • If one becomes absorbed into or detached during this Mindfulness of Awareness practice extension, one briefly returns to the general Calm Abiding instruction until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Awareness practice extension. 
    
    

• • Notice if the totality of one's experience has a center.
    
    

  • Notice if the totality of one's experience has a fringe.
    
    

  • Notice if the totality of one's experience is still or if it is moving.
    
    

  • Notice if the totality of one's experience is big or if it is small.
    
    

  • Notice if the totality of one's experience has a front or if it has a back.
    
    

  • Notice the difference between relating with objects of experience contextualized by the totality of one's experience and relating with objects of experience without such contextualization.
    
    

Following a session of Calm Abiding, one can extend Mindfulness of Awareness into daily life by:

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Awareness developed during practice to the periods of one's day--waking, preparing for the day, morning, noontime, afternoon, evening, nighttime, releasing from the day, sleeping.
  
  

  • Notice awareness--the totality of one's experience--throughout the day. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted between awareness and a particular object of experience in daily life--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice relating with a particular object of experience in daily life contextualized within awareness. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Awareness developed during practice to one's own activities during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice awareness--the totality of one's experience--when relating with one's own activities. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted between awareness and a particular object of experience related to one's own activities--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice relating with a particular object of experience related to one's own activities contextualized within awareness. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

• Bringing the Mindfulness of Awareness developed during practice to activities involving others during the day, as well as transitions between activities.
  
  

  • Notice awareness--the totality of one's experience--when relating with others. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

  • Notice if and when the mind has shifted between awareness and a particular object of experience related to others--was there a discernible trigger?
    
    

  • Notice relating with a particular object of experience related to others contextualized within awareness. Is there anxiety? Is there relief? Is there clinging? Is there openness?
    
    

• If one becomes absorbed or detached during this Mindfulness of Awareness practice extension, one can return to the mindfulness and awareness of daily life until they are ready to continue working with this Mindfulness of Emotions practice extension.
  
  

  • Notice if one's habits of mind in daily life reflect one's Mindfulness of Awareness in meditation practice--Be curious what might explain the difference between the two.
    
    

By practicing "Mindfulness of Awareness," one can begin to see through direct experience how objects of experience that arise and subside can be contextualized within awareness--the totality of one's experience. One can also begin to see for oneself how the seeming solidity of objects of experience can relax and loosen when contextualized within awareness.

The fruition of Mindfulness of Awareness is called Poise of Awareness--a good relationship with the awareness, neither tuned out from relating skillfully with objects of experience nor over-invested in arranging objects of experience to one's liking, with attention to awareness as awareness, spaciously allowing for the arising and subsiding of objects of experience such that the movements of mind appear inquisitive, patient, and relaxed of clinging and grasping, with an openness of being.

May these words help the good Asheyana practitioner to rest in the Poise of Awareness, with full mindfulness. May it be of benefit.