Concentration
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spiritual4u
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The Power Of Concentration
The man who has daily inured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition and self-denial in unnecessary things will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him and when his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast.
- William James
Concentration on your Higher Self (the soul within) will encourage detachment and detachment will lead to power.
Everything in creation (as we understand it) is influenced by the law of magnetism. The law of magnetism teaches us that whatever we concentrate upon, we draw to ourselves. If we focus on goodness, our life can be a garden of happiness; if we concentrate on wealth, we will draw wealth to ourselves.
Success in life presupposes the power of concentration. Just as a magnet draws to itself iron filings and not rice grains, so too, the quality of our focused thoughts will create a dynamic but silent power within that will find us placed in situations akin to the nature of our thoughts. If we think ' good health ' and with faith and belief embed this deeply within our minds over a sustained period of time, we will gradually create for ourselves situations and an environment, which will be conducive to good health . Yet as we understand the workings of this power , it is essential that we not misuse power and that we be more involved in purifying our desires so that all that we seek only be bathed in the hue of wisdom and righteousness. Before we choose we always have an option, but once chosen, each action will bring forth a concomitant reaction.
Each of us is born with a certain degree of latent developed concentration, but the more we are aware of the existence of this power, and the more we seek to consciously use it, the more will we actually develop it. Men of success are men of concentration. Nothing of essence in life is achieved without concentration.
Be it in prayer, business, sport, art, or healing, concentration is the real key which helps one harness one's inner divine potential. Concentration aids you in drawing more of the life energy into your physical self and thereby raising your level of existence to higher layers of awareness. As you spiritualise your consciousness through Guru-channeled techniques of concentration, your energy pattern becomes more vibrant and pure, ushering all round tranquility and calmness into the temple of your mind.
With good concentration one can fulfill a task in virtually half the time and with double the accuracy of an average person. Paramahansa Yogananda said that we should do our interesting and enjoyable duties with all our heart and the uninteresting ones with our deepest attention. As we concentrate with will power on the task at hand, we learn to shut out unnecessary disturbing thoughts, doing nothing haphazardly. The mind thereby attains the ability to be one-pointed. The greatest power, remember always, is lodged in the fine, never in the coarse.
When one is able to lift a heavy object with muscles flexing, we appreciate the physical strength and the look and feel of the muscular part, but we must remind ourselves that the power to lift comes not from the muscles but from the life energy within, which in turn is drawn by the power of will and concentration. The greater the will and the more focused one's thoughts, the greater will be the inflow of the life force.
Each thought that we think forms a pattern in our brain cell grooves. These patterns then determine what our future patterns of existence will be. If we wish to change the nature of the existent (past) patterns or if we seek to create desired patterns (circumstances) it is vital to understand the workings of the science of concentration. Though any sincere practice in concentration may seem arduous and boring at the outset, after some time, internal interest is definitely developed.
The platitude before the flowering is only natural as new forms of mental thought seek to erase typical thought habits of the past. Evil and harmful habits are what we have gifted ourselves through concentrating repeatedly on the wrong thought patterns and now if we are to be rid of them, it is necessary to concentrate on the opposite. For example, if we have a habit of biting our nails, we must concentrate on seeing ourselves as living without any trace (even in imagination) of that habit. We must see only the goal, and the obstacles will fall off by themselves. With the coming of His Divine light, the darkness of eons can melt away.
As one advances in one's realisation and experiences the benefits of concentration, one hardly wants to abandon its practice. Spiritual techniques in concentration take one to the threshold of supreme joy, divine strength, deeper knowledge, and high levels of intuition. Ultimately success in profound concentration is a pre-requisite for success in communion with the omniscient Spirit.
Through concentration, one can draw to the surface, the repository of experiences submerged in the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is our most obedient serf and carries experiences not only of this life but also of the entire past. Swami Sivananda explained "when we are unable to solve a problem, be it personal or scientific, we should tell our subconscious mind to do it for us. Approached with trust and confidence, it will provide the right answer. The command must be couched in very clear, explicit terms with no ambiguity. If the solution is not elicited after a night's sleep, we may repeat the command at the same time each day, until the response is forthcoming."
Comprehensive development of the subconscious mind will relieve some of the pressure of the conscious mind, enabling it to concentrate more easily on noble and wise objectives and practices.
We oft complain about the traumas and trials that manifest in our lives. But very conveniently we forget that deep down we ourselves are responsible through our own thoughts and actions for these traumas. We have either been lazy or then simply over- enthusiastic in our uncontrolled thoughts and actions. Increased practices in techniques of concentration will manifest in us the ability to arrest the seed of unwanted thoughts right at the outset and also to skillfully guide the raft of our new thoughts. Only then will we be able, with the help of God and Guru to have control over our destiny and over our own mind; and one who has control over one's own mind can very definitely also relate with and manifest control over every other mind.
Concentration implies great self-control, especially over one's emotions and true concentration endows great strength-of mind and of character. It awakens within us an innate capability to withstand life's sudden and unexpected shocks, be it depression, chaos or other uncertainties. This strength, we must realize, depends not on material power but on mental caliber and poise. To acquire real mental poise, you have to attain wisdom. To acquire wisdom, you have to develop the mind, which is to develop the power of superconcentration, whereby will flow from within the all-conquering power of wisdom.
The main idea of concentration, explained Swami Paramananda (Ramakrishna Mission) "is to make our ourselves a channel, so clear, so direct, so unbiased, that through our instrumentality the power of Divinity can flow and accomplish Its great end. Keep this always in mind." In the Bhagavad-Gita, the concentrated mind of the Yogi is compared to the flame of a lamp that does not flicker. "When the mind is completely subdued by the practice of Yoga, and has attained serenity, in that state, seeing Self by the self, he is satisfied in the Self alone."
