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"Unconventional" SCIENCES and NEW DISCOVERIES > MEDITATION : the Key to open many doors
HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF BEFORE MEDITATING (or How to re-learn to Stay Focused)
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PiJo:
Note from NEEEEEXT :
in our modern world, our brain is cluttered by our "have-to-do" list, incessant noises (traffic, TV, radio, neighbours, phone, machines, ...) and it is difficult to concentrate on one simple task.
Here are some tricks to help you to to re-focus your brain.
Author's page : https://www.themuse.com/advice/take-back-control-of-your-workday-with-this-one-simple-sniper-trick
Take (Back) Control of Your Workday With This One Simple Sniper Trick
by Jeffry Harrison
Focus
Here’s a question for you : Do you control your day or do you simply react to it? Or to put it another way—how often do you feel like all you did was keep your head above water ?
Nodding along right now? You’re not alone .
When transitioning from being in the army to a 9-to-5 desk job, time management and feeling in control of my work day was one of the hardest challenges I had to overcome. That was, until I applied a trick from my military training to my office job. The great part about it is that it’s so easy to do, anyone can do it (without holding a loaded weapon)!
The Trick
Once upon a time, before emails and office life, I was a sniper in the Army. As a sniper, I was trained to go into a dangerous area, collect reconnaissance, and get out without ever being seen. This is the hardest part of the job. Most people think it’s all about shooting from really far away, and while that’s certainly an important skill, it’s not the most difficult. Staying virtually invisible, while moving from point to point with 75+ pounds of gear in extreme weather, while being completely exhausted, requires a tremendous amount of focus. The fatigue, the discomfort, the racing thoughts are all distractions that can throw off your focus and your cloak of invisibility that keeps you alive.
So how do you brush off distractions and maintain your focus ?
Well, when the external stimuli take over and you begin to lose focus on your priorities, my sniper instructors taught me an extremely simple and profound trick to regain control.
SLLS : Stop, Look, Listen, and Smell
They said, “When the heat, weight, and fatigue take your focus off moving in silence and invisibility, take a SLLS break—Stop what you are doing. Look around. Listen to your surroundings. Smell your environment.”
The purpose of this is to take a timeout and refocus. This allows you to stop reacting to the external stimuli, be mindful of your environment, and focus on what really matters.
Yes, it works. It helped me be invisible as a sniper. And later on, at my desk job, I discovered that it helped me regain control of my workday when all I was doing was reacting to emails and other people’s priorities.
One particular day, I was attempting to buckle down and knock out several hours of important, but monotonous work. It was crucial I completed it that day, but my mind was struggling to stay focused, and my attention bounced around from other people’s conversations to my phone to anything but what I needed to do. Time for a SLLS break! After five minutes of stopping and refocusing with SLLS, I was able to sit down with resolve and accomplish my work.
So, how do you use this trick to immediately make an impact and help you regain control of your workday and personal life?
The Challenge
Set a recurring alarm on your phone for every two hours, between 8 AM and 8 PM, that simply says “SLLS”. This is your cue to take a SLLS break. Stop whatever you’re doing, look around, listen to your surroundings, and smell your environment. Whether it’s for 30 seconds or five minutes, take as long as you need to regain clarity on the present moment.
By doing this you’ll stop the reaction cycle and be able to focus on the present—allowing your mind to breathe and enter a higher state of thinking where you decide what’s important and worthy of your time. You’ll regain mindfulness and purpose by taking back control of those elusive thoughts that usually escape you during stressful moments.
The every-two-hour alarm is just a starting point. Practice this until it’s a habit, then turn off the alarm. Use this trick whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, when you’re just reacting to the world around you, and when you want to take control of your day and your life.
