Building Concentration Recommendations

[Jonty]

Are there any threads or websites that anyone can recommend about building your concentration? 

I was sure that there used to be one on here (albeit a while ago). I found a link on Leo's best of, but the link is broken. 

I have my own practice, but I feel the need to mix it up a little! 

Thanks in advance ?

[RedLine]

Chek this:

 

[Jonty]

@RedLine Thanks a lot ?

[mandyjw]

https://www.actualityofbeing.com/concentration-single-pointedness

I find that starting a hobby or side hustle you're really interested in and sticking with it is a good long term goal that naturally helps concentration. I do glass art and every project I begin must be completed in one go or it must be discarded. That in itself trained my focus unintentionally. Could be applied to any art form or learning an instrument or skill. 

 

[Nahm]

The insights in this book...

...and this realization...

Are a heck of a two punch combo in regard to the recognition of concentration. Anticipate some deep releases. Godspeed. ?? 

[Michal__]

Breath counting. 1 inhale 2 exhale ... to 10 and then back to 1.

Go back to 1 if you forget the number.

Increase the number by 10 when the it stops being challenging to do it for an hour. 

I read somewhere that zen monks say that when you can count from 1 to 100 and back many times in a row, while being focused on the breath you should be concentrated enough to achieve anything in life.

About a month ago I found out that you're actually supposed to increase the number instead of always counting to 10 and back, and since then I managed to build up to 90 (but I've been training concentration for quite a long time, accessed jhãnas etc., so I think it will take longer for most people).

Also, learn about jhãnas.

Edited January 2, 2021 by Michal__

[Jonty]

@Michal__ @Nahm @mandyjw Amazing. Thanks all so much ??

[cetus]

@Jonty Here's a challenging concentration exercise to try. Put on some music with a distinct beat to it. Then pause the music. Start chanting a mantra ("om" for instance) at a certain pitch and interval. After you have the mantra going for a few minutes start the music again but try to keep the same pitch and interval you set for chanting the mantra. The challenge being- can you stay focused on the mantra without being influenced by the music?

[Jonty]

@cetus Loving that! Thanks. Will definitely try it.

[ertopolice]

@Michal__ where could we learn about jhanas?

[BlackMaze]

I was reading a book about meditation some years ago and it had some exercises for concentration. I don't remember the title of the book or the exercises exactly but one exercise it had to do with counting so yesterday i made my own and you can too. The exercise i came up with is

Add 1+2+3....and so on. Every time you reach 5,10,15 etc subtract 1,2,3... and so on and continue doing this as long as you can. Hopefully with practice you can reach a higher number and then you can think of a rule to make it harder. 

Other exercise from the book was to listen to music with your fullest attention. Concentrate to a specific intrument in the song for example and then another and then all of them. I still haven't started exercising but this what i will do. 

[cetus]

1 hour ago, BlackMaze said:

Other exercise from the book was to listen to music with your fullest attention. Concentrate to a specific intrument in the song for example

@BlackMaze Yes! Playing your favs while honing your concentration skills. Isolating one sound and keeping the focus of attention solely on it.

[zeroISinfinity]

@cetus wish you well man, thanks for being there. Just wanted to express it. ❤️

(yes you guessed it right wannabe green here that's why ?) 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by zeroISinfinity

[cetus]

@zeroISinfinity As Kermit the Frog knows- It ain't easy being green -Love you back man.