A mind that becomes concentrated enters a new province. Like one who has discovered a chest full of treasure, it can think of nothing else. "Seeing Self by the self, we are satisfied in the Self alone." Like a musician wholly absorbed in his notes forgets all about food, drink and bodily needs, a man of single focus is able to harness all his energy to the one most essential objective. Concentration is a tremendous force in society. Through its right use, one is successful in whatever one chooses to do. But concentration should not be consciously practiced only during times of need; one should constantly keep developing the powers of the mind at all times.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the great Master of modern India gives in his teachings a very vivid illustration. Every man, he said, should make a legitimate effort to keep his mind in a good, clean, concentrated condition; otherwise it grows unsightly- like a metal vessel, which becomes tarnished if it is not polished every day. A golden vessel, however, does not have to be polished so frequently. So too with our mind. Once it mingles with the Supreme, it becomes like the vessel of gold and retains its splendor even when it is not given any special care.
Concentration (Dhayana)
According to the renowned German scholar Max Mueller, the study of mental states is unique to India. He also opined that ekagrata or one-pointedness that India spoke of was unknown, and to a large extent, incomprehensible to the Western world. And this viewpoint holds true even today.
Dhayana or meditation is a state of concentration or mental activity in which the mind can stay focused on an object chosen for concentration without wavering and without getting distracted. When we are engaged in an activity, which will increase our attention span on `our chosen object of concentration' then we are trying to generate a meditative experience by improving our concentration or attention span.
According to the Yoga- Samkhya system of Indian Philosophy, concentration or dhyana is difficult to come by. In Maharishi Patanjali's eight-fold path, dhyana or meditation is achieved after a lot of perseverance and practice of several orders of preliminaries. In fact, dhayana is step number seven in the eight-fold path. Only after stabilising the moral and ethical codes and precepts, gaining physical mastery, control over the senses and contemplative stabilisation of the mind can we achieve a state of superior mental states, leading towards experiences of meditation or dhayana.
In the Rajayoga system or tradition too, as expounded, in the early part of the 20th century by Swami Vivekananda, meditation or dhayana was given a semblance of an objective dimension - almost in a technical manner. According to Swamiji, our average span of attention on a particular object is around three seconds. If we are able to increase this attention span and concentration at an object of our choice for 12 seconds then we are practicing Patanjali's sixth stage of yoga or dharana , which translates as contemplation. And If we can further increase our concentration ability to 12x12 seconds or for 144 seconds, which is approximately equal to 21/2 minutes then we have reached the mental plateau of meditation or dhayana . It will be worthwhile to mention here that the word Dhayana gave rise to the Chinese equivalent word for meditation ` Chan' and which later got Nipponised to Zen on reaching the shores of Japan.
Swami Vivekananda further went on to attribute values to the exalted state of samadhi or transcendental conscious mental state in value terms as arising from a meditative or concentration span of 12x12x12 seconds, which is 30 minutes or half an hour. In ancient times, it was firmly believed that sages or rishis had cultivated the advanced practices of superior concentration or samadhi. They could abide in this states or super-consciousness for days, months, years and yes - even eons. For those who are not familiar with the expression, an eon is like a geographical period marked by distinct species and climatic conditions, and lasts millions of years.
For, in the Himalayas ranges of India, Tibet and Nepal have been found the mortal coils of advanced mediators with their hands resting on their laps and their nails grown in the manner to encircle their bodies several times. This may be hard to believe but it is true and has been documented. But what is most important to understand is that dhayana or concentration is important because it leads to jnana or knowledge.
Understanding Concentration
Men of great success have been men of great concentration. Success does not come from outside. It is right within your brain. When a brilliant thought /idea strikes you, it needs to be nurtured and reared with patience, will, focus, and determined action. Only then will the tiny seed of an idea truly flower into a vibrant plant. The entire basis of the flowering is the mind and its powers. Had there been no thought in the mind and appropriate action thereafter, the result would not have been achieved. Like you focus the rays of the sun through a magnifying glass, you need to focus and re-direct the concentrated rays of the power behind your divine thoughts.
Concentration involves a honing in of the attention so that one's entire field of attention is thrown into whatever it is that one is doing. Concentration entails a focusing of energy- the energy that influences all our actions in life.
Existence demands that we use this omnipresent energy, but not waste it. Each day, in idle thinking and avoidable gossip we expend useful energy, yet nothing supreme will be achieved in our lives, without a conscious ascent on the ladder of Self-realisation. We may master the wind, water and animals, but have we succeeded in mastering ourselves?
Self-mastery demands tremendous will power and wise channeling of conserved concentrated energy, re-directed in the best possible way. A river, for example, may flow in various directions but when it is channelled towards a turbine, it can produce electricity or power of other types. Concomitantly, it is vital that with the power latent in our minds, we harness God's divine energy and use it for harmonious alignment of the body, mind, and soul.
Concentration is a two-edged gift to man. Metaphysically speaking, whatever we concentrate on we shall achieve. Concentrate on the positive, bright side of life, and your life lightens up; concentrate on the wild, sad side, and the whole world darkens. Even when the mind unconsciously dwells on despair, despondency shall be Nature's thanksgiving. If we train the mind to focus on love, purity, prosperity and wisdom, our life will be a receptacle for such energies to flow in.
Concentration is what the Almighty used, along with divine will, to create us. Let there be light said He, and there was light. To be measured in thought is most important. Our minds have millions of thought ripples in a split second. Even if it involves hardship, if we gradually attempt to dam this flow of thoughts and divert them towards a few good things, the mind will function with vigor and produce fruitful results.
In Yoga and in other spiritual disciplines, concentration precedes meditation. Most people mix up the two and construe activities on concentration to be meditation. True meditation is a scientific technique of concentrating on God. When all extraneous waves and ripples are stilled, one can go straight to the Source. You reach your destination not by flitting from route to route but by maintaining your focus and following only one of them.
