Consciousness and attention

[ZZZZ]

How is it that a thought can be overlaid in consciousness and there seems to be a distinct difference VS being "aware" of the present moment with no thoughts? Consciousness is still ever-present, the attention is just focused differently (or absent).

I guess the attention itself is just a different display within consciousness. Is it possible to stop projecting the feeling or aspect of attentive awareness into consciousness, or is that just another sneaky thought? Seems like it might be, but I am still struggling to see how anything is inherently different when we are conscious of being conscious, or wrapped up in thought. Maybe there really isn't a difference, and the elimination of an "observer" makes them perfectly equivalent finite slices of an infinite consciousness.

 

(Not sure if I am making sense here, but felt like I should spit out this question while it is intriguing me. Just smoked some MJ and feeling thoughtful.)

Edited November 23, 2019 by ZZZZ

[Ananta]

Attention is simply awareness contracting to focus on an object (subtle or gross) through the use of the mind.

When this focus widens and contraction disperses, then one is just resting as awareness.

1 hour ago, ZZZZ said:

Is it possible to stop projecting the feeling or aspect of attentive awareness into consciousness, or is that just another sneaky thought?

Not while awareness is in association with a body/mind. To function in the world, focus, therefore attention, needs to happen to perform various activities. 

[ZZZZ]

@Anna1 What do you mean by "When this focus widens and contraction disperses, then one is just resting as awareness?"

 

I keep trying to distill my thoughts and they keep leading down a path similar to this:

The states of awareness or lack of awareness are both different displays within consciousness, but they are ultimately the same thing (even though an individual that is not-aware, is not aware of itself, and the conscious individual is). Different movies on the same screen. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by ZZZZ

[Ibn Sina]

I think consciousness , at least when talking  in a spiritual sense, is ever present, whether you are thinking  thoughts, or focusing on an object, or are in a state of pure awareness. So in a sense , consciousness is associated with attention, because  attention is present wherever consciousness flows.

The difference between materialistic people and spiritual people is the direction of their flow of consciousness, in the former it flows outward (to appearance / maya, thus getting attached to it) , in the latter it flows inward, but it's the same consciousness. Whether you are a materialistic or spiritual, you are fundamentally the same thing.

And you are right when you say that there seems to be no difference between anything when you are being conscious of the consciousness itself. That itself is the  beginning of spirituality.

 

[Ananta]

26 minutes ago, ZZZZ said:

@Anna1 What do you mean by "When this focus widens and contraction disperses, then one is just resting as awareness?"

Well, attention is just awareness contracting and focusing through the mind,  therefore when this "relaxes" (maybe that's a better word), then attention is not focused on a specific object, but it is turned inward towards the Self (capital "S").

26 minutes ago, ZZZZ said:

Different movies on the same screen. 

Yes, ever present awareness is always what is truth, ignorance of this fact, doesn't make it untrue.

[ZZZZ]

@Anna1 Yes, so consciousness is capable of being conscious of itself, at varying levels of focused or unfocused attention. Thus infinity. 

Why is the mind responsible for attention (or lack thereof)? What is the illusion that makes attention seem guided or directed towards or from anything, a thought/concept?

 

@Ibn Sina Is attention present everywhere consciousness flows? It seems like consciousness is present everywhere attention flows. 

 

I am having a lot of breakthroughs tonight that are finally giving me direct experiences of concepts that I have learned, and thought I knew as fact over the last couple of years. Feels good to have these aha moments.

[Ibn Sina]

1 hour ago, ZZZZ said:

Is attention present everywhere consciousness flows? It seems like consciousness is present everywhere attention flows. 

I think attention itself is a byproduct of consciousness rather than a basic substratum of reality. 

Attention happens due to the presence of consciousness. So I think it is not attention which flows, but it is consciousness which flows because attention is not a 'thing' but consciousness is a 'thing' like water, a substratum and  hence it can flow.

Attention itself is not a 'thing' or a substratum of reality but what we call attention is the consequence of the 'thing' called consciousness.

In a sense, consciousness both flows and is present everywhere. In the limited consciousness (river), when it flows it becomes attention, but  in enlightenment, consciousness expands (ocean) and realizes its limitlessness.

Limited consciousness = Attention

Expanded consciousness = Awakening/ Enlightenment.

The main question is whether the consciousness of a person is contracted or expanded. If contracted = Attention. If  expanded= Awakening ( consciousness becoming conscious of itself) 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Ibn Sina

[Nahm]

@ZZZZ Consciousness is only conscious of itself, and only consciousness is conscious of itself. There is a virtually unfathomable design at play, and the thought “responsible mind” is mind, just as the thought choice is mind, is a choice, as all else too, all that is chosen, is mind. Thoughts are ‘things’, and create “things” of potentiality, within Mind (Consciousness / Infinite Intelligence). 

[Ananta]

8 hours ago, ZZZZ said:

Why is the mind responsible for attention (or lack thereof)? What is the illusion that makes attention seem guided or directed towards or from anything, a thought/concept?

Attention is just a function of mind when illumined by awareness.

But, awareness is always aware (even without mind) and present everywhere.

Thats all I can say atm, have to go to work

[Forestluv]

21 hours ago, Anna1 said:

Attention is simply awareness contracting to focus on an object (subtle or gross) through the use of the mind.

When this focus widens and contraction disperses, then one is just resting as awareness.

Nice frame ? 

[Ananta]

@Serotoninluv Ty

[Ananta]

"You are always the supreme. But your attention is fixed on things, physical or mental. When your attention is off a thing and not yet fixed on another, in the interval you are pure being. When through the practice of discrimination and detachment, you lose sight of sensory and mental states, pure being emerges as the natural state. By focusing the mind on "I am", on the sense of being, "I am so-and-so" dissolves; "am a witness only" remanins and that too submerges in "I am all". Then the all becomes the One, and the One yourself."

Nisargadatta Maharaj

[Eu Sint]

@Anna1 Pure knowledge, Pure Being.. 

Love Nisargadatta Maharaj teachings.❤️??

[Ananta]

4 hours ago, Eu Sint said:

@Anna1 Pure knowledge, Pure Being.. 

Love Nisargadatta Maharaj teachings.❤️??

Me too, so clear and direct!