Empty awareness is ALWAYS watching as thoughts naturally and spontaneously arise in consciousness. Some of these thoughts create mind. The separateness that arises with the thought process vs the thoughts not engaged by the mind is what creates the illusion of duality (dream). So this is why you see things as being little ones inside big ones but cant tell its all the same thing. All of the little ones are empty of separateness. Everything is one. You can't tell the difference because you are a piece looking at a piece.