Introduction to Mindfulness_349810_bookemon_ebook.pdf Coaching and Practising Mindfulness | Page 47

3. Awareness
Awareness is inherently powerful, and attention, which is focused
awareness, is more powerful still. Just by becoming aware of what is
occurring within and around us, we can begin to untangle ourselves
from mental preoccupations and difficult emotions. Sometimes this
can be quite simple, as in the case of a mentally retarded man who
managed his anger outbursts by shifting his attention to the “soles of
the feet” whenever he noticed he was angry (Singh, Wahler, Adkins,
& Myers, 2003). By redirecting attention, rather than trying to control
or suppress intense emotions, we can regulate how we feel.
Consciousness and mindfulness are standard translations of Pali
words, whereas awareness is not. This means that the exact meaning
of awareness will depend on how it is used, that is, which Pali word it
refers to.
Sometimes awareness is used for sati, such as in "awareness of the
breath", in which case it is simply equivalent to mindfulness. At other
times it is used synonymously with consciousness, as in "six-sense
awareness". At still other times the expression "full awareness" is
used for sati-sampajañña. In this use the meaning is that you have a
degree of wisdom about your actions: you know why you are doing
something and how it leads to the desired goal.
Observation by Shayly Wright at www.barefootjourneys.net)
(Shayla Wright is a lover of inquiry, nondual intimacy and awareness.
She participates in life as a teacher, a master coach, a writer, and an
evolutionary friend. She has spent a lifetime studying and teaching
inquiry, presence, and the transformation of consciousness. She has a
Phd in nondual philosophy, is a certified coach, has a teacher training
degree in Soma Yoga, and has completed an in depth training in
nondual coaching and therapy with Peter Fenner.)

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