The Way of Awareness
Yoshiharu Nakagawa
October 30, 2025 DOI: 10.1108/978-1-80592-190-520252008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Consciousness Transpersonal Miller Relation database Epistemology Spiritual practice Aesthetics State computer science Self-awareness |
| Key points | Argues that mindfulness is not merely a subordinate method for wellness but a primary practice for cultivating awareness as our essential nature. |
Abstract
Abstract Holistic education celebrates contemplative practices such as yoga, vipassanā meditation, Zen meditation, mantra, Tai chi, etc. Pioneers such as John P. Miller at the University of Toronto and Richard Brown at Naropa University advanced contemplative education. This chapter explores awareness (mindfulness) as a primary path of self-cultivation. Charles T. Tart, Arthur J. Deikman, Robert Assagioli, E.F. Schumacher, Jacob Needleman, and Huston Smith highlight awareness as a distinctive state of consciousness. Aldous Huxley’s idea of the “nonverbal humanities” and his commitment to the Alexander Technique are significant in relation to awareness education. This chapter also argues for somatic education, such as Sensory Awareness and the Feldenkrais Method. It further explores Krishnamurti’s idea of awareness in education. Then, it focuses on Buddhist meditations, such as mindfulness, vipassanā, and zazen (sitting meditation). This chapter further explains the awakening of consciousness through G. I. Gurdjieff’s theory. It finally examines pure and nondual awareness, referring to the Upaniṣad, the Yoga Sūtra, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and transpersonal psychology. This chapter clarifies that mindfulness is not merely a subordinate method for wellness but a primary practice for cultivating awareness as our essential nature.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |