Separation.

Sometimes I go to bed and try to tune out my active mind so I can sleep. I focus as awareness so to not get involved in thoughts but not only does it not help but often has the reverse effect. Then it occured to me what I was doing.

If, as awareness, I try to separate myself from the objects that appear in awareness in order to isolate and either know who I am or to keep from becoming involved in content then I'm practicing separation. But it's the concept of separation where the problem started in the first place. By practicing separation the mind was performing a basic mind task - separate, categorise and pigeonhole for further reference. Energy was going into the mind and I was kept awake.

I think it was Sri Ramana Marharshi who said 'all there is is awareness and everything that appears in awareness is awareness also'. The concept of awareness is where the problem started at a very young age. Then the solution is the understanding of non-duality which means to understand that you are awareness and not a separate object that appears, to pursue the question 'who am I' until you fully understand that you are always the awareness behind each and every object/thought/memory that appears. And ultimately to understand that everything that appears in awareness is awareness too, is you too. The whole storey, Lila, the play of consiousness is you, everything, non-duality.