Yogi: On my way to the retreat I was driving through a thunderstorm – I was totally ‘aware’ in the moment (as in paying attention), but I wasn’t aware that I was being aware.

Sayadaw: In English, the word is the same, i.e. ‘awareness’. When we’re in situations where we have to be very careful and alert, and really present to what needs to be done, all our attention is outside.

That’s not awareness like in meditation. If you had remembered to check how you felt, that would have been mindfulness or awareness.

When we’re aware of any of the six sense doors working – the mind and the 5 physical senses – that’s when we’re aware in the sense of practicing the dhamma.

Although we know the concepts, we’re also aware of the 6 senses at work.