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How to Stay Focused
Author's page : How to Stay Focused
Four Methods :
Getting Organized
Adopting an Alpha State
Improving Your Focus
Staying Motivated
Staying focused can help you accomplish almost anything, from studying for a test to finishing your work an hour early. Staying focused can help improve your professional life, help you listen to people better, and also help you come up with a solution to problems at a quicker speed. If you want to know how to stop checking your Facebook or phone every fifteen minutes and to stay focused on the task ahead of you, just follow these few steps.
Method 1
Getting Organized
1
Keep an organized space. Whether you're doing work in your office or studying at home, having a clean space can help you focus and get your work done with much more concentration. Remove anything that can distract you from your work and isn't relevant to the task. Clean off your desk to include only the things you need to work, leaving just a few photos or mementos to help you relax a bit.
If you spend just ten minutes cleaning your space at the end of every day, you'll be able to maintain your new organized lifestyle.
If you don't need your phone to do your work, put it away for a few hours. Don't let it clutter your space and distract you.
2
Make a to-do list. Making a to-do list at the beginning of every day or week can make you feel more focused and motivated to continue your work. If you make a list of all the things you have to do, no matter how small, you will feel more accomplished when you check those items off your list and move on to the next task. This will also keep you focused on one task at a time.
You can separate your to-do list into three lists: things to do that day, things to do the next day, and things to do that week. If you finish the tasks for that day but have some time left over, you can move on to the next set of tasks.
Prioritize your tasks. Put the most important or hardest tasks first. It's better to save the easier or more manageable tasks for the end of the day, when you're more tired and less compelled to complete the hardest tasks. If you put off the hard tasks until the last minute, you'll be dreading getting them done all day.
Include breaks in your to-do list. You can reward yourself with breaks. If you finish three tasks, you can have a small snack, or make a quick phone call to your friend, for example. This will make you even more focused on completing the tasks at hand.
3
Manage your time. Managing your time goes hand in hand with making a to-do list. Next to each item on the list, write about how long it'll take you to accomplish each task. Be realistic about this estimate. Then, try to complete each task within the confines of each time limit. This will make you less likely to slack off or text your friend for an hour instead of actually getting anything done.
You can break up more time-consuming tasks with shorter, easier tasks. That way you won't be overwhelming by too many tough tasks in a row. You can think of the shorter tasks as a mini-reward.
4
Make time for breaks. Though it may sound counter-intuitive to plug relaxation into your daily schedule, this form of organization will actually help you stay focused. You should take at least a 5-10 minute break for every hour of work, or a 3-5 minute break for every half hour of work. This will help you get more motivated to finish the task, give you a break to rest your eyes, and will give you some time to transition your mind to the next task ahead.
Choose an activity to do during your breaks. You can set a goal to read for thirty minutes over the course of three hours, for example. Taking a break to rest your eyes from the screen and finish the chapter of a book will make you more motivated to finish your tasks.
Don't sit at your desk all day. Get up during some of your breaks. Look out the window, take a short walk outside, or just walk up five flights of stairs to get your blood pumping. These short breaks will make you more invigorated to return to work.
You can even set a timer to go off after every half hour or hour of work, signaling that you should take a break. If you're really "in the zone" you can skip one of the breaks, but don't make it a habit.
Method 2
Adopting an Alpha State
1
Sit up straight in a chair in a relaxing position, back straight, feet flat on the floor, and arms resting on either your lap or an arm rest.
2
Close your eyes. Visualize yourself in a place that brings up feelings of calmness and serenity.
3
Still visualizing, take deep breaths. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Do this slowly, taking at least a second for both inhaling and exhaling. Do this multiple times at a constant tempo until you feel relatively calm.
4
When you feel calm, on the inhale, with your eyes still closed, look up (activating the visual cortex). On the exhale, look down and open your eyes slowly (all of this is at the same tempo that you have been breathing at).
5
Focus. You are now in Alpha state, a highly focused state in which your brain is willing to focus on whatever you choose to do. The real implications of this are that whatever you choose to do next will be much easier to focus on, and you won't be distracted as easily.
