Tag: Mindfulness

Pure Presence: Awakening to the Awareness Behind Perception

Published on by Tony Kane

Being the Awareness of Consciousness: Recognizing the Silent Presence Within

Most discussions on consciousness focus on being aware—the ability to notice thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise. But what if there is something deeper? What if awareness itself is not just an act of observation? What if it is an ever-present state? This state exists beyond the movements of the mind.

This is where the distinction between being aware and Being the Awareness becomes profound. It is not simply noticing reality; it is embodying the space in which reality unfolds.

The Difference Between Awareness and Being the Awareness

  • Awareness as an action:
    This is the conventional idea. When we meditate or practice mindfulness, we become aware of our thoughts. We notice our bodily sensations and emotions. We see them arising and passing without attachment.
  • Being the Awareness as existence:
    Here, Awareness is not something you do—it is something you are. It is the unchanging witness that is always present, regardless of thoughts, perceptions, or emotions. It does not take part; it simply is.

To recognize this truth, one must shift from identifying with thoughts. Instead, one should rest as the silent field in which thoughts appear. This is the pure Awareness, untouched by experience, yet the foundation of all experience.

Consciousness as the Canvas, Awareness as the Witness

Imagine consciousness as the canvas on which reality is painted—the backdrop upon which thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences emerge. Awareness, on the other hand, is the silent witness that perceives but does not engage.

  • Consciousness allows thoughts and experiences to arise.
  • Awareness observes without interfering, effortlessly present beneath all perceptions.
  • Your true nature is not the content of consciousness but the Awareness that recognizes that content.

This recognition is not a realization within thought; it is what remains beyond thought. The Awareness that notices perception is not perception itself—it is something deeper, more fundamental, more absolute.

The Human Experience as a Reflection of Awareness

Through the human form, Awareness interacts with consciousness and experiences itself as life. Yet, even within this interaction, it remains untouched.

  • You are not your thoughts—you are the Awareness witnessing them.
  • You are not your emotions—you are the field within which they rise and fall.
  • You are not your experiences—you are the presence through which they are known.

When this realization deepens, life transforms. Struggles no longer feel personal; emotions lose their grip; suffering diminishes. Not because problems disappear, but because the Awareness behind experience is untouched by them.

Practices to Rest in Awareness

  • Meditation Without Focus: Instead of concentrating on breath or thoughts, simply rest as the Awareness that notices them. Let go of all effort.
  • Silent Reflection: Pause throughout the day and ask, “Who is aware of this moment?” Recognize that what answers is not a thought—but Awareness itself.
  • Witnessing Without Judgment: Observe emotions and thoughts without labeling them. Shift from analyzing experiences to simply being the space where they arise.

Conclusion: You Are the Awareness Beyond Thought

Being aware is an act. Being Awareness is existence itself. To truly embody this understanding, one must step back from identification with mental constructs. Recognize the presence that has always been watching. It watches without movement, without effort, and without identity.

In that space, there is only peace.
There is only knowing.
There is only Awareness, beyond time, beyond thought, beyond self.

The Transformative Power of Awareness

How Awareness Transforms Consciousness: The Path to Self-Transformation

Published on by Tony Kane

 Is Consciousness the Problem or Is Awareness?

In our quest for inner peace and understanding, many of us have grappled with the nature of our own minds. We often hear the terms consciousness and awareness used interchangeably. Yet, as we start to distinguish between them, a deeper question emerges. Does our basic, reactive consciousness create our suffering? Or is it the absence of a heightened state of awareness that makes us vulnerable to it?

Defining the Terms

Consciousness: can be thought of as the state of being awake and alert. It’s the canvas on which all our thoughts, emotions, and experiences are painted. This raw, everyday consciousness is essential to our experience as human beings. It is the means by which we interact with the world.

Awareness: on the other hand, is a more refined quality. It is the ability to watch what arises in our consciousness without instantly being swept away by it. Awareness allows us to witness our thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they come and go. It creates a space between our experience and our reactions. In many spiritual traditions, this is sometimes called “witness consciousness.”

The Role of Consciousness

At its core, consciousness is not inherently problematic. In fact, it is our precious gift—a ground state of experience that allows us to perceive, feel, and exist. Yet, our habitual way of engaging with our consciousness can often lead to identification with our thoughts and emotions. We become overly involved in the narrative of our everyday mind. As a result, we lose sight of a broader, more peaceful reality.

