What's The Difference Between Awareness And Mindfulness?

[JoseM]

There are similar concepts so it can be hard to draw the line between the two.

Edited June 4, 2017 by JoseM

[Nahm]

@JoseM

We can be aware of what's around us, find deeper richness & depths in the ordinary, every day.

We can be mindful of what's within each of us, what we are. We can be mindful that no matter who you are, or what you have or haven't done, that your attention will always be the greatest gift you have to give. 

One draws on the illusion, the other on the mind. 

 

[SOUL]

Awareness is the part of our consciousness that observes the present moment, mindfulness is when we have awareness as the focus of our mind.

[Joseph Maynor]

I think this is best determined by looking and not by theorizing about it.  Mindfulness and awareness seem to denote a broader level focusing.  Attention is where you can focus very specifically.  So, you have an adjustment that basically institutes a broad focus, and then you have a knob where you can do more fine tuned focusing -- you might label that knob attention.  But all this is story.  The key is to meditate and learn how the mind sabotages mindfulness and how to make corrections for that.  This work is best done by seeing and practice, not looking for definitions.  Like the difference between actually driving a car and listening to somebody describe how to drive a car.  Mindfulness is about driving the car.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Joseph Maynor