"Have you ever noticed the sense that something is missing in life or not quite right? It could be as obvious as physical or emotional pain, or a subtle intuition that's present even when life seems to be going rather well. Sometimes, as soon as one problem is resolved, our minds seem to find-or invent-another one. We often deal with this unease by distracting ourselves with entertainment, pleasure, or even productive activities."
"It's important first to understand what is meant here by "awareness." Quite simply, it's the area or field in which all of your experiences appear. Our experiences are in the form of our five senses, thoughts, and emotions. So notice everything you are conscious of right now, all that you see, hear, feel, etc., all around you, and in all directions-that is your field of awareness."
Persistent dissatisfaction often arises because attention targets changing circumstances and the contents of experience instead of awareness itself. People commonly distract themselves with entertainment, pleasure, or productivity to relieve unease, but the relief proves temporary as the mind finds new problems. Awareness functions as the container or field in which sights, sounds, thoughts, and feelings appear, and awareness is not identical to those contents. Shifting attention from contents to the container of awareness reveals a naturally clear, peaceful, and open presence that does not depend on external circumstances. Contemplative traditions have long emphasized this shift as a route to lasting ease.
Read at Psychology Today
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