10 ways to increase your concentration

8/10/2019 10 Ways to Increase Your Concentration

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10 Ways to Increase Your Concentration

1. First understand clearly what concentration is:Concentration is taking your mindoff many things and putting it on one thing at a time.

2. Decide carefully what you want to concentrate on,for in many subtle and not-so-subtle ways, you become that which you focus on that is, you take on the attributes of your

chosen subect of concentration. !a"e you e"er noticed how couples who ha"e been married formany years start to look like each other, or how people often come to resemble their pets, their

cars, their hobbies, or their work proects#

$. Generally speaking, eeryone has had e!periences in total concentration"%o to a

good ad"enture film at a mo"ie theater. &n the middle of it, stop watching the mo"ie 'this might behard, but do it anyway( and look around at the people in the theater. )hat are they doing# *heyare absolutely still, eyes barely blinking, and their breath is slower. &t would take a really maordistraction to break their attention stream. *hese physiological signs may gi"e you a hint about

ways to increase your own concentration abilities.

+. #o$e of the ene$ies of concentration skills are constant sensory input,multi-

tasking, trying to do many things all at the same time, loud noises, and flashing light patterns.*he human ner"ous system is a mar"elous thing, but it is not built to function in the face of these

things on a full-time basis. ttention deficit patterns come, at least to some etent, from theacti"ities or situations which make concentration difficult to impossible. *hen a habit of non-

attention or inability to concentrate deeply is established and difficult to o"ercome.

. %ake it a point to put your full concentration on whateer you are doing"/on0t let

anything distract you. &t really helps to be in a uiet place, but you can learn to block out noise if

necessary.

. &nderstand the essential connection 'etween concentration and energy"/eepconcentration is a matter of increasing or directing your life-force or conscious, cosmic energy. *he

more of this kind of energy you ha"e, the better. 3cattered energy doesn0t help. &t must be calm,focused energy. 4earn to be calmly concentrated and be concentratedly calm.

5. (earn and practice so$e physical and $ental energi)ation techni*ues"*his is an

important first step toward the ability to concentrate deeply.

6. +ake 'reaks"%o outside and breathe deeply or take a brisk walk. 7ake yourself do thisoften and you0ll be able to return to your task recharged and ready to focus more creati"ely.

8. %editation is the $ost powerful of all concentration enhance$enttechni*ues"4earn a few simple meditation techniues and practice them at least fi"e minutes

daily.
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19. first step in the concentration aspect of $editation is to focus on watching

your 'reath not controlling it in any way, but ust obser"ing it. *his helps to train yourself intaking your mind off of many things, and putting it on one thing at a time in this case the

breath. s you obser"e your breath, it will calm down, your brain will calm down also 'this is ascientifically well-documented, mind-breath connecti"e function(, and you automatically mo"e into

a dynamic, peaceful 'but not sleepy( state of being. :our mind becomes recharged and creati"elyrecepti"e.

*ake a few minutes and learn a simple meditation techniue.:ou0ll be ama;ed at how this effects

your concentration during your regular daily life.

(earn to %editate #i$ple %editation +echni*ue

7editation is absorption in the thought of %od or one of !is aspects.

Paramhansa Yogananda*he following is a "ery simple meditation techniue you can learn in fi"e minutes.

First, Sit Upright

3it upright with a straight spine, away from the back of the chair.

&nhale sharply through the nose, with 1 short and 1 long inhalation 'double breath(

*ense the whole body until it "ibrates with energy

!old your breath and the tension for fi"e seconds

?hale forcibly through the mouth, with one short and one long ehalation 'double

breath(

s you do, throw the tension out =epeat se"eral times

Breathe Evenly

&nhale slowly, counting to eight. !old the breath for eight more counts, then ehale slowly to thesame count. )ithout pausing, inhale again hold ehale, each to the count of eight.

*his is called the 7easured @reathing ?ercise. =epeat it three to si times.

:ou can "ary the count according to your lung capacity, but always keep it equalduring inhalation,

holding, and ehalation. Ainish your practice by inhaling deeply, then ehaling completely.

