[amitm02Member]

Thanks guys!
It was helpful.

[amitm02Member]

I really enjoy this conversation.

Ivan, i agree that there is a difference between been aware and remembering. And i also agree with Bob the the terminology is tricky.

This topic is the one i have the hardest “issue” in the book. I feel that “peripheral awareness” can be better described as a trainable subconscious process more than something to be conscious of.

Consider the following example:
You are facing a crowd of many strangers. Suddenly out of the crowd a familiar face pop out. Maybe it is a family member. Your attention was automatically shifted to his face. This shift of attention is due to our peripheral awareness. But you were aware of the peripheral awareness only because of the shift of attention. So your “peripheral awareness” was active, yet sas there been no shift of attention you would not be “aware” of any “peripheral awarness”

Or by Arnold example, i do feel like my consciousness of the music is only when my attention alternate to it. The moment you ask yourself if you are aware of a music, your attention is already there.

Same with by breath. at my current stage, i usually notice immediately when my attention shifted from my breath. But although this realisation is thanks to my peripheral introspective awareness, i am never “conscious of it”. This is just the name i use for the fact i’ve notice my attention is not on my breath anymore.

I assumed that it is all because i’m just not there yet with my practice. But i according to my understanding of the book i’m mainly fighting “subtle distractions” now, which is a bit beyond being “peripheral aware”… so i don’t know… i just keep practicing and see where it takes me.

[amitm02Member]

My issue with the examples Ivan gave for “Peripheral awareness” is that you are not really aware of them. They seem to me more of subconscious process. E.g for I would to ask you to recall what was in your “Peripheral awareness” while driving 10 minutes ago, you’ll probably wouldn’t know. But if a car stopped unexpectedly, your “Peripheral awareness” will draw your attention at it.

What I’m trying to say is that my subjective feeling is that my (conscious) attention get shifted by my (unconscious) peropheral “awareness”, and I’m not sure how of how to be conscious of that awareness

[amitm02Member]

Thank you all for the answers. That all been very helpful.
And i’m joining Matthew wish, If Culaduasa can give his own input on those questions, it would be awesome.

[amitm02Member]

Hi Michael,

Thank you so much for putting the time and answer my questions. I have a few follow up if you don’t mind

1.
“””In stage 6 you will begin to practice expanding the scope of attention from a small area to the whole body, as an exercise to remove subtle agitation and gain exclusive attention, though this is still not the same peripheral awareness.”””

If i were to increase the scope of my attention even further, to include not only my body, but also the all “room” around me, would it still feel different from “peripheral awareness”?

2.

I’m curious how it fit with the “moments of consciousness model”. As far as i understand it, you can have only one “experience” at a time. So how can the awareness be continuos and simultaneous with the attention of the breath?

3.

Thanks 🙂

Amit

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