Lesson 2

Mastering concentration
Concentration makes meditation interesting. If there is a sense of growth and development, there is also inspiration for meditation, a constant interest in improvement.

Many of us start out with high expectations from meditation, expecting to achieve peace and even blissful feelings right away. However, when we actually sit and close our eyes, and the results don't match our expectations, many of us will be tempted to make one of two conclusions:
1. "This meditation does not work" (something is wrong with this technique)
We then go "shopping" for another technique that we hope will meet our expectations more quickly and easily. This can lead to lots of experimentation, but that remains only on the superficial level without success in achieving depth.
2. "I am not able to meditate" (something is wrong with me) – my mind is too restless. I am just not the type of person that is cut out for meditation.


In fact, both of these conclusions are false.

For success, you need to stop looking for the results of meditation, and rather see it as a process. For example, when we go to the gym, the quality of your workout isn't necessarily measured by the amount of weights that you lifted, but rather how thoroughly your body feels worked out from the exercises. Similarly, meditation is the training of your thinking, the development of the skill of directing your thoughts. Usually the brain is constantly thinking about something, jumping from object to object. Yogis call the mind a mad monkey, drunk on wine and bitten by a scorpion. By contrast, in a state of concentration your mind is alert, but very quiet and collected. This state generates a hormonal reward – giving a feeling of success.
Our thoughts should become a reliable tool, not our master: rather than our thoughts and impulses controlling us, we should control our thoughts. Our brain is the same brain we have available for all occasions. When we sit to meditate, that brain behaves the same way it is habituated to during the rest of our ordinary life. So if during the day our brain is used to jumping between different tasks and topics, naturally when we close our eyes, the brain will do exactly the same thing. But there is a difference between the style of thinking we use in meditation and our ordinary style of thinking – this is the return of one's thoughts to the object of meditation. But there is a difference between the style of thinking we use in meditation and our ordinary style of thinking – this is the return of one's thoughts to the object of meditation.

To return to the object of meditation, two things are needed:

1. Awareness. This means the ability to observe, in a more detached way the flow of thoughts in the present moment. Once you are aware of what is going on in your mind, then you can begin to consciously change it.

2. Will-power. Thoughts can be both positive and negative – the mind is attached to them the same way, it wants to continue to think about them. It takes willpower to steer the mind away from distracting thoughts, and return it to the object of meditation.

Awareness is achieved through exercising this willpower. Meditation "builds the muscles of the mind" in these internal ways: by increasing both awareness and willpower.

After even just two weeks of regular daily meditation practice, the mind still wanders, but not as far from the center as before. Over time, you are eventually able to cultivate a state of tranquility during meditation where the mind is no longer rushing about, and you start to feel peacefulness within.
Since we tend to get distracted not only in meditation, but also in the rest of our lives, training our concentration improves our daily life enormously. Why be in an ineffective state if you can be in an effective one every day?

A few benefits of concentration:

1. Purposefulness

2. Inner joy

3. Ability to absorb new ideas

4. Increased energy

5. Development of intuition

6. Curiosity, interestedness

HOMEWORK
1. Do not expect immediate results from meditation. Focus more on the efforts you are putting into, the process itself, rather than aiming for particular outcomes or feelings during the meditation at this stage.

2. Develop your willpower and start meditation by finding within yourself a strong intention to concentrate on the mantra and its meaning.

This is the practice of meditation. Every day it improves your life and develops you by building up the "muscles" of the mind and intuition.

IN THE NEXT LESSON:

  • How to use the position of the body as correctly as possible, in order to increase concentration on a physical level.
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