THE 7 FACTORS OF AWAKENING These are factors that incline the mind towards concentration and mindfulness. Cultivating the 7 factors of awakening balances and develops the mind to receive the insights that are necessary for awakening. They are natural qualities of the mind that get obscured by the hindrances. Our task is to notice them and develop them further. Just putting our attention on the factors has a tendency to increase them. Skillfully working with the hindrances also benefits the arising of the awakening factors. Mindfulness has a tendency to weaken the hindrances and strengthen the awakening factors. As practice develops the awakening factors become an integral part of daily practice. The factors incrementally aid each other and balance each other. They can be viewed as a spiral staircase or a 7-spoke wheel. The full development of the 7 factors of awakening leads enlightenment. Mindfulness, which was discussed in detail earlier, is an essential factor for recognizing and building the other factors. Investigation of states is a quality of mind that is curious and manifests as interest in the object(s) of meditation. Energy is necessary to keep the mind alert and skillfully efforting. Joy enlivens the mind and creates a relaxed connection to experience. Calm keeps the mind from becoming overstimulated and aids in focus. Concentration is the quality of staying with the object(s) of awareness without distraction and one-pointedness of mind. Equanimity is the balance of mind that allows us to see into the true nature of things without attachment. The equanimous mind neither grasps at nor rejects whatever is present.
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