Mindfulness Restraint of Awareness

In the Asheyana path, Calm Abiding practice is supported by one's work with the Eight Renunciations, having developed some space of mind in stepping back from bivalent perceptions.

Having worked with Calm Abiding within the context of the eighth Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Awareness, one can begin to work with this extension to the practice, "Mindfulness Restraint of Awareness."

The purpose of this Mindfulness Restraint is to develop particular habits of mindfulness conducive to progress along the path within and beyond the context of formal practice.

During a session of Calm Abiding or in daily life, one begins to focus on the fifth Point of Practice, that of the Mind:

• • Recalling "Mindfulness Restraint of Awareness," one brings their awareness back to a good poise as in Mindfulness of Attention  practice.
    
    

  • Noting if over-extension or diffusion is present in the awareness, one gently brings their awareness back to centering on the attention and its object.
    
    

  • Noting if the one's awareness is too tightly or loosely centered, or moves off centering the attention and its object, one gently re-centers their awareness evenly on the attention and its object.
    
    

  • In resting, one allows the awareness to rest openly.
    
    

  • In waking, one allows the awareness to arise centering on the attention and its object.
    
    

  • Discontinuities are released from the totality of awareness centered on the attention and its object, communicating attentive and aware presence to the external environment and beings therein.
    
    

  • Eventually, one should begin to sense a balanced and smooth transition between chosen objects of attention in one's awareness, reducing jump-cuts between objects of attention and filling gaps in continuity with identity-reinforcing perceptions in daily life. Not expending oneself needlessly, a permeating continuity begins to naturally arise in the awareness, even in the presence of environmental novelty.
    
    

The fruition of Mindfulness Restraint of Awareness is called Placement of Awareness--letting the awareness center on one's attention and its object, with awareness constrained neither too tight nor too loose, with a quality of reserved potential for the full reach of the awareness. Experience appears continuous in stillness and movement.

May these words help the present Asheyana practitioner to abide in the Placement of Awareness with full mindfulness. May it be of benefit.