Keep in mind that the Alpha state is very close to the Theta and Delta states (the brain states that you have when you sleep), so you must do this while you are awake and sitting up so that you don't fall asleep.
If you want to go back into beta state (the default state of the brain when you are awake), just try to shake it out, walk around and you will revert back.
Method 3
Improving Your Focus
1
Improve your focus stamina. Though you may think that you'll always be easily distracted, anyone can improve his or her focus with a little motivation. All you have to do is pick a given task, and give yourself 30 minutes to work on only that task without any distractions -- without even getting up. Then, when 30 minutes passes, see if you can extend that focus time by 5, or even by 10 minutes. Keep going and see how long you can build up your focus stamina.
Though you should take a break at least every hour, learning to focus for longer will make it easier for you to complete the tasks ahead and to focus for even a shorter period of time.
2
Read more. Reading tests your mind's ability to stay focused on just one task at a time and can improve your focus. If you're always flipping through the channels on your TV, constantly switching radio stations, or texting five friends at a time, you'll be slowly losing your ability to focus on just one task at a time. Set aside at least 30 minutes to an hour to read each day. You can read the newspaper, a novel, or a work of non-fiction. It doesn't matter what you read, as long as you focus on reading it well and avoiding distractions.
When you're done reading, ask yourself what you've read. What was the main idea of the passage or article? Who were the main characters? What were the main arguments made by the writer? See if you've really paid attention to what you've read.
Learning to focus on written material will help you write and to absorb written information as you study for tests or take on projects at work.
3
Don't procrastinate. Procrastination is the thief of time. Avoid delaying any of your activities by leaving things to be done for tomorrow, next week, or next month. Rather have them done now and move on to the next project.
4
Multi-task less. Though you may think that multi-tasking is great because it allows you to accomplish a variety of tasks at once, you're wrong. Multi-tasking actually confuses your brain and slows you down, keeping you from being fully engaged in any one task. Every time you switch back and forth between two tasks, you'll have to slightly reset your mind, which will slow you down.
This is where the to-do list comes in handy: it will make you more motivated to finish your tasks one at a time.
5
Avoid distractions. Distractions are the enemies of focus. If you want to be able to focus fully, then you have to know how to avoid a variety of distractions. If you can do this, then you've won half the battle for truly being able to focus. Here are some ways to avoid distractions:
Don't get distracted online. You should aim to have as few Internet tabs open as possible. The more tabs you have open, the more you'll be multi-tasking and the more likely you'll be to get distracted. You can give yourself five minutes every hour or two to check your email, Facebook, or any other social networking sites that you can't live without. Then you can slowly wean yourself off of these sites during the day.
Avoid texting or g-chatting for non-work related matters while you're doing work. This is a huge time suck and a big distraction.
Don't get distracted by other people. Don't let other people throw you off task, whether it's people in your study group, your colleague, or your friend who is always asking for favors. Put the personal stuff off until after you get your work done, and you'll get your work done faster and will be able to enjoy personal engagements more.
Don't get distracted by your surroundings. If you're in a loud environment, listen to calming music or invest in some noise-cancelling headphones. Though you may be tempted to look around and see what everyone else is up to, allow yourself to only look up every 10 minutes or so to stay focused.
6
Avoid too much caffeine. Though one cup of coffee or one cup of tea a day can help you feel a bit more energized and ready to start your work day, if you have too much caffeine, it can make you too hyped up to focus, or even jittery or shaky after a few hours. It's better to stay hydrated and drink just one cup of tea a day than to fill your system with so much caffeine that you feel too jumpy to get anything done.
Method 4
Staying Motivated
1
Find your purpose. Having a purpose to finish your work will keep you motivated and will therefore keep you focused. Part of the reason we lose focus is because we can't see the point of whatever task we have to get done and would rather be doing something else. Once you find your purpose, write it down, or repeat it to yourself to keep your energies in the right place. Your purpose can be the key that unlocks the door to your focus.
