Does one choose to pay complete attention? Surely, it is only when there is incomplete attention that choice comes in. In the same way, there isn’t a reason outside of complete attention. Again, our reasons for doing something only enter when we are inattentive.
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Or the illusion of choice
And sometimes we make them up to fit after the fact -
Paying total attention sounds exhausting! Like being on alert 24/7.
Isn’t this because we are looking at it from the perspective of one who knows only the effort of partial attention?
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That’s why I said “sounds” exhausting, it’s the reaction of a mind thinking about total attention and attempts it has made to achieve this state.
If all of the various forms of accumulation are absent, learning is meditation: seeing things as they are.
Then what is total attention? Let’s learn about it.
I’m in. 
Attention is divided when there’s intention to learn. When you’re lying in the grass watching clouds move slowly across the blue sky, or the changing colors of a sunset, you’re completely captivated by the spectacle, completely attentive…until thought pipes up.
In other words, you can’t know when you’re completely attentive until after the fact, so you can’t choose to learn about attention. The less you know now, in the moment, the more attentive you are. and paradoxically, learning.
That’s right. So it may be possible or impossible to learn about it. We don’t know. However, what is clear is that it’s possible to learn about what is not total attention. At least, we can see fairly easily that divided attention is obviously limited attention. But are we seeing this as an idea or not? The idea is already a demonstration of our divided attention, which is to take one aspect and make it intellectually prominent.
What is the difference between being aware of something and paying attention to something?
What is the relationship between thinking and being aware and paying attention?
None? - if there is something then there is knowledge of the thing and the knower of the thing, and the thing itself - with the one focussing on the other (an interaction of at least 3 things that might be just concepts arising from consciousness, the brain, its senses, and its interpretation)
Thinking implies comparison? Awareness does not? Unless we acknowledge that some one is being aware and paying attention - then there is at least the the being that is doing which is an entity separate from the rest (the stuff they are paying attention to?)
First of all, are we ever aware that we are thinking? At the moment of thinking, that is, not later on in retrospect. Are we aware of thinking? Or does any awareness of our own intellectual behaviour immediately get translated into more thinking?
I say No. Though some here disagree.
The disagreement comes from the fact that we can consciously review and admire the thoughts that keep repeating themselves. The thoughts with high emotional stakes (the ones we are most proud of, ashamed of, or that are dealing with current angst) - its a form of hightened self-consciousness (and not in the sense of self understanding)
Yes, in meditation.
For me: Awareness is lighter, a simple ‘knowing’ what is going on, and attention is more focused and intense. Different people/traditions use the terms in different ways.
When you say “knowing”, what do you mean?
Do you mean that there is an interpretation of what is based on conditioning? As in I am under the impression that I know what is going on? Things are as I think they are, thats a bird (good), thats a truck (mechanical, petrol, manmade, bad), this is my friend/enemy Eric (he is as I know him to be)?
There is also thinking with intent - intentional thought - “I will now think something intentionally” a kind of weird situation.
In fact thinking may always have motive (conscious or unconscious) whereas awareness has no center and does not interpret.
Not interpreting or analyzing or judging or understanding. More: I know how I am feeling right now.
But don’t we do all that automatically? I kinda feel that I know whats what