BEING AWAKE AND AWARE
Animals have two ways of using their senses, focused and panoramic.
Panoramic sensing evolved for the purpose of being receptive to and aware of everything happening in the immediate environment. This is the oldest, original, most natural, tried and tested form of being awake and aware in the present moment and also, incidentally... staying alive!
Focusing is also awake and aware. But focused sensing and thinking is always selective, and therefore excludes everything else which is happening in 'the big picture'. This leads to a lack of general awareness, and when used habitually, ultimately dullness and narrow-mindedness.