Vipassana refers to the practice of developing mindfulness and awareness. It emphasizes the importance of being fully conscious during meditation. If someone loses this sense of awareness while meditating, they are deviating from the true essence of Vipassana, which underscores the need for focused consciousness in the practice.

According to Henepola Gunaratana's "Mindfulness in Plain English," meditation is inherently connected to maintaining a mindful state. Therefore, true meditation cannot occur if one is not fully present, as this would contradict the fundamental principles of Vipassana. This highlights the necessity of awareness as a cornerstone of effective meditation practice.