If you're studying, remind yourself about why it's important. It may not be important for you to ace one quiz or test, but it is important for you to succeed in the course that will factor in your quiz or test grade, and it is important for you to get good grades so you can achieve your career goals, whatever they may be.
If you're doing work, remind yourself why your work is important, and why the work you do really matters. If it really doesn't matter to you but is a good means to an end, remind yourself of all the things you can buy because of the work, or about all of the fun things you can do once your work day is over.
2
Pinpoint your goal. What is your goal for completing your task? Is it to simply get done with the work or school day, to save up enough money to buy a boat, or to advance your career? Your goal could also be just to clean your whole house so you can throw a fun party, or to run for 40 minutes without giving up so you can be in better shape. The goal can be the carrot at the end of the stick that makes the task worth doing.
3
Repeat your "focus mantra". When you know exactly what your purpose and goal are, you can create a focus mantra that you repeat to yourself whenever you get distracted. It can be just a simple phrase that you repeat when you're getting sidetracked that helps get you back in order. You can just say something like, "No more Facebook, no more texting, no more TV until I get my work done. When I get my work done, I'll be ready to ace the chemistry test, and when I ace the chemistry test, I'll get an A in the class!"
Community Q&A
I want to study late at night, but I'm too tired to focus. What should I do?
There are two kinds of work. The first is that in which we are interested and like to do. The second is the boring yet important work. It's a good idea to do the boring but important work earlier in the day when you're more alert and able to stay focused. Then you can leave the interesting and easier things to the night, when you feel more inclined but tireder, and focusing isn't so important. Also, go to sleep earlier -- studying late into the night is a recipe for failure unless you're one of those extremely rare night owls who can stay awake late, sleep very little and still cope.
Am focused most of the time, but relationships do distract me. What should I do?
You should set your own priorities for this season of your life. Will romantic relationships get you where you want to be in ten years? If yes, prioritize finding that special someone. If no, reassure yourself that there will be time for that later and get to work.
Does playing music in the background make it harder to focus?
This changes from person to person. Some people cannot study without music, while others prefer silence. Usually music that has no words (instrumental, classical) is the best, as lyrics can distract with ease. Try different types of music to find what is best for you or to decide that it doesn't work.
I don't have an area where there are no distractions in my house. What should I do about that?
What about your bedroom? Or a porch if it's warm enough? Try the local library or a friend's house if your own house is impossible.
What if there are loud and noisy kids in my classroom?
First, ask the teacher if he can quiet the classroom down. If this is not successful, use mind over matter by blocking the surrounding noises (except your teacher) from your mind. As a last resort, request to go to the bathroom where you can try a couple minutes of deep breathing to re-center your mind.
I have to finish some chapters for an upcoming exams, but I really don't like the subject. How can I stay focused?
Try setting some short-term goals with small rewards, for yourself. For example, you could tell yourself that if you finish reading x-amount, you can watch your favorite show. Make sure your rewards are in proportion to the task, however. You don't want to read for 20 minutes, and then watch a 2-hour show.
I have my entrance exams in 15 days and I'm struggling to stay focused. Part of me wants to study and part of me is too tired and fatigued. What should I do?
Try to study during the day. If you are too tired, try drinking coffee or tea. If you don't like either, try eating some chocolate. Most of all, get plenty of sleep and take breaks in between the study bouts, so that your brain remembers what you're revising. As for motivation and focus, this isn't a fun time, it's a must-do time, so just knuckle down and realize that it has an end and you will get there.
What can I do to keep myself from procrastinating?
Try to give yourself some time limits in which to finish your work in, for example: you can tell yourself that you must finish your homework in 2 hours. You can also reward yourself for finishing your work in time. For example, you could tell yourself that you won't watch any television until you finish all of your homework.
What if I have ADHD, how can I stay focused?
