The English language doesn't help much in this quest. We say "I see an apple" indicating our awareness is separate and not the apple. However, we tend to say "I am happy", instead of "I feel happiness", which would help demarcate awareness from emotion. Too often, we lose the pure watcher awareness in emotion, in thought.
The English vocabulary clouds perception of these inner truths. There is a solution.
Just as the Hawaiian language has many words for "rain", and Eskimo many words for "snow", there is a language specifically for meditation developed by a mystic 35 years ago which has many precise words for "awareness" and many more for "consciousness."
While English syntax assumes one "is" one's body, the language of meditation syntax assumes one is pure awareness in the moment without preconception.
For me, it has been a great aid in spiritual sitting for many years.
On May 12, 2008 easan wrote :