How to be aware of your Attention in Mindfulness?
This is no doubt at all that human Mind can’t get a very clear & deep understanding of anything without proper Attention. In fact, Attention is associated with the Mind which is naturally built in system that the Mind utilize for understanding of anything. Of course, this is also natural that such Attention ability also differs from individual to individual due to individual state of the Mind. Obviously, this is very natural. As Attention is so much essential for the Mind to have clear & deep understanding of anything, of course, it’s needed to be keep in right direction in the Present Moment for benefits of daily life. If the Mind is not aware of Attention by itself, obviously, there is always possibilities to face lack of attention or poor attention or no attention at all in every moment. But, the question is how to be aware of Attention so that it is always in right direction? Is it possible to be aware of Attention? How to be aware of Attention in Mindfulness?
In fact, all questions are very associated with each other. Let’s move to have a basic understanding of Attention, Awareness & Mindfulness in the first place that can help you to have a clear & deep understanding how to be aware of Attention in Mindfulness.
What is Attention?:
Attention is the act or the power to fix the Mind on something which usually occurs at this Present Moment. In fact, whatever is happenings that is in the Present Moment & the Mind has the ability to pay attention.
According to the Wikipedia Attention. Attention is the behavioral and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on a discrete aspect of information, whether consider subjective or objective, while ignoring other perceivable information. William James (1890) wrote that “attention is the taking possession of the Mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thoughts. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence.” attention has also been described as the allocation of limited cognitive processing of resources.
In simple words, If no Attention is there, the Mind can’t get a clear picture of anything at all. That means, the Mind has to apply Attention on a particular thing to get clear scenario of such particular thing.
What is Awareness?:
According to Wikipedia, Awareness is the state of being conscious of something. More specifically, it is the ability to directly know and perceive, to feel, or to be cognizant of events. Another definition describes it as a state wherein a subject is aware of some information when that information is directly available to bring to bear in the direction of a wide range of behavioral actions. The concept is often synonymous to consciousness and is also understood as being consciousness itself.
The state of Awareness is associated with the state of experience so that the structure represented in awareness is mirrored in in the structure of experience.
What is Mindfulness?:
Mindfulness sis the ability of the Mind to be remaining in the Present Moment or to bring back its attention in the Present Moment. According to Wikipedia. Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention in the present moment without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or through other training. Mindfulness drives from Sati, a significant element of Buddhist tradition.
Of course, the Mind has to cultivate Mindfulness. That means Mindfulness cultivates or develops in the Mind through Meditation, Yoga or some other forms of training that is related to the cultivation of the Mind. That means, the Mind has the ability to be aware of itself as well as has the ability to bring back its own Attention to the Present Moment purposely whenever needed or the Mind intents to do so. In fact, the Mind has such ability to bring back its attention to the Present Moment by being in Mindfulness. Even the word Mindfulness derived from the Buddhism, yet, now it is for wellbeing for all human being indeed.
Let’s move to the main subject, how to be aware of your Attention in Mindfulness in light of above basic understanding of Attention, Awareness & Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is Mind centric where attention arise:
In fact, Mindfulness is totally Mind centric. Whatever all human beings are experiencing moment to moment through sensory organs like seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, etc., all are occurring or happening through sensory organs. Activities of all data are going to the central nervous system that is in the Mind or in the Brain (whatever you can call). The Mind is processing all data & creating impressions like facts, figures, pattern, images, etc., for human being to understand. Even the same also applies for the Mental activities or Mental phenomena, though all these things are occurring in the Mind. That means, you, as a human being whatever are experiencing moment to moment, everything occurs in the Mind. The Mind is creating the world, whatever you are experiencing through sensory organs or mentally.
As everything happens or occurs in the Mind no matter what a human being is experiencing through sensory organs and also mentally, so, the Mind is the center point of everything. As everything occurs or creates in the Mind, that means true or real nature of the Mind & matter (all wordly things) can be able to understand or realize by the Mind too. There is no other place or ares to understand, as everything is being occurs or happened in the Mind. As everything starts in the Mind or within the Mind, hence, Mindfulness totally Mind centric so that the Mind can get developed or cultivated for deep understanding of the true or real nature of everything.