Ordinarily like a monkey, our consciousness is running amuck all over the place. However, when anything of a sustained nature has to be done, we gather our scattered thoughts together and place it on one occupation, subject or object. This placement usually takes place in the brain, if it is a thought, and in the heart, if it is a feeling. Yogic concentration is primarily an extension and intensification of the same principle - it may be an idea, an object, a word, a name or a combination of all of these.
The yogis also make it a point to concentrate on the area between the eyebrows; some, on the region of the inner (subtle) heart - going inward and visualizing the idea/object/theme of concentration therein. This region is the seat of concentration and will power. As you keep persisting in your efforts of concentration from this area, you experience having your entire consciousness being centered in that region, though of course, only temporarily.
Control Of Mind
Control of the mind is a precursor to success in attempts at concentration. Yet if your mind is preoccupied solely with the idea of having to control the mind , you will be so busy trying to control the mind that the object or concept of concentration will take centre-stage in Amnesia land! Attempt to control the mind by regulating your breathing, eating the right kind of wholesome food, and by awakening both the body and the mind through invigorating exercises.
Understand that it is the sensual distractions to which the mind is drawn that are the culprits of your inability to concentrate. So we must work at being able to successfully and scientifically isolating our attention from them. Calming the senses, withdrawing our life force away from the sensory-motor nerves which are the conductors of sensations, and channelling them into the higher centres of our consciousness is therefore the key. You must make it a habit to introspect and watch the mind carefully. Rising thoughts must be silenced and emotions have to be calmed.
Not Physical But Mental Exercise
Physical training that only exercises the muscles without understanding the principles of life force inherent therein are merely futile attempts at muscle bumping and give only limited and temporary benefits. Our bodies are made of the gross elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and of the subtle energies that have over incarnations ensconced themselves in the consciousness of the mind. In simple terms, our thoughts make our body and the body influences the thoughts. So through practice and exercises in memory development and concentration, lead your mind naturally to the shores of the sea of concentration, wherefrom after plunging into the waters of meditation, through daily, diligent practice, increased concentration will become second nature to you. Each day, each night, when you awaken and before you enter slumber land, affirm your reality as a child of God. Made in His image, all that He is, is what you are. God is the epitome of power, light and wisdom. Never forget that you have all those divine sparks in you. Never despair in all your attempts. The law of karma (cause and effect) is irresistible. In due course, all your efforts will bring fruition. Therefore shake off your hopelessness and put on the garment of discipline and regularity. Peace will surely come and dwell in you and the whole being will be saturated in calmness. Not much will be achieved without effort. Intensity is vital, just as it is vital to overcome sleep for success in meditation. And intensity should be without a sense of strain or effort. It is better to concentrate for a few minutes with intensity than it is to concentrate half-heartedly for a long time.
Mind Is Like A Wild Cat, Don't Fight With It
As you attempt to practice controlling the mind, never fight with it. An obstinate struggle only sets into motion more waves of despair and frustration. Beginners should beware of committing this serious error in their eagerness to succeed. Correctly practiced, engagements in concentration will quickly lead to a calming of the functions of the heart and thereby, the energy that was formerly used by the heart will now be available for use to meditate on God or to achieve any other noble ambition. Exercises in concentration are not only for the beginners, but are diligently practiced even by those seasoned in meditative practices. The mind is like a wild cat and needs to be tamed.
Be Aware And Be Mindful
Make awareness a regular part of your daily activity - walking or sitting. As you sit down to eat, be aware of the breath; as you walk in for a meeting, thank the breath for the benefits it bestows upon you in so humble a fashion. Apart from many physical benefits that such exercises have, they will help you transcend into awareness of a deeper hidden consciousness in which you will become aware of the real Self. It invites the descent into our nature of a greater Force and consciousness, which has been longing for us to make contact with it.
Concentration is the magnetic manifestation that re-directs the needle of our mind from the enticing sense nerves to the recess of the Divine cave within. Inadvertently, blissfully unaware, we utilise this power each day. If we would only consciously activate and re- claim our divine birthright, great would be our power and achievement.
Techniques In Contemplation
"If, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." Jesus Christ
As a common precursor, when you sit down to practice exercises in concentration and contemplation, precede your sessions with a prayer to God or Guru, and invoke their presence and Grace.
Smile and fill your heart with a recollection of joy and happiness that you may have experienced in the past. Feel God's light suffusing and relaxing the entire body, and gently, rhythmically, slow down the process of breathing. It always helps to keep your eyes shut and focused on the area of the third eye. Closing the eyes ensures stillness of the mind. The attention should always be turned inward, that is, we should try and lose awareness of our bodies and feel the consciousness being sucked into the vacuum-like depths of the eternity.
Practicing in a sitting position is advisable, especially for beginners, as in this position it becomes far easier to gain control over the truant mind. With practice, one can practice certain viable techniques successfully, even when walking, standing or reclining.
In the beginning it is advisable to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and evening, and to continue doing this without interruption instead of attempting longer sessions at the very outset. In the initial stages, it is very likely that you will experience cramps in the leg, but with continuous practice and a detached awareness, one will overcome this very common complaint.
Disciplined, steady practice of even a few minutes each day will help tide over typical 'grumblings' of lack of time.
As you practice, especially until you become a seasoned practitioner, remember to intermittently check and relax the body, and by the use of your will, to calm the breath and the functioning of other organs of the body. Enjoy what you are doing and approach it from the plane of a 'large' consciousness, forgetting the little body-bag of skin and bones as you practice.
Watching the breath
Sit in a chair with your spine held upright and straight, or sit on a comfortable mattress (preferably earmarked for concentration and meditation) in the cross-legged, or lotus position. Face the east or the north as energies that flow from this direction help one concentrate better.
Preferably practice in the early hours of dawn or late at night, when much of existential Nature is quiet and restive. If possible, keep the stomach in a relatively empty state - after a heavy meal much energy is diverted in the process of digesting the food, and the prince of sleep, of course, also tends to distract you!
