What is my attention?
“My attention” refers to the focusing or directing function of your awareness. While awareness is the ever-present, open field in which all experiences arise, attention is like a spotlight within that field—it illuminates whatever you focus on, whether it’s a sight, sound, thought, or emotion. Below are some key points to clarify this distinction and how “my attention” operates:
1. Spotlight vs. Background
Awareness as the “Background”
- Awareness is the unbroken field in which all perceptions, thoughts, and sensations appear.
- It is there regardless of whether you notice it or not—like the sky behind clouds.
Attention as the “Spotlight”
- Attention picks out specific objects or aspects within the wider field of awareness.
- For instance, you might be generally aware of the room you’re in (awareness), but when you direct your attention to a particular sound or object, you “zoom in” on it.
Metaphor: If awareness is a theater stage, attention is the spotlight moving around the stage, illuminating certain actors or props while leaving others in semi-darkness.
2. Moving and Shifting
Dynamic and Selective
- Attention can shift rapidly from one “object” to another—your phone, a sensation in your body, a passing thought—depending on interest or habit.
- This makes attention a powerful tool for consciously directing your focus in daily life and in practices like meditation.
Often Unconscious
- Much of the time, attention is pulled around automatically by stimuli (notifications, noises, or internal worries) rather than being directed by conscious choice.
- Recognizing where attention goes can help reveal underlying habits or mental patterns.
Key Insight: Noticing where attention naturally gravitates is an important step in self-awareness and self-inquiry.
3. Relationship to Thoughts and Emotions
Fueling or Defusing Emotions
- If you keep returning your attention to a worrisome thought, you feed its energy, prolonging anxiety or stress and eventually mental problems.
- If you gently redirect your attention to, say, the breath or the present moment, the worrisome thought may lose some of its charge.
Observing vs. Identifying
- Placing your attention on an emotion without judgment—just observing it—can help you see it as a passing experience rather than a defining truth.
- This shift in attention can dissolve over-identification with emotions (“I am angry” becomes “I notice anger arising”).
Practical Tip: If an emotion feels overwhelming, sometimes expanding your attention to include the whole body or environment can lessen the intensity of the emotion’s focus.
4. Consciously Directing Attention
Mindfulness Practice
- Meditation often begins with focusing attention on a neutral anchor, like the breath, to stabilize the mind and cultivate presence.
- Over time, you learn to gently bring attention back whenever it wanders into thoughts, worries, or daydreams.
Key Insight: Your ability to notice and direct attention can transform everyday experiences, allowing more clarity, calm, and insight.
5. Attention vs. Awareness
Attention Is a Function Within Awareness
- You might say attention is “awareness in motion,” zooming in or out on different aspects of experience.
- Awareness itself is broader, unchanged by what attention highlights.
Recognizing the Background
- Sometimes, stepping back from the “zoomed-in” activity of attention helps you sense the open, stable field of awareness that remains present, no matter where attention goes.
- This recognition is often associated with feelings of spaciousness, ease, and a deeper sense of being.
Metaphor: If you think of your mind as a camera, awareness is the entire field of vision, while attention is the camera lens zooming in on details.
Summary Table: “My Attention” at a Glance
| Aspect | Description | Practical Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The focusing mechanism within your broader field of awareness | Directing your gaze or mind to a specific thought/object |
| Key Function | Selectively illuminates elements of experience, shaping perception | Noticing a phone’s notification amidst a busy environment |
| Effects | Can fuel thoughts/emotions or help dissolve them | Repeated attention to worries amplifies them; mindful observation relaxes them |
| Automatic vs. Chosen | Attention can be pulled by stimuli or consciously guided | Scrolling social media vs. intentionally meditating |
| Relationship to Awareness | A movement or spotlight within the stable, unchanging field of awareness | Shifting lens (attention) within a wide background (awareness) |
Final Reflection
“My attention” is the dynamic pointer within the field of awareness, deciding (often unconsciously) what you focus on moment to moment. Realizing you can observe and direct attention—rather than be owned by it—is a powerful step toward greater mental clarity and emotional balance. By learning to notice where attention goes and consciously guiding it, you deepen your experience of both the detailed “objects” of perception and the open, stable awareness that underlies them.
