We always take refuge in something…
When the content of awareness is in the foreground and awareness itself in the background, we take refuge in content… in health, friendships, our family, money, success, and so on. We really have no choice. It is what seems most real to us, so that is what we take refuge in.
When awareness itself is in the foreground of awareness, and its content in the background, we take refuge in awareness itself… in the timeless and spaceless awakeness, inherently absent of any characteristics, which forms and allows for any and all content of awareness. Again, it just happens.
In both cases, we take refuge in what we take ourselves to be. When we take ourselves to be content of awareness (thoughts, sensations, this human self) we take refuge in content of awareness. And when we take ourselves to be awareness itself, inherently absent of an I with an Other, then we take refuge in awareness itself.