Exercise can clear your head and help you feel more alert. Also, breathing exercise can be helpful for focusing your mind. If you are forgetful about habits, remind yourself by writing it down on a sticky note you keep nearby or even a document on your computer.
- Suggest me some background music to play while studying with focus.
- Try using classical music. Pop music will distract you easier. And don't play it too loudly.
Tips
Willpower is like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it will become.
Think of yourself as a mentally strong person who controls their own thoughts.
No one can do this for you. You have to work hard to increase your will power.
Success comes to ordinary people who do things in an extraordinary way.
Do not mistake envy with a desired goal. Envy makes you weak. Inspiration and passion makes you strong.
Do not make a goal out of something you do not have already as a great passion in your life. Use something that inspires you and gives you certainty and confidence. Then plan it much bigger and go for it.
Create a time log to see and understand how you spend your time.
use small incentives in between tasks to motivate you
Stretch and breathe; stretching helps to get the blood flowing through you and breathing helps oxygenate your muscles and brain, which helps you stretch.
Always make a track record of tasks you have done and tasks you have failed to do and try to increase the number of successful tasks. This will motivate you to stay focus over the tasks at hand more than other things that may distract you.
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Experts Say This Mental Trick Can Improve Your Focus
Author's page : http://www.mydomaine.com/how-to-improve-focus
by Julia Malacoff
In a world where technology rules and a never-ending news cycle provide constant stimulation, it’s a rarity to spend even a few minutes a day not really doing anything. The side effects of speeding through your to-do list without a moment’s rest are all too common: trouble focusing, stress, anxiety, and a cluttered mind.
Sound familiar? Lots of people spend their me time watching hours of Netflix, scrolling through their social feeds, or reading up on what’s going on in the world, and while we’re certainly not saying you should stop doing any of those things altogether, there’s something to be said for slowing down and learning to be in the moment.
“Being present to our surroundings helps us connect with ourselves and notice how we’re feeling,” explains Megan Mook, head teacher at MNDFL Meditation, who specializes in emotional intelligence and meditation. “When we are present to how we feel, we have more options for how to respond. The less present we are, the more we revert to automatic reactions, which are often limited. In short, being present opens up possibilities,” she says. So if you’re used to feeling stressed, you’ll continue to feel stressed unless you give your mind the chance to try something new—like feeling calm. Basically, the more possibilities your mind has, the better, and all you have to do to get there is to actually take a purposeful break.
Below we asked mindfulness, mental health, and integrative wellness experts how you can take a mental pause during the day. Try out their strategies for feeling more focused, present, and at ease.
Prolong Your Attention Span
Try This: Instituting Tech-Free Times
You probably get a steady stream of push notifications, and you might not even realize how much it’s distracting you. “The average American checks their smartphone between 35 and 75 times per day, depending on age group,” notes Tiffany Louise, LCSW, a professional coach and therapist. Phone checking can actually become a compulsive habit, which not only interrupts your thought processes when you’re trying to get things done but can also be used as a roundabout way to deal with feelings of stress.
“Interrupting this pattern can be a powerful act of mindfulness,” says Louise. By designating certain times when you don’t use your phone, tablet, or computer, you’re setting your brain up to get out of the custom of reaching for a device impulsively. In other words, specifically not using tech at certain points in the day will keep you from feeling like you need it in the middle of completing a task. “Oftentimes we turn to our phones when we are lonely, anxious, bored, or sad. And while we think it will make us feel better, scrolling through our feeds can be like a Band-Aid on something that actually needs stitches,” Louise explains. Breaking the cycle of tech use can help you identify your feelings more clearly and stop distractions in their tracks. “Instead of turning to your tech, you can pick up the phone, write a letter, or meet a friend for coffee—something that can truly make you feel more connected.”
Reduce Mind Clutter
Try This : Concentrate on Small Actions
Ever feel like your mind is constantly jumping from one thought to another, even when you’re trying to accomplish one task? Mook says the answer to this is simple: Take an actual break. “Schedule white space in your calendar,” she recommends. “Downtime is essential for creativity and rejuvenation.” And aside from creating a full block of time in your schedule daily or weekly to just chill out, she has a couple of ways you can use a very short amount of time to reset your mind.
