Awareness vs mindfulness vs self-awareness vs consciousness

[SFReader]

As I've been sitting in "do nothing" I've been watching my mind explore these concepts, but as of yet it has been unable to satisfactorily define them. Right now I seem to be at:

• Awareness: universal among living things, can stand on it's own, does not require mindfullness, self-awareness, or consciousness
• Mindfullness: noticing/paying attention to (releasing to?) awareness
• Self-awareness: noticing/understanding/accepting your mindfullness and as well as your separation from from the universal awareness
• Consciousness: the processing aspect of self-awareness, i.e. thought and reaction to self-awareness, most often a projection of self into the future, a recollection of self from the past, or an emotional or thought reaction to the present. 

How to these different states reconcile within me? Which state do I strive for (or release to) during my sits? Do self-awareness and consciousness inhibit awareness and mindfullness? If the end goal is "no-mind" is that simply pure awareness?

Thanks...

Edited December 5, 2017 by SFReader

[AleksM]

@SFReader

I recommend you read this post. You will find some answers there.

 

[alyra]

The difference isn’t really there. They are just a form of classification, to bridge meaning to that which holds no meaning. 

[SFReader]

Thanks AleksM -

Not sure I agree with all those aspects of awareness.

Once I engage my self-awareness, I disengage the universal awareness. I don't believe one can be in a state of universal awareness while engaging the self or consciousness (as I defined it above). 

Edited December 6, 2017 by SFReader

[AleksM]

@SFReader

Personal mind =  thoughts, definitions and embedded beliefs of your being (embedded by repetition). Your subjective truths. 

Universal mind =  thoughts, definitions and embedded beliefs of all the beings in the universe, unperceived thoughts stored in the universal unconscious mind. 

Everything exists in the universal mind but not in the personal mind. Thoughts, definitions and beliefs that beings have separate them, but the being aspect connects them together.

When you find a thoughts, definition, belief that somebody has, when the perception catches it, it goes trough the conscious personal mind. To activate that thinking pattern you have to repeat it every day for an average of 66 days. After that it becomes embedded in your being, it becomes a belief, it becomes part of the subconscious personal mind and then it runs on autopilot.

There is no boundary between personal mind and universal mind, you can data stream knowledge that you currently don't know that you have but that is another topic.

Quote

Once I engage my self-awareness, I disengage the universal awareness. 

You are always aware, but the perception that is inside awareness changes. It contracts or expands. When you are engaged in self-awareness it contracts, that is usually when more beta brain waves are present (active thinking - default mode for most people). When you relax, when there are no thoughts, at that moment you engage in universal awareness. But when you master meditation you can maintain the universal awareness while engaged in the self-awareness, and that is like being awake in a dream. You are aware that everything is happening inside You and you are conscious that you are in it. Just like in a dream.

Also I feel like you would like to check this video out. 

 

[SFReader]

That's a great answer and makes sense.

I was accepting my conclusion that universal awareness and self-awareness were separate things, That self-awareness is part of universal awareness makes sense., the key being, as you said, learning how to remove teh separation between the two so as to be able to experience the one expanded awareness.

Thanks!

[cetus]

On 12/5/2017 at 2:32 PM, SFReader said:

If the end goal is "no-mind" is that simply pure awareness?

@SFReader I wouldn't call it a goal but it sure is sweet to experience. Pure awareness observing a perfectly still mind. You 'see' the mind almost as if from a distance as you float in pure being. 

[SFReader]

41 minutes ago, cetus56 said:

@SFReader You 'see' the mind almost as if from a distance as you float in pure being. 

Sounds nice.