If someone were to ask us the question, ‘Are you aware?’ we would all answer with absolute certainty, ‘Yes’, and our answer would come from direct experience. It would come from our obvious and intimate experience of simply being aware. On the other hand, if someone were to ask us, ‘Is consciousness present?’ or ‘What is awareness?’ we might pause and hesitate as to what exactly is being referred to by these words. So please understand that whenever the words ‘consciousness’ and ‘awareness’ are used in this book in place of ‘knowing’ or ‘being aware’, they are used only as language dictates.