Keep your eyes shut and focused on the area of the area of the third eye in between the eyebrows. With alertness and aloofness, become a witness to the process of the inflow and outflow of breath. Breathing in through the nostrils, calm the body. Breathing out through the nostrils, smile. As you breathe in, feel cool freshness permeating your whole being; as you breathe out, feel yourself melting in the omnipresence of His soul magnetism.
As you breathe in, take in all the love in the world; as you breathe out, give peace and light to all. Dwell in the moment. Do not think of anything else. Just be there, observing the inflow and outflow. Do not seek to control it. If you can feel it, feel it; if it seems to have disappeared, be aware of the state of no-breath. In fact, the wider these moments of no-breath, the greater is the benefit. Above all, remember to be detached. If it helps, with every inspiration mentally chant 'Aum' or any other mantra, and do the same with the expiration.
Let not the chanting control the flow and do not attempt synchronization. Concentrate on the breath, and let the mantra chanting happen as a supplement. This detached observance will quickly lead to a calming of the heart, the lungs, and the diaphragm. The deeper you go, the more subtle will the experience become and you will begin to realise that it is God who is breathing through you.
Remember, exercises such as these are not for beginners. These are practiced by all and sundry even after 15-20 years of perfecting their meditations. The mind is verily like a wild cat and constantly needs to be tamed.
Watching the breath is a prelude to controlling it and developing our concentration because the consciousness inherently isolates itself from the automatic function of breathing and gradually realizes itself as distinct from it. Regularity in practice helps the one realize that one's life and consciousness is different from the ego and that one need not identify with the delusion creating forces of mortality, ill-health, and sensory sorrow.
Attractive and Mundane
It is easy to fix the attention on what is pleasant and attractive. The mind is easily drawn to it. It is more challenging to take the needle of attention to what is really uninteresting to us. Focusing on the attractive, binds us, but concentrating on dull objects, ideas, circumstances will help us break many fetters.
Pay attention in greater and greater detail to any idea, or object that is uninteresting. Let the mind dissect the object, situation in all its firmaments; go deeper, analyzing the reasons for your disinterest and look at the positive aspects of that under consideration from God's point of view. Do this traveling or sitting, and feel the unpleasantness melt away, giving rise to a newfound interest. This practice will help dissolve many blocks and weakness and will help strengthen your concentration and mind power.
Steady gazing
Tratak , as it is called in Yoga - One can view an object, the image of one's favorite deity, a picture of one's Guru, a symbol, or as is popularly done, the flame of a candle. Sit in front of it and view it with concentrated attention for as long as possible, preferably without blinking, but without any strain. Then close the eyes and visualize the object in the darkness behind the closed eyelids. Repeat the process and gradually increase the time of gazing, and the period of visualizing with closed eyes.
In due course, it shall be feasible to view it with clarity even in its absence. Steady practice will make it possible for you to conjure up the image in a jiffy and without any notice. This will help steady the naughty mind and will also work wonders with concentration. Apart from this, it is a wonderful method to heal various ailments of the eyes. You should practice this only for a minute or two during the first few days and then gradually increase the time spent each week.
For concrete, discernible results, practice for 7-8 months. If you maintain discipline and regularity over this sustained period, it can soon become a well-acquired habit with you. If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, it is better to practice it after removing the visual aid.
Internal Focusing
Sit comfortably in a chair with the spine held straight or in a comfortable cross-legged position. Calm the breathing and suffuse yourself with joy and light as described in watching the breath , above. Then practice a pattern of regulating the breath to an inhalation (through the nostril) of 5 or more seconds (as may be comfortable), a holding of breath for the same number of seconds, and then a gradual exhalation through the nostrils, again spread over an identical span of seconds. Do 5 - 10 rounds of this cycle. Now visualize an image of your Guru, deity, or a spiritual symbol, in either the area of the third eye (ajna chakra) in between the eyebrows or then in the region of the heart center (dorsal chakra). Keep the image centered there.
It helps if you can with feeling and devotion seemingly dissolve your physical body and know yourself only to be a halo of loving, kind white light. See the symbol, image, nestled as distinctly as you can (with closed eyes, of course) at the appropriate center (chakra) within this halo. Experience your lightness and freedom. Know only the presence of the image (God manifesting as your chosen form) and your awareness of being aware. Let not any thoughts that come by, as they are bound to, disturb you. Be still in the mind, and aware of their presence whenever they come.
Without reacting, you will soon notice them pass away. Keep your mind focused only on the image of your attention. Explore the image as vividly as you can, summoning all the soldiers of concentration. Keep the thoughts focused on the object. Gradually, continuing to maintain detached equanimity, reduce the number of thoughts to one as there are bound to be many thoughts on that one image.
The more sincerely you practice, the more will be the reward of commingling with that one image. Soon you will have felt yourself dissolving into the object of your concentration. If the image is that of a deity, spiritual symbol, or a Guru, by a cosmic law of vibratory magnetic exchange, you will be immersed in the powerful, pure vibrations of the power behind the image. Maintain a supreme silence and enjoy the feeling.
Being with Water
Water is purifying, therapeutic. It washes away a lot of our energy blocks. Feel yourself on the bank of a pure, limpid lake. Singular in its glory, the rays of the rising sun are penetrating deep into your cells to recharge them with vital energy and stimulate the life force within. Each cell is vibrating in alertness and concentration. In your mind's eye, behind closed eyelids, see the water clear and still. Feel the touch of the water. Stay with the feelings for a few moments. Now visualize ice - transparent and vivid. After a few minutes, feel the ice turning into crystal. See the whole lake as one huge crystal. Observe it, touch it, and walk on it.
Walk a few meters onto this bed of crystal. Crystals are reservoirs of great power, and they magnify and reflect what you infuse into them. See yourself speaking with the crystal bed. Infuse it with love and strength and know that it is all being reflected back to you, magnified a hundred times. Know that it is God that has become the crystal and as you remain in silence, receive God's blessings and thank Him for all the silent kindness and goodness that he bestowed upon you.
