Developing the Power of Concentration

Most of the time we are not even aware of our low levels of concentration. WAe have become accustomed to a relatively low level of productivity in relation to the functioning of our mind/body. When my students take their first Awareness Meditation class they are often shocked as they observe how their mind functions, and it is not uncommon for them to feel physically uncomfortable as they open to this new experience. Try for a moment. Place your fingertips on your lower abdomen and image your breath being a balloon, filling and emptying. You might notice it is difficult to keep your concentration on the balloon. The thought processes, like a busy parade moving through your head, are beckoning you to return and pay attention to them, even though they are passing through at a relatively high speed. Return your attention to the balloon, and notice how quickly you return to the mind chaos. You ow have a point of reference for our work.

Step one is feeding the mind/body the proper nourishment for high level performance!

Most of us never think twice about what we place in our mouths, or how the food chemicals are going to effect our thought processes. Food chemicals? Yes, foods are powerful chemicals and can be responsible for many problems, especially when considering concentation. We tend to over-consume sugars, ehemicals, and other high glycemics that can greatly interfere with the mind/body functioning. If your family health history is positive for Profactor H diseases, you may be even more sensitive to these foods, and a change in nutrition could even turn your life around. We also need to be certain we are eating sufficiently for our lean body mass, so that we burn fat for proper oxygenation of the brain. A brain cannot function without necessary oxygen!

Step two is quieting the mind processes!

When the goal is concentration, the mind must be trained to be quiet, so it can be refocused on whatever you plan to concentrate. The critical word here is "train." An untrained mind is like a wild pony, running all over the place, and going nowhere in particular. Mind quieting exercises are meditative in nature, and include tools such as body scanning, awareness meditation, and other awareness techniques. We reinstruct the mind to release whatever is unnecessary at that moment, and return to the focus, usually the breath. We learn to fractionate these exercises during the day, keeping an eye out for the wild pony. The more we practice, the better we get, and our concentration improves quicly. We can pull upon these tools at any time, and we begin to have real control.

Step three is managing the emotional states!

Emotions are chemically charged, and cause the over-production of stress hormones, thereby speeding up the mind/body processes and making it difficult to concentrate at any meaninyful level. As we work on becoming awre of the arrival of emotions, we can release them while they are somewhat diminished, and often alone. As we become proficient, we can also learn to reframe, release and diminihs more powerful emotions, freeing ourselves to go forward towards our goals.

Step four is opening ourselves to the power of the subconscious mind!

As we become more practiced in meditation tools, we spend more time at the alpha state. This is where the door to the subconscious is located. We enter our workshop and busy ourselves with tools for reprogramming, reframing, modifying past experiences, collecting resources, and getting needed advice from our inner resources.. We learn how to focus on what needs to be changed, looking at it directly, and designing what we really want. Our inner resources are utilized in assisting us in action steps, and showing us the way towards our highest aspriations. Self-hypnosis is easy, fun and very powerful. It breaks the hopeless/helpless cycle once and for all!

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