Hong-Sau Technique of oncentration

Bow wait for the net breath to come in of its own accord. )hen it does, mentally

say Hong'rhymes with song(. *his time, don0t hold the breath, but ehale naturally. s you do,mentally say Sau'rhymes with saw(.
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!ong-3au is an ancient 3anskrit mantra 'a mantrais a word, syllable, or group of syllables, which

can con"ey spiritual power when pronounced correctly, often with repetition(. &t means & am !eor & am 3pirit. *ry to feel that your breath itself is silently making the sounds of !ong and 3au.

7ake no attempt to control your breath. 3imply obser"e it as it flows in and out naturally.

&n the beginning you may be mostly aware of the physical manifestation of the breathing process

as your diaphragm and chest epand and contract.s your breath grows calmer, howe"er, try to become aware of its flow in the nostrils, thengradually transfer your awareness higher and higher in the nasal passages.

)ith the eyes closed, turn your ga;e upward to the point midway between the eyebrows within

your forehead. Concentrate there. *his is the seat of spiritual consciousness in the body, alsocalled the spiritual eye, or Christ Center. &n time, try to feel the flow of the breath near thespiritual eye within your forehead.

eep your ga;e steady at the point between the eyebrows throughout your practice. /on0t allowyour eyes to follow the mo"ement of the breath. &f you find that your mind has wandered, gently

bring it back to an awareness of the breath and the mantra.

Ainish your practice of !ong-3au by inhaling once through the nose, then ehaling three timesthrough the mouth.

!editation "roper

Aorget the breath. Concentrate deeply at the point between the eyebrows. eep your mind focused

and your energy internali;ed. bsorb yourself in the peace generated by your practice.

Continue for at least fi"e minutes. Ainish with a prayer to the /i"ine, offering yourself into the lightof %od.

#ays to $eepen %our !editation

1" -ela! the .ody

&t is common for new meditators, in an effort to concentrate, to tense the body unconsciously.

/eep concentration, howe"er, is possible only in a state of complete relaation.


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2" Do 3ot Control Your .reath

fter the preliminary breathing eercises, you should cease any effort to control the breath. 4et itflow naturally. :ou may notice that the pauses between the inhalation and ehalation are gradually

becoming longer.

?noy these pauses, for they are a glimpse of the deep state of ad"anced meditation. s you grow

"ery calm, your breath may become so shallow, and the pauses so prolonged, that it hardly seems

necessary to breathe at all.

/o not be alarmed. *his is goodD

How Long to Meditate

&t is entirely up to you. 7ake sure, howe"er, to allow enough time after the !ong-3au practice tosit still and enoy the calm meditati"e state.

Where to Meditate

&f possible, set aside an area that is used eclusi"ely for meditation. &n time it will becomesaturated with spiritual "ibrations. small room, a corner of your bedroom, or e"en closet cansuffice, as long as it is well "entilated.

eep it simple. ll you really need is a chair or small cushion to sit on, and perhaps a small altar.

Aace ?ast if possible, and place a wool or silk blanket on the floor to insulate your body from thesubtle magnetic currents of the earth.

Proper Meditation Posture

&n addition to sitting on a straight-backed chair, there are other ways of sittingthat are

appropriate for mediation. :ou can sit on the floor in any of the se"eral poses> cross-legged, half-lotus pose, or full-lotus pose.

*wo things, howe"er, are essential> your spine must be straight, and you must be able to rela

completely without slouching.

Would You Like to Learn More?

*he material offered abo"e is a greatly abbre"iated eplanation of the !ong-3au *echniue ofConcentration. *he full instruction is a"ailable from*he nanda Course in 3elf-=eali;ation.

&n addition to !ong-3au, *he nanda Course in 3elf-=eali;ation contains other techniues for

beginner, intermediate, and ad"anced meditation. ll of them are scientifically pro"en tobeneficially affect the brain, body, and spiritual de"elopment of the student.

Related
http://www.ananda.org/meditation/learn-to-meditate/how-to-sit-comfortably-for-meditation/http://www.ananda.org/meditation/ananda-course-in-self-realization-the-path-of-kriya-yoga/http://www.ananda.org/meditation/ananda-course-in-self-realization-the-path-of-kriya-yoga/http://www.ananda.org/meditation/learn-to-meditate/how-to-sit-comfortably-for-meditation/http://www.ananda.org/meditation/ananda-course-in-self-realization-the-path-of-kriya-yoga/

10 ways to increase your concentration

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