Awareness is the focus of consciousness onto things, images, ideas, and sensations. Awareness is more than what we physically sense. We do have psychic impressions independent of the physical apparatus. And we can focus our awareness on memories dredged up from the subconscious; we can focus on symbols and images and all the ideas, and memories, associated with them. We can turn our awareness to impressions from the astral and mental planes, and open ourselves to receiving information from other sources from other planets, other dimensions, and from other minds. 

Awareness is how we use our consciousness. It is just as infinite as is consciousness, just as infinite as is the universe in all its dimensions and planes. When we speak of expanding or broadening our awareness we are talking about paying attention to new impressions from new sources, and from other ways we can use our consciousness. Awareness if like the "Operating System" that filters incoming information, sometimes blocking "what we don’t believe in."  

Awareness is something of a corollary to Concentration. We are used to thinking of it as passive in sensory perception but it changes dramatically when used actively. Your perceptions can be extended with expanded awareness, and what was invisible can become visible, or heard, or tasted, or sensed. To become more aware is to become enriched. And becoming aware is not limited to objects and people, but includes energies pulsing through and around objects, persons, and their environment. 

Through extended awareness, we grow and develop our latent psychic powers into reliable skills.   

Louis T. Culling wrote:

"Surely one has seen the indispensable necessity for continual awareness in the trance practices. Awareness! Awareness! I would be tempted to say that ‘awareness’ is the most important word in Magick were it not for the fact that there is a dangerous hazard in being 'hung up' with one such category."

Suggested Reading:

Culling, Louis T. & Weschcke, Carl Llewellyn: The Complete Magick Curriculum of the Secret Order G.’.B.’.G.’.