For example, when we react impulsively to a perceived threat—real or imagined—it’s our unfiltered consciousness at work. This raw reactivity can spiral into patterns of stress, anxiety, and even conflict. In this sense, it isn’t consciousness itself that’s the problem, but rather the unexamined, automatic processes that it can manifest.

The Transformative Power of Awareness

Awareness offers us a way out. It’s the shift from merely being caught in the flow of consciousness. Instead, we start observing that flow with a gentle, compassionate curiosity. When we cultivate awareness, we create a space. In this space, thoughts and emotions are seen for what they are. They are passing phenomena rather than the sum total of who we are.

With this shift, we can:

Break Free of Reactivity: By observing our reactions as they occur, we can choose a response. This response aligns with our deeper values. We avoid being driven by old patterns.

Discover Greater Clarity: Awareness helps us see the underlying causes behind our habitual responses, allowing for self-inquiry and growth.

Embrace a More Loving Existence: In that space of awareness, we realize something important. Our true nature isn’t defined by ego-driven thoughts. It is not limited by beliefs. Instead, it’s defined by the expansive, unconditional love that underlies all of existence.

Integrating Consciousness and Awareness in Daily Life

The key is not to reject consciousness—we need it to experience life—but to infuse it with awareness. Here are some practical steps to help bridge the gap:

Mindfulness Meditation: Spend a few minutes each day sitting quietly and simply noticing your thoughts and sensations. This practice can help you recognise when you are caught in a reactive loop.

Pause and Think: Before reacting to a situation emotionally, take a deep breath. Ask yourself if your response is coming from an automatic impulse. Figure out if it’s from a place of clarity.

Journaling: Write about your experiences. Capture moments when you felt overwhelmed by reactive consciousness. Describe times when you stepped back and observed with awareness. Over time, patterns will emerge that can guide your growth.

A New Perspective on Suffering and Freedom

Ultimately, the interplay between consciousness and awareness can redefine our experience of freedom. Suffering doesn’t originate from consciousness, which is our capacity to think, to feel, and to dream. It stems from the limitations imposed by identifying solely with that raw mind. As we learn to awaken the quality of awareness in every moment, we start to see our true “self”. It is not the turbulent sea of thoughts. We start to understand this deeper truth. Instead, our true self is the calm, spacious sky in which those thoughts arise.

By embracing our consciousness and cultivating our awareness, we unlock the potential for a richer, more compassionate life. The goal isn’t to silence our conscious experience. Instead, we aim to transform our relationship with it. We must recognise that while consciousness gives us the gift of life, awareness gives us the gift of freedom.

4 Hacks to Increase the Depth of Meditation and get the Results

Published on by Tony Kane

Introduction

Those of us that have started a practice of meditation have probably experienced this: we earnestly restart a meditation practice when we perceive we begin to suffer whilst going through some sort of turmoil. We fall back into a trusted experience – hopefully! Eventually we breathe a sigh of relief when we move through that which is bothering us and – forget to practice because life begins to beckon us back to a run of thoughts again! We know – don’t we – we’ve lost our focus! We all have these times.

Years ago, when I first started meditation, I found it the hardest thing to do – to stop thought. But then I realized that none of us can stop it; the brain is there to process thoughts and there’s no way you can stop it from doing its job. I soon learned from my teacher that all we can do is learn to ‘observe’ them without any emotion or judgment attached. You see, I learned that the mind is NOT the brain – but is has a symbiotic relationship with it.

If you take the time to think about it, the mind isn’t physical; it is intangible or can’t be seen. But here’s the interesting point, the you that you are is the mind. When you are looking through your eyes – it is you – the mind – making use of the physical function of sight.

The fact is, just like learning to play an instrument, it takes practice. During the beginning stages of a meditation practice, you will without doubt find it hard – but anything worth experiencing is worth putting the work in to make it happen; in this case it’s a no brainer! Here’s a little hint: practice meditation until you can break the 30 minute barrier. And by this I mean that you should work toward being the observer for as long as you can until you break 30 minutes. Remember: the observer doesn’t think! It just observes! Once you’ve broken the 30 minute barrier, watch what happens when you break through an hour. If you don’t think you have the time then ask yourself this question: “Do I want a day that’s going to be relatively easy or do I want my day to be shambolic?”