“Take sky-gazing breaks,” she suggests. “Look out the window or up at the sky and take three to five deep breaths. The expanse helps to reset and open the mind.” If that doesn’t sound like your kind of thing, try this mindful activity: “Wash your hands in warm water and pay full attention to how relaxing and pleasurable the sensations are. Simple sensory pleasures help relax and destimulate the mind.” For the full effect, use a calming, aromatic hand soap and breathe deeply.
Stop and Inhale:
Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash, $39
Nest Cashmere Suede Liquid Soap, $22
Tom Dixon Royalty Hand Wash, $35
[size=20ptpt]Be In The Moment[/size]
Try This : Making Your Meals Mindful
Eating shouldn’t just be something you have to do, and it definitely shouldn’t be rushed. “There’s something about having hot water and lemon in the morning that I like as a ritual,” says Vincent Pedre, MD and author of Happy Gut. “It slows you down.” In fact, he thinks the slow food movement is onto something, and focusing on your food while you eat can help you feel more present. “Everything in our lives has become so fast, but we need to recognize that we can’t reprogram our bodies to match our lifestyle. Our digestive system isn’t like a computer.”
Makes sense, right? Your body is meant to do its own thing, in its own time, and trying to make it work faster will just make you feel stressed and possibly even sick. “That’s why it’s so detrimental to eat your lunch while rushed at your desk,” Pedre explains. So instead of scarfing down your food while you work, take your lunch outside, put your work away, take a look at your surroundings, and enjoy the fact that all you have to do for the next 30 minutes or so is eat.
Improve Focus
Try This : Creating a Later List
If you ever feel like you just can’t stay on track, there’s a really simple strategy for keeping your thoughts in check. “When you think of something that you want to look up that's unrelated to what you're working on, instead of switching tasks, jot it down on a notepad and save it for later,” recommends Mook. It might sound easy, but getting into the habit of not opening a million browser tabs for various ongoing tasks is actually pretty hard. That being said, once you get good at it, you’ll find it much easier to accomplish your daily goals.
Reduce Stress
Try This: Starting Your Day With Something Inspiring
“How we start our mornings can set the tone for the day, so our a.m. routines can be a great place to begin training our brains,” explains Louise. So if you normally reach for your phone to check your email and social channels as soon as you wake up, try something else for a few days and see how you feel. “Focus on consuming content that uplifts and centers you,” she suggests. “This could be an inspirational podcast, a daily meditation reading, or a series of deep breathing exercises. We often hear you are what you eat, and I would also argue that we can become what we consume and associate with.”
It makes sense that if you start your day by reading messages from your boss, thinking about everything you need to get done, and reading the latest anxiety-provoking headlines, you’ll be feeling stressed for the rest of the day. Instead, prioritize an activity that makes you feel great, like using a meditation app, and then tackle all the other stuff.
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The Focused Meditation Technique
Author's page : http://www.gateways-to-inner-peace.com/focused-meditation.html
The focused meditation technique will calm your mind and soothe your emotions. It's easy to learn, and if you practice it regularly it will certainly help you on your way to inner peace and serenity.
Obviously, the more you practice meditation, the more effective you will become and the benefits you experience will be greater. But you will likely begin to notice changes within you from day one, so what are you waiting for?
What is the Focused Meditation Technique ?
Focused meditation could be described as an attention meditation technique, where we choose to focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else. Even though I use the word attention, it is not about trying too hard.
There are many different things we can use as our object of focus, and we'll get to those in a moment. By choosing to focus on one thing only, we begin to quieten our busy minds and feel peace in the spaces between the thoughts.
Because you will find it difficult to stop thinking totally, you will begin to notice patterns in your thinking and your emotions, giving you more insight into yourself.
