Still Mind, Open Awareness

Key points

Dissatisfaction persists because we focus on fixing circumstances, not awareness itself.

Awareness is the container of experience, like a jar holding marbles of thoughts and feelings.

Shifting from the contents to the container (awareness) reveals an open presence.

Have you ever noticed the sense that something is missing in life or not quite right? It could be as obvious as physical or emotional pain, or a subtle intuition that’s present even when life seems to be going rather well. Sometimes, as soon as one problem is resolved, our minds seem to find—or invent—another one. We often deal with this unease by distracting ourselves with entertainment, pleasure, or even productive activities. After the temporary reprieve, the familiar sense of dissatisfaction returns, and alo