The man who has daily inured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition and self-denial in unnecessary things will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him and when his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast.
- William James
Concentration on your Higher Self (the soul within) will encourage detachment and detachment will lead to power.
Everything in creation (as we understand it) is influenced by the law of magnetism. The law of magnetism teaches us that whatever we concentrate upon, we draw to ourselves. If we focus on goodness, our life can be a garden of happiness; if we concentrate on wealth, we will draw wealth to ourselves.
Success in life presupposes the power of concentration. Just as a magnet draws to itself iron filings and not rice grains, so too, the quality of our focused thoughts will create a dynamic but silent power within that will find us placed in situations akin to the nature of our thoughts. If we think ' good health ' and with faith and belief embed this deeply within our minds over a sustained period of time, we will gradually create for ourselves situations and an environment, which will be conducive to good health . Yet as we understand the workings of this power , it is essential that we not misuse power and that we be more involved in purifying our desires so that all that we seek only be bathed in the hue of wisdom and righteousness. Before we choose we always have an option, but once chosen, each action will bring forth a concomitant reaction.
Each of us is born with a certain degree of latent developed concentration, but the more we are aware of the existence of this power, and the more we seek to consciously use it, the more will we actually develop it. Men of success are men of concentration. Nothing of essence in life is achieved without concentration.
Be it in prayer, business, sport, art, or healing, concentration is the real key which helps one harness one's inner divine potential. Concentration aids you in drawing more of the life energy into your physical self and thereby raising your level of existence to higher layers of awareness. As you spiritualise your consciousness through Guru-channeled techniques of concentration, your energy pattern becomes more vibrant and pure, ushering all round tranquility and calmness into the temple of your mind.
With good concentration one can fulfill a task in virtually half the time and with double the accuracy of an average person. Paramahansa Yogananda said that we should do our interesting and enjoyable duties with all our heart and the uninteresting ones with our deepest attention. As we concentrate with will power on the task at hand, we learn to shut out unnecessary disturbing thoughts, doing nothing haphazardly. The mind thereby attains the ability to be one-pointed. The greatest power, remember always, is lodged in the fine, never in the coarse.
When one is able to lift a heavy object with muscles flexing, we appreciate the physical strength and the look and feel of the muscular part, but we must remind ourselves that the power to lift comes not from the muscles but from the life energy within, which in turn is drawn by the power of will and concentration. The greater the will and the more focused one's thoughts, the greater will be the inflow of the life force.
Each thought that we think forms a pattern in our brain cell grooves. These patterns then determine what our future patterns of existence will be. If we wish to change the nature of the existent (past) patterns or if we seek to create desired patterns (circumstances) it is vital to understand the workings of the science of concentration. Though any sincere practice in concentration may seem arduous and boring at the outset, after some time, internal interest is definitely developed.
The platitude before the flowering is only natural as new forms of mental thought seek to erase typical thought habits of the past. Evil and harmful habits are what we have gifted ourselves through concentrating repeatedly on the wrong thought patterns and now if we are to be rid of them, it is necessary to concentrate on the opposite. For example, if we have a habit of biting our nails, we must concentrate on seeing ourselves as living without any trace (even in imagination) of that habit. We must see only the goal, and the obstacles will fall off by themselves. With the coming of His Divine light, the darkness of eons can melt away.
As one advances in one's realisation and experiences the benefits of concentration, one hardly wants to abandon its practice. Spiritual techniques in concentration take one to the threshold of supreme joy, divine strength, deeper knowledge, and high levels of intuition. Ultimately success in profound concentration is a pre-requisite for success in communion with the omniscient Spirit.
Through concentration, one can draw to the surface, the repository of experiences submerged in the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is our most obedient serf and carries experiences not only of this life but also of the entire past. Swami Sivananda explained "when we are unable to solve a problem, be it personal or scientific, we should tell our subconscious mind to do it for us. Approached with trust and confidence, it will provide the right answer. The command must be couched in very clear, explicit terms with no ambiguity. If the solution is not elicited after a night's sleep, we may repeat the command at the same time each day, until the response is forthcoming."
Comprehensive development of the subconscious mind will relieve some of the pressure of the conscious mind, enabling it to concentrate more easily on noble and wise objectives and practices.
We oft complain about the traumas and trials that manifest in our lives. But very conveniently we forget that deep down we ourselves are responsible through our own thoughts and actions for these traumas. We have either been lazy or then simply over- enthusiastic in our uncontrolled thoughts and actions. Increased practices in techniques of concentration will manifest in us the ability to arrest the seed of unwanted thoughts right at the outset and also to skillfully guide the raft of our new thoughts. Only then will we be able, with the help of God and Guru to have control over our destiny and over our own mind; and one who has control over one's own mind can very definitely also relate with and manifest control over every other mind.
Concentration implies great self-control, especially over one's emotions and true concentration endows great strength-of mind and of character. It awakens within us an innate capability to withstand life's sudden and unexpected shocks, be it depression, chaos or other uncertainties. This strength, we must realize, depends not on material power but on mental caliber and poise. To acquire real mental poise, you have to attain wisdom. To acquire wisdom, you have to develop the mind, which is to develop the power of superconcentration, whereby will flow from within the all-conquering power of wisdom.
The main idea of concentration, explained Swami Paramananda (Ramakrishna Mission) "is to make our ourselves a channel, so clear, so direct, so unbiased, that through our instrumentality the power of Divinity can flow and accomplish Its great end. Keep this always in mind." In the Bhagavad-Gita, the concentrated mind of the Yogi is compared to the flame of a lamp that does not flicker. "When the mind is completely subdued by the practice of Yoga, and has attained serenity, in that state, seeing Self by the self, he is satisfied in the Self alone."