It is very important you realise that you will not be able to stay totally focused through the whole meditation. In fact, you will probably be focused for a few moments, then lose focus as a thought comes into your mind. Then you calmly bring yourself back to your object of focus again, as many times as needed, without judgement or anger toward yourself.
The focused meditation technique is very calming and centring. It anchors us in the present moment, freeing us from judgements about the past or worrying about the future.
Getting Ready for the Focused Meditation Technique
Get yourself ready by finding a quiet and comfortable spot where you can be assured of no interruptions. Be seated in a comfortable chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. If for physical reasons you need to recline then do so.
If you prefer to sit cross-legged on the floor this is okay but just make sure you can stay comfortable, with your back straight. Loosen any tight clothing and you might like to take off your shoes.
Begin by allowing yourself to relax. Close your eyes and take some slow, deep breaths into your abdomen. Feel the muscles in your body loosen, especially the ones around your face, neck and shoulders. Spend a few minutes getting into a relaxed state. Now allow yourself to breathe naturally.
What Do I Focus On ?
There are many things we can choose to focus or concentrate on for this meditation technique. Choose just one focus for each meditation, but try as many different types of focus as you like for different meditation sessions to see which one you prefer.
1. Focusing on the Breath. This involves allowing yourself to breathe naturally, while focusing your attention on the breath as you inhale and exhale. Feel the cool air going in through your nose; feel the expansion of your lungs and abdomen; feel the warmer air going out through your nose as your chest deflates. Allow yourself to become totally involved in the process of breathing.
2. Focusing on a Mantra or a Word. Choose a word that has a positive and uplifting meaning for you. It could be 'love', 'calm', 'peace' or anything that feels good. Or you could use a mantra such as 'OM' (pronounced 'aum'), a sound that represents the many aspects of God.
Focus your attention on your natural breathing pattern, and with each out breath repeat your mantra. You may choose to say it quietly in your own head, or you may choose to say it out loud. It is entirely up to you.
3. Focusing on the Image of an Object. You can choose to focus on any object you like, so long as it is something that feels good to you. Maybe the image of a flower, a candle, or a forest scene.
Allow the image to come gently into your mind and focus your attention on that object. Notice all of the details of your object, even what it feels like, smells like or sounds like. Allow yourself to become one with your object.
4. Focusing on a Real Object. If you like to meditate outdoors, this provides some good opportunities for focusing on things like the beauty of a sunset, the sound of trickling water, or the feeling of a gentle breeze on your face. Of course, if your focus is something that you need to look at then you will need to keep your eyes open instead.
Then What Do I Do ?
Use your object of focus to keep you anchored in the present moment. The idea is to focus on your breath, mantra or object to the exclusion of all else. However, it is very normal for many other thoughts, images or feelings to come into your mind and this will happen.
But it is very important that when you do notice that you have lost your focus, just gently bring yourself back to your object of focus again. Do not get angry or frustrated with yourself. Just acknowledge the presence of these thoughts and let them drift away. Do not hang on to them, or judge them in any way.
Spend approximately 20 minutes meditating in this way. When you are finished, sit quietly with your eyes still closed for about two minutes, to allow yourself to return to normal consciousness before going about your day.
Write down notes of any insights or other experiences you may have had, however do not feel disappointed if you don't have anything to write.
No matter what happens, your meditation has been successful, even if you had many thoughts. The fact that you just let them drift away means that you have benefited from this meditation.
Well done !
If you continue to practice a focused meditation technique on a daily basis, you will begin to experience your reality from a whole new perspective. You will achieve greater self awareness and begin to let go of your negative beliefs and judgements. You will begin to live more in the present moment, in harmony with yourself and the Universe.
Like to try some other easy types of meditation? Click on my links below :
Mindfulness Meditation
Breathing Meditation
Walking Meditation
For more on how to meditate for beginners, such as where, how often, etc. please click HERE.
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