IF you are using meditation as a tool to feel good – you’ve missed the point of it and you will just come back to the default setting before you started. You must learn to be the observer first up.

4 tips to help you shift into a higher gear of meditation:

1)      Use a Journal

This may sound a bit crazy, but yes, you can step out of a meditation to write down an idea you have received. Again, if you think about it, it’s just like observing a thought and deciding whether to entertain it or not, putting it aside to go back into practice being the observer within the meditation. Or you can write down your experience after.

The reason I say keep a meditation journal is really quite simple.

  1. If you have difficulty meditating, you can use the journal to remind you of the previous experience. Use it as a motivational tool.
  2. You may want to continue meditating and enlarging the idea you received in a previous meditation. This may be to aide you in business decisions or for whatever you are going through in your day to day life experience.
  3. You can use the journal to write down questions you wish to ask your ‘self’. This is an interesting part of meditation. If you are ever stuck in an experience during the normal run of the day, you can receive the answer. And you will know it is the correct answer by the way your physical self feels; there will be no question about it, in which case you need to action it as quickly and as practically as possible. If you feel fear at any stage, go back to the mind in meditation and sort it out. Ask questions.

These are the three main reasons but there are probably more you can think of. It’s up to you as an individual to use your journal for whatever you wish. I can’t impress it strongly enough, though, to have a journal and use it often.

2)      Break through the timer

Whether you’re in the habit of using a timer or not, each time you meditate, try to extend it in length of time; the benefits are enormous. If you’re new to meditation you may have difficulty maintaining focus over a long period but this is what meditation is all about; you are flexing and strengthening the mind muscle which will have greater results for you in life the more often you practice. Start with 5 minutes then reach to 10 and keep adding another 5 minutes each time you meditate; the task is then simple.

3)      Feel free to experiment and ask your ‘self’ questions

One of the greatest things about meditation is that it is ‘open-minded’; this means that you can quite literally go anywhere and do anything within it, which makes it interesting and fun. You have your own ‘gps’ or guidance system; as you meditate and find yourself in that relaxed state, ask yourself a question (it could be anything – from a simple task to a challenge you are attempting to complete), and then let it go. ‘Put it out there’ in other words. There is no doubt the answer will come to you and in most cases when you’re least expecting it. Again, you will know it’s the answer because it will hit you fairly quickly and it will just come out of nowhere without any emotion attached. Either as a fun experiment or in a moment of seriousness – just do it!

4)      Small meditation breaks

During the course of the day whether busy or not, I pull myself aside and meditate for 5 to 10 minutes (but often that 5 to ten minutes may get extended to 30 minutes). Essentially, you are giving your brain a break and reconnecting with your ‘self’ (the mind). Just as food is for the body, meditation is another way of recharging your system. You could even just do a breathing meditation for as long as it takes to make and have a coffee.

How quickly will I see results?

This is completely dependent upon how often you meditate; realistically you would not want to take any days off, remember you are attempting to create another positive habit here.

In most cases the most profound changes don’t take place during meditation at all; you will notice the changes in your experience of everyday life. Outside of meditation, you will need to be more ‘mindful’ which means that you are focused on what you are doing ‘within the present moment’; this is a natural state of mind gained from meditation. Mindfulness is really a meditation while you are doing your everyday stuff, with your eyes open. The practice of meditation, then, ekes into your life consequently becoming a quality of your new life-style.

The results of meditation will come through as ideas, pictures in the imagination, physical balance and grounding (you will physically and emotionally feel balanced). These are only some of the ways in which you see the results. Another is the feeling of inspiration; you will be and feel inspired to complete something or start something new; it could be anything but when this happens, don’t question it just do it. If it is good and wholesome for yourself and others and there is no way you can get it out of your head…make preparations and do it. Again, if there are more questions you need to ask before the ‘doing’ go inside first or you may want to discuss it with others who have a solid meditation practice.

Whether you are new or an old hand at meditation, never give up the time and opportunity for even a 10 minute meditation break. You will feel and experience the results as long as you commit and put your time and effort into a consistent meditation practice.