A mind that becomes concentrated enters a new province. Like one who has discovered a chest full of treasure, it can think of nothing else. "Seeing Self by the self, we are satisfied in the Self alone." Like a musician wholly absorbed in his notes forgets all about food, drink and bodily needs, a man of single focus is able to harness all his energy to the one most essential objective. Concentration is a tremendous force in society. Through its right use, one is successful in whatever one chooses to do. But concentration should not be consciously practiced only during times of need; one should constantly keep developing the powers of the mind at all times.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the great Master of modern India gives in his teachings a very vivid illustration. Every man, he said, should make a legitimate effort to keep his mind in a good, clean, concentrated condition; otherwise it grows unsightly- like a metal vessel, which becomes tarnished if it is not polished every day. A golden vessel, however, does not have to be polished so frequently. So too with our mind. Once it mingles with the Supreme, it becomes like the vessel of gold and retains its splendor even when it is not given any special care.
Concentration (Dhayana)
According to the renowned German scholar Max Mueller, the study of mental states is unique to India. He also opined that ekagrata or one-pointedness that India spoke of was unknown, and to a large extent, incomprehensible to the Western world. And this viewpoint holds true even today.
Dhayana or meditation is a state of concentration or mental activity in which the mind can stay focused on an object chosen for concentration without wavering and without getting distracted. When we are engaged in an activity, which will increase our attention span on `our chosen object of concentration' then we are trying to generate a meditative experience by improving our concentration or attention span.
According to the Yoga- Samkhya system of Indian Philosophy, concentration or dhyana is difficult to come by. In Maharishi Patanjali's eight-fold path, dhyana or meditation is achieved after a lot of perseverance and practice of several orders of preliminaries. In fact, dhayana is step number seven in the eight-fold path. Only after stabilising the moral and ethical codes and precepts, gaining physical mastery, control over the senses and contemplative stabilisation of the mind can we achieve a state of superior mental states, leading towards experiences of meditation or dhayana.
In the Rajayoga system or tradition too, as expounded, in the early part of the 20th century by Swami Vivekananda, meditation or dhayana was given a semblance of an objective dimension - almost in a technical manner. According to Swamiji, our average span of attention on a particular object is around three seconds. If we are able to increase this attention span and concentration at an object of our choice for 12 seconds then we are practicing Patanjali's sixth stage of yoga or dharana , which translates as contemplation. And If we can further increase our concentration ability to 12x12 seconds or for 144 seconds, which is approximately equal to 21/2 minutes then we have reached the mental plateau of meditation or dhayana . It will be worthwhile to mention here that the word Dhayana gave rise to the Chinese equivalent word for meditation ` Chan' and which later got Nipponised to Zen on reaching the shores of Japan.
Swami Vivekananda further went on to attribute values to the exalted state of samadhi or transcendental conscious mental state in value terms as arising from a meditative or concentration span of 12x12x12 seconds, which is 30 minutes or half an hour. In ancient times, it was firmly believed that sages or rishis had cultivated the advanced practices of superior concentration or samadhi. They could abide in this states or super-consciousness for days, months, years and yes - even eons. For those who are not familiar with the expression, an eon is like a geographical period marked by distinct species and climatic conditions, and lasts millions of years.
For, in the Himalayas ranges of India, Tibet and Nepal have been found the mortal coils of advanced mediators with their hands resting on their laps and their nails grown in the manner to encircle their bodies several times. This may be hard to believe but it is true and has been documented. But what is most important to understand is that dhayana or concentration is important because it leads to jnana or knowledge.
Understanding Concentration
Men of great success have been men of great concentration. Success does not come from outside. It is right within your brain. When a brilliant thought /idea strikes you, it needs to be nurtured and reared with patience, will, focus, and determined action. Only then will the tiny seed of an idea truly flower into a vibrant plant. The entire basis of the flowering is the mind and its powers. Had there been no thought in the mind and appropriate action thereafter, the result would not have been achieved. Like you focus the rays of the sun through a magnifying glass, you need to focus and re-direct the concentrated rays of the power behind your divine thoughts.
Concentration involves a honing in of the attention so that one's entire field of attention is thrown into whatever it is that one is doing. Concentration entails a focusing of energy- the energy that influences all our actions in life.
Existence demands that we use this omnipresent energy, but not waste it. Each day, in idle thinking and avoidable gossip we expend useful energy, yet nothing supreme will be achieved in our lives, without a conscious ascent on the ladder of Self-realisation. We may master the wind, water and animals, but have we succeeded in mastering ourselves?
Self-mastery demands tremendous will power and wise channeling of conserved concentrated energy, re-directed in the best possible way. A river, for example, may flow in various directions but when it is channelled towards a turbine, it can produce electricity or power of other types. Concomitantly, it is vital that with the power latent in our minds, we harness God's divine energy and use it for harmonious alignment of the body, mind, and soul.
Concentration is a two-edged gift to man. Metaphysically speaking, whatever we concentrate on we shall achieve. Concentrate on the positive, bright side of life, and your life lightens up; concentrate on the wild, sad side, and the whole world darkens. Even when the mind unconsciously dwells on despair, despondency shall be Nature's thanksgiving. If we train the mind to focus on love, purity, prosperity and wisdom, our life will be a receptacle for such energies to flow in.
Concentration is what the Almighty used, along with divine will, to create us. Let there be light said He, and there was light. To be measured in thought is most important. Our minds have millions of thought ripples in a split second. Even if it involves hardship, if we gradually attempt to dam this flow of thoughts and divert them towards a few good things, the mind will function with vigor and produce fruitful results.
In Yoga and in other spiritual disciplines, concentration precedes meditation. Most people mix up the two and construe activities on concentration to be meditation. True meditation is a scientific technique of concentrating on God. When all extraneous waves and ripples are stilled, one can go straight to the Source. You reach your destination not by flitting from route to route but by maintaining your focus and following only one of them.
Ordinarily like a monkey, our consciousness is running amuck all over the place. However, when anything of a sustained nature has to be done, we gather our scattered thoughts together and place it on one occupation, subject or object. This placement usually takes place in the brain, if it is a thought, and in the heart, if it is a feeling. Yogic concentration is primarily an extension and intensification of the same principle - it may be an idea, an object, a word, a name or a combination of all of these.
