Definition: undivided attention or to be fully in the moment.
Why is it important?
- We perform actions better.
- We can do more and save time.
- We save energy (as focused and not scattered).
- Self-mastery: it enables us to control our mind and the quality of thoughts.
Have you noticed how we do not have equal amounts of concentration in all tasks? For example, if we are reading a compelling book we get completely absorbed in it, regardless of noise around us versus reading a report… Why?
Concentration is very much linked with:
(A) Interest / Enjoyment
Am I interested / enjoying the task / the person / the subject?
Link: a positive outlook and with playfulness, the more fun we are having, the more we are enjoying, the more we are interested… the easier to naturally concentrate.
(B) What is ‘in’ my mind
Thoughts: quality and and speed. Many thoughts and it is hard to discern the right ones. Also, negative, worrying, jealous, envious etc. thoughts are fast.
Link: peaceful, loving, happy, grateful thoughts are slower, and naturally more concentrated as they are at a ‘natural’ comfortable speed.
(C) Inner Wisdom
Concentration has to do with the relationship between our mind and intellect. The mind a creator of thoughts; whatever we ‘feed’ our minds it creates more thoughts along those lines. The intellect is the faculty of judging, analysing, discerning and selecting.
Link: if the intellect is more powerful than the mind then the intellect is able to direct the mind and tame it when it gets out of hand. A powerful intellect feeds the mind good ‘food for thought’ and the mind will then build on these thoughts. When the intellect is weak the mind creates thoughts based on what it sees, hears, smells or on past experiences, memories or beliefs etc. If the mind is more powerful, then we have a mind that is like a monkey jumping from branch to branch.
Empowering the Intellect:
1) Feed it knowledge to awaken its own inner wisdom
2) Learn what to think / not to think- then affirm this and re-create this way of thinking for ourselves so that it becomes natural.
Right thoughts? Thoughts based on knowing my true identity.
3) Practice meditation. Raja Yoga is good because it works with our thinking and is not about only changing our thoughts but also about learning to change the patterns of our thoughts by understanding what lies behind our thought patterns- the DNA of thinking.
4) At the end of the day write down the ‘debris’ of frustration, negativity, ego, feelings, emotions, situations… whatever is in your heart. Clean out and then tear it up so you have a clean slate for tomorrow. Give it to God and sleep well.
5) Change the quality of your thoughts, e.g. write down a thought that you would like to encourage for yourself, e.g. ‘today is a new beginning’ Now, repeat it before you go to bed; make it your first thought on waking; dwell on it for a while before you begin your day to create the feeling and then during the day remind yourself.
At first remember:
-it won’t always work so be patient and have faith in yourself.
-do not forget why you want to be able to concentrate ultimately. So, if it isn’t working, rather than dive into frustration and anger choose to be happy.
