Awareness vs. Consciousness

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by LIFE

I understand that these are ideas and I was wondering what these ideas mean to different people. Sure, "awareness" and "consciousness" are ideas...
but I'm not sure they are just ideas, as though what they represent exists only in the mind, if that makes sense. Sometimes ideas signify something existent.

I'm conscious of writing this message right now, so it seems reasonable that "consciousness" is not just an idea (i.e., non-existent in actuality). But once again, that depends on what one considers "consciousness" to be.

"Awareness" and "consciousness" are extremely common terms in spiritual literature and discussion. Collectively, probably more often cited than any other pair of terms.

I was just wondering if people make distinctions between these, and if so, what these distinctions are and how they relate to each other.

I hear ya…. I’m not knocking the threads intent to discuss, I’m just adding to it with what I have to offer and that is not that they are ideas, they may be, they may not, but rather that anything discussed will be just ideas about something that may or may not be an idea.
There is no “understanding” these terms…...there is only thinking there is.
Seems futile to me after a lifetime of such pursuits.
James

Seems futile to me after a lifetime of such pursuits.

ha ha James, know what ya mean. i just like to flow like the water these days....relaxed.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Gracey

Seems futile to me after a lifetime of such pursuits.

ha ha James, know what ya mean. i just like to flow like the water these days....relaxed.

Cool! I thought I saw you in the raft behind me! lol
See that’s the thing…sometimes flowing with the water looks like questioning what awareness is!
Sometimes it looks like letting those thoughts pass.
It’s really personal when you get down to it.
It’s when we think we have to impart what we have learned or think we have learned on others as “truth” that the problems come in.
James

Greetings..

Originally Posted by LIFE

With this understanding, awareness is an "attribute" of consciousness?

That is my understanding..

Be well..

Originally Posted by TzuJanLi

That is my understanding..

This makes sense. It order for awareness to live up to its namesake, consciousness must first be present. In this scenario, the faculty of awareness is dependent upon some form of consciousness.

[andrew g]

I tend to think of the relationship between awareness and consciousness as the same as the relationship between being and mind. Inextricably linked, yet I might paradoxically also sometimes speak and think of the first in each pairing as primary or fundamental or primordial.

Apologies Deleted due to wastefulness

[God-Like]

Originally Posted by LIFE

What is your interpretation of these two concepts and how they relate to one another. Some people view them as synonymous and use them interchangeably. Others stress their distinction and postulate that awareness is prior to consciousness, and therefore more fundamental.

What is your understanding of these concepts, and how would describe their relationship.

Discuss...

Hi .

I have always agreed with how consciousness Is described as to being like a window . How one percieves one's self and life will depend on how clear the window Is .

If the window Is clear the amount of light and clarity which can be described as 'awareness' can shine through . . .

We can not separate consciousness and awareness from the self just as we cannot separate the artist from the painting .

x daz x

Greetings..

As an analogy: Walking into a dark room, i am conscious of being there, it is not until i turn-on the light of awareness that i am informed of the environment or that i am able to establish my relationships with that environment.. awareness does not exist independent of 'that' which perceives..

Be well..

I'm with James and Gracie...floating down the little stream, now the rain falls softly, the clouds wrap around us in masks of pink and gold, twilight slips in and the waters tell us her secrets. The secret to life is to live it!