The yogis also make it a point to concentrate on the area between the eyebrows; some, on the region of the inner (subtle) heart - going inward and visualizing the idea/object/theme of concentration therein. This region is the seat of concentration and will power. As you keep persisting in your efforts of concentration from this area, you experience having your entire consciousness being centered in that region, though of course, only temporarily.
Control Of Mind
Control of the mind is a precursor to success in attempts at concentration. Yet if your mind is preoccupied solely with the idea of having to control the mind , you will be so busy trying to control the mind that the object or concept of concentration will take centre-stage in Amnesia land! Attempt to control the mind by regulating your breathing, eating the right kind of wholesome food, and by awakening both the body and the mind through invigorating exercises.
Understand that it is the sensual distractions to which the mind is drawn that are the culprits of your inability to concentrate. So we must work at being able to successfully and scientifically isolating our attention from them. Calming the senses, withdrawing our life force away from the sensory-motor nerves which are the conductors of sensations, and channelling them into the higher centres of our consciousness is therefore the key. You must make it a habit to introspect and watch the mind carefully. Rising thoughts must be silenced and emotions have to be calmed.
Not Physical But Mental Exercise
Physical training that only exercises the muscles without understanding the principles of life force inherent therein are merely futile attempts at muscle bumping and give only limited and temporary benefits. Our bodies are made of the gross elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and of the subtle energies that have over incarnations ensconced themselves in the consciousness of the mind. In simple terms, our thoughts make our body and the body influences the thoughts. So through practice and exercises in memory development and concentration, lead your mind naturally to the shores of the sea of concentration, wherefrom after plunging into the waters of meditation, through daily, diligent practice, increased concentration will become second nature to you. Each day, each night, when you awaken and before you enter slumber land, affirm your reality as a child of God. Made in His image, all that He is, is what you are. God is the epitome of power, light and wisdom. Never forget that you have all those divine sparks in you. Never despair in all your attempts. The law of karma (cause and effect) is irresistible. In due course, all your efforts will bring fruition. Therefore shake off your hopelessness and put on the garment of discipline and regularity. Peace will surely come and dwell in you and the whole being will be saturated in calmness. Not much will be achieved without effort. Intensity is vital, just as it is vital to overcome sleep for success in meditation. And intensity should be without a sense of strain or effort. It is better to concentrate for a few minutes with intensity than it is to concentrate half-heartedly for a long time.
Mind Is Like A Wild Cat, Don't Fight With It
As you attempt to practice controlling the mind, never fight with it. An obstinate struggle only sets into motion more waves of despair and frustration. Beginners should beware of committing this serious error in their eagerness to succeed. Correctly practiced, engagements in concentration will quickly lead to a calming of the functions of the heart and thereby, the energy that was formerly used by the heart will now be available for use to meditate on God or to achieve any other noble ambition. Exercises in concentration are not only for the beginners, but are diligently practiced even by those seasoned in meditative practices. The mind is like a wild cat and needs to be tamed.
Be Aware And Be Mindful
Make awareness a regular part of your daily activity - walking or sitting. As you sit down to eat, be aware of the breath; as you walk in for a meeting, thank the breath for the benefits it bestows upon you in so humble a fashion. Apart from many physical benefits that such exercises have, they will help you transcend into awareness of a deeper hidden consciousness in which you will become aware of the real Self. It invites the descent into our nature of a greater Force and consciousness, which has been longing for us to make contact with it.
Concentration is the magnetic manifestation that re-directs the needle of our mind from the enticing sense nerves to the recess of the Divine cave within. Inadvertently, blissfully unaware, we utilise this power each day. If we would only consciously activate and re- claim our divine birthright, great would be our power and achievement.
Techniques In Contemplation
"If, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." Jesus Christ
As a common precursor, when you sit down to practice exercises in concentration and contemplation, precede your sessions with a prayer to God or Guru, and invoke their presence and Grace.
Smile and fill your heart with a recollection of joy and happiness that you may have experienced in the past. Feel God's light suffusing and relaxing the entire body, and gently, rhythmically, slow down the process of breathing. It always helps to keep your eyes shut and focused on the area of the third eye. Closing the eyes ensures stillness of the mind. The attention should always be turned inward, that is, we should try and lose awareness of our bodies and feel the consciousness being sucked into the vacuum-like depths of the eternity.
Practicing in a sitting position is advisable, especially for beginners, as in this position it becomes far easier to gain control over the truant mind. With practice, one can practice certain viable techniques successfully, even when walking, standing or reclining.
In the beginning it is advisable to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and evening, and to continue doing this without interruption instead of attempting longer sessions at the very outset. In the initial stages, it is very likely that you will experience cramps in the leg, but with continuous practice and a detached awareness, one will overcome this very common complaint.
Disciplined, steady practice of even a few minutes each day will help tide over typical 'grumblings' of lack of time.
As you practice, especially until you become a seasoned practitioner, remember to intermittently check and relax the body, and by the use of your will, to calm the breath and the functioning of other organs of the body. Enjoy what you are doing and approach it from the plane of a 'large' consciousness, forgetting the little body-bag of skin and bones as you practice.
Watching the breath
Sit in a chair with your spine held upright and straight, or sit on a comfortable mattress (preferably earmarked for concentration and meditation) in the cross-legged, or lotus position. Face the east or the north as energies that flow from this direction help one concentrate better.
Preferably practice in the early hours of dawn or late at night, when much of existential Nature is quiet and restive. If possible, keep the stomach in a relatively empty state - after a heavy meal much energy is diverted in the process of digesting the food, and the prince of sleep, of course, also tends to distract you!