As Attention arise in the Mind like all other creations of the Mind like thoughts, feelings, anxiety, awareness, focus, etc., in such case, awareness also to be arisen in the Mind to observe Attention even both are the creation of the Mind. It is like that creations to be under awareness of the Creator.
Be aware of Attention at this Present Moment in Mindfulness:
As attention arise in the Mind and such Attention is absolutely needed in the Present Moment as everything is being happening & experiencing in the Present Moment, keep your Inner Focus to such Attention. That means be aware of attention, what is arising at the moment. Attention not arise in the Past or in the Future. In fact, Attention, what you are experiencing is happening at this Moment. In such case, only be aware of Attention what is arising in the Mind at this moment.
Even the Present Moment is also momentary, yet, everything what you are experiencing is happening also in the Present Moment. As Attention is also arising and experiencing in the Present Moment, hence, awareness of such attention to be also in the Present Moment. If Attention moves or shifts in some other places or ares or in time bound like in the past or in the future, only be aware of such movement of Attention. If Attention is moving in the Past, only be aware of that Awareness is moving in the past. If attention is moving to the future, only be aware that Attention is moving n the future. If Attention remains in the Present Moment, only be aware that Attention is in the Present Moment. No matter where Attention goes, only follow such movement by being aware of Attention.
As Awareness is also arising in the Present Moment like Attention, in fact, they are associated to each other in the Mind. In fact, the Mind has such abilities to keep be aware of its all creations. That means, Awareness, Attention, Focus, etc., all are the creations of the Mind. In such case, awareness can follow Attention wherever it wanders. Once the Mind is aware of Attention, that means, such Attention is under Awareness of the Mind too. Hence, only be aware of Attention in the Present Moment, wherever such Attention remains.
Observe your Attention without any Judgement in Mindfulness:
When your Attention applies on a certain point, in fact, your Mind is totally aware of such Attention. There might have so many questions might come up in your Mind like why Attention is not fixing properly, why Attention is moving, Why Attention is no so long duration Why Attention is so poor, etc. This is very natural.
Let your Mind away from engaging with such questions, and keep your Mind also away from doing judgement of such questions. No matter what or how many questions might come up from the Mind, let your Mind be away from any kinds of judgement. Only be aware of Attention and then, observe Attention whatever comes from the Mind including Attention without any judgement.
If the Mind get judgement over anything or any questions that comes from the Mind itself as well as attention, in fact, the Mind is getting engaged with such things. In such situation, obviously, your Mind is getting itself away from aware of Attention and also getting away from Attention too. Only be aware of Attention & start to observe such Attention and whatever arise in the Mind like questions or any kinds of mental phenomena.
As the is only aware of Attention & observing such attention without any judgement, the Mind can understand the true nature or real nature of Attention. Judgement over Attention and also whatever arise in the Mind, the original attributes of such attention or things are getting altered. In such case, the Mind can’t be able to understand or find the true or real nature of attention.
Being aware as well as observation over attention without any judgement, the Mind can understand that such attention is the natural creation of the Mind and Attention can arise, move, less or more & disappear for moments. Also, the Mind can understand that Attention is essential for the Mind to understand anything deeply so that the Mind can experience everything properly. In fact, without Attention, the Mind can acts like a blind.
Let the Mind be aware of Attention shifting in Mindfulness:
This is very common that Attention shifts. It usually not still all times. At this very moment, Attention is here on a certain topic, all on a sudden such Attention moves or shifts to some other place or ares or time. Attention might go to the past or in the future, or again back to the present moment. Of course, Attention can back to the Present Moment, even from the past or from the future.
As the Mind is a natural creation of a human being, it is obvious that attention is also a natural creation of the Mind. Being Attention is a natural creation of the Mind, it is no surprise at all that such natural creation moves it own natural way. No external or mechanical force can control or change Attention at all as such Attention is a natural creation of the Mind inherently associated with the Mind which is also a natural creation too.