Keep your eyes shut and focused on the area of the area of the third eye in between the eyebrows. With alertness and aloofness, become a witness to the process of the inflow and outflow of breath. Breathing in through the nostrils, calm the body. Breathing out through the nostrils, smile. As you breathe in, feel cool freshness permeating your whole being; as you breathe out, feel yourself melting in the omnipresence of His soul magnetism.
As you breathe in, take in all the love in the world; as you breathe out, give peace and light to all. Dwell in the moment. Do not think of anything else. Just be there, observing the inflow and outflow. Do not seek to control it. If you can feel it, feel it; if it seems to have disappeared, be aware of the state of no-breath. In fact, the wider these moments of no-breath, the greater is the benefit. Above all, remember to be detached. If it helps, with every inspiration mentally chant 'Aum' or any other mantra, and do the same with the expiration.
Let not the chanting control the flow and do not attempt synchronization. Concentrate on the breath, and let the mantra chanting happen as a supplement. This detached observance will quickly lead to a calming of the heart, the lungs, and the diaphragm. The deeper you go, the more subtle will the experience become and you will begin to realise that it is God who is breathing through you.
Remember, exercises such as these are not for beginners. These are practiced by all and sundry even after 15-20 years of perfecting their meditations. The mind is verily like a wild cat and constantly needs to be tamed.
Watching the breath is a prelude to controlling it and developing our concentration because the consciousness inherently isolates itself from the automatic function of breathing and gradually realizes itself as distinct from it. Regularity in practice helps the one realize that one's life and consciousness is different from the ego and that one need not identify with the delusion creating forces of mortality, ill-health, and sensory sorrow.
Attractive and Mundane
It is easy to fix the attention on what is pleasant and attractive. The mind is easily drawn to it. It is more challenging to take the needle of attention to what is really uninteresting to us. Focusing on the attractive, binds us, but concentrating on dull objects, ideas, circumstances will help us break many fetters.
Pay attention in greater and greater detail to any idea, or object that is uninteresting. Let the mind dissect the object, situation in all its firmaments; go deeper, analyzing the reasons for your disinterest and look at the positive aspects of that under consideration from God's point of view. Do this traveling or sitting, and feel the unpleasantness melt away, giving rise to a newfound interest. This practice will help dissolve many blocks and weakness and will help strengthen your concentration and mind power.
Steady gazing
Tratak , as it is called in Yoga - One can view an object, the image of one's favorite deity, a picture of one's Guru, a symbol, or as is popularly done, the flame of a candle. Sit in front of it and view it with concentrated attention for as long as possible, preferably without blinking, but without any strain. Then close the eyes and visualize the object in the darkness behind the closed eyelids. Repeat the process and gradually increase the time of gazing, and the period of visualizing with closed eyes.
In due course, it shall be feasible to view it with clarity even in its absence. Steady practice will make it possible for you to conjure up the image in a jiffy and without any notice. This will help steady the naughty mind and will also work wonders with concentration. Apart from this, it is a wonderful method to heal various ailments of the eyes. You should practice this only for a minute or two during the first few days and then gradually increase the time spent each week.
For concrete, discernible results, practice for 7-8 months. If you maintain discipline and regularity over this sustained period, it can soon become a well-acquired habit with you. If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, it is better to practice it after removing the visual aid.
Internal Focusing
Sit comfortably in a chair with the spine held straight or in a comfortable cross-legged position. Calm the breathing and suffuse yourself with joy and light as described in watching the breath , above. Then practice a pattern of regulating the breath to an inhalation (through the nostril) of 5 or more seconds (as may be comfortable), a holding of breath for the same number of seconds, and then a gradual exhalation through the nostrils, again spread over an identical span of seconds. Do 5 - 10 rounds of this cycle. Now visualize an image of your Guru, deity, or a spiritual symbol, in either the area of the third eye (ajna chakra) in between the eyebrows or then in the region of the heart center (dorsal chakra). Keep the image centered there.
It helps if you can with feeling and devotion seemingly dissolve your physical body and know yourself only to be a halo of loving, kind white light. See the symbol, image, nestled as distinctly as you can (with closed eyes, of course) at the appropriate center (chakra) within this halo. Experience your lightness and freedom. Know only the presence of the image (God manifesting as your chosen form) and your awareness of being aware. Let not any thoughts that come by, as they are bound to, disturb you. Be still in the mind, and aware of their presence whenever they come.
Without reacting, you will soon notice them pass away. Keep your mind focused only on the image of your attention. Explore the image as vividly as you can, summoning all the soldiers of concentration. Keep the thoughts focused on the object. Gradually, continuing to maintain detached equanimity, reduce the number of thoughts to one as there are bound to be many thoughts on that one image.
The more sincerely you practice, the more will be the reward of commingling with that one image. Soon you will have felt yourself dissolving into the object of your concentration. If the image is that of a deity, spiritual symbol, or a Guru, by a cosmic law of vibratory magnetic exchange, you will be immersed in the powerful, pure vibrations of the power behind the image. Maintain a supreme silence and enjoy the feeling.
Being with Water
Water is purifying, therapeutic. It washes away a lot of our energy blocks. Feel yourself on the bank of a pure, limpid lake. Singular in its glory, the rays of the rising sun are penetrating deep into your cells to recharge them with vital energy and stimulate the life force within. Each cell is vibrating in alertness and concentration. In your mind's eye, behind closed eyelids, see the water clear and still. Feel the touch of the water. Stay with the feelings for a few moments. Now visualize ice - transparent and vivid. After a few minutes, feel the ice turning into crystal. See the whole lake as one huge crystal. Observe it, touch it, and walk on it.
Walk a few meters onto this bed of crystal. Crystals are reservoirs of great power, and they magnify and reflect what you infuse into them. See yourself speaking with the crystal bed. Infuse it with love and strength and know that it is all being reflected back to you, magnified a hundred times. Know that it is God that has become the crystal and as you remain in silence, receive God's blessings and thank Him for all the silent kindness and goodness that he bestowed upon you.
Source: Spiritual4u.com
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