Hence, let your Attention move or wander naturally. Keep away to resist over attention, or be away to force insisting Attention to remain in the Present Moment where you want to keep your Attention to fix. Let Attention moves or act naturally. If you try to resist or insist over Attention, in such case, such resistance or instance in fact goes to the Mind. As a result, the Mind frequently starts to move or wander and Attention also starts to move or wander, as such attention is absolutely associate with the Mind. Resist or insist over Attention by forcefully might impact over the natural rhythm of attention and ultimately natural rhythm over the Mind too.
Understanding Attention as a natural attributes of the Mind, it is always keeping the natural rhythm of attention. Once such natural rhythm remains, Attention usually acts naturally. In such case, true or real attributes of Attention always remain unchanged and naturally flourish Attention with its own flow. Only need your Mind to be aware of such natural momentum or rhythm of Attention which naturally occurs.
The Mind has the ability to bring back Attention in the Present Moment in Mindfulness by being aware of Attention:
In Mindfulness, the Mind has the ability to be aware as well as the ability to bring back attention at any moment when it is noticed to the Mind. Only be aware of attention in the Present Moment & keep continue to observe such Attention which is occurring or arising in the Present Moment. No matter wherever Attention moves, only be aware of it and let the Mind be aware of itself by being aware & observe. Once the Mind is aware of Attention that is not in the Present Moment, the Mind can apply its ability to bring back to the Present Moment naturally.
It is no surprise at all that suddenly Attention might shift from the Present Moment to the Past r in the Future or from here to there or from a particular point to another areas, etc., the Mind usually aware of itself and also aware of Attention as being in Mindfulness. Hence, the Mind can bring back its Attention in the Present Moment. No matter how many times Attention moves from the Present Moment where you want to keep such Attention remain, the Mind always keep continue to bring back by being aware & observe movement of Attention.
Attention naturally sustain for longer period as being awareness of the Mind in Mindfulness:
As the Mind always aware of its own movement, naturally, the Mind is also aware of Attention too. Being aware of Attention & observation of such Attention in every moment, the Mind can understand where its own attention is. If Attention is in the Past or in the Future, the Mind can apply its ability to bring back in the Present Moment. No matter how many times such Attention shifts or move from the particular point or are in the Present Moment, the Mind keep continue to be aware of attention & bring back again & again in the Present Moment.
In fact, bring back Attention again & again i the Present Moment by being aware of attention, the Mind can naturally get used to do such job. In a sense, such bring back attention happens naturally by the Mind. It is like a go back & forth. Keep continuing such bring back Attention is a repetition of activities of the Mind. Naturally, Attention starts to sustain for long duration in the Present Moment where it is now, The Mind naturally understand that Attention is obviously needed in the Present Moment and slowly & gradually, the Mind starts to remain in stillness and also Attention remains to sustain in a specific area or point where it is needed to remain.
As a result, movement or wandering tendency of Attention gradually slow down as the Mind bring back such Attention again & again by being aware of existing position Attention. Naturally, Attention starts to naturally slow down of its movement or wandering. Only let your Mind be aware of Attention & observe wherever Attention moves of shifts & bring back such Attention to the Present Moment with the ability of the Mind, as such abilities are there in the Mind as being in Mindfulness.
Conclusion:
Being a natural creation, the Mind always acts or moves its own way. In fact, it’s a natural rhythm or momentum of the Mind as being a natural creation. As Attention is also associated with the Mind, obviously, Attention also moves or shifts from the Present Moment to the Past or in the Future, here to there, any place. Such natural movement is no way to stop by any outer or mechanical force.
Understanding the true or real nature of Attention as associated with the Mind, only let your Mind be aware of Attention wherever it moves or shifts & observe such Attention without any judgement. Being aware of existing position of Attention, let the Mid bring back such Attention again & again in the Present Moment. Being in Mindfulness, naturally, the Mind get used to bring back attention when it is no in the Present Moment and such Attention starts to remain sustainably.
Let the Mind be in Mindfulness & let the Mind be aware of Attention which is associated with the Mind as being a natural creation, and let Attention remain naturally in its own natural rhythm.