Concentration

[Astral_Anima]

Picked up this new ebook. Here's an excerpt:

A craftsman feels sure that his hands will obey him and execute the exact movements he requires. Anyway, he does not even think about it and works without worrying whether or not his hands will do just what he wants at a given moment. Under such conditions hands and other human organs, when working properly, constitute a harmonious unit, capable of functioning in their own particular sphere of action.

Imagine now that some part of your body refuses to obey the impulses issued from

the control centre of your brain. And for example, instead of pouring a glass of water

when you are thirsty, your hand lights a cigarette or even refuses to move at all.

 

Then surely you will consider that such a hand is of little use.

Now look closely at the functions of your mind-brain. Can you affirm with utter

certainty that you are always thinking when and only about what you really want to,

and that therefore you know from where your thoughts and feelings are coming into

the light of your consciousness? Can you withhold the entry or limit the duration of

thoughts in your mind for as long as you wish? If you are able to analyse your

thinking processes, a sincere answer will always be in the negative.

So it would seem that the average man is not a good craftsman, because he cannot

control his chief tool―the mind and its thoughts. His life is spent on using and

accepting something which originates beyond his reach and understanding.

The practical study of concentration opens to us not only the world of results, but

also of causes, and this lifts us beyond the slavery of uncontrolled feelings and

thoughts.

 

What do you guys think about the cultivation of concentration, the idea of having control of your mind? Are there any techniques you guys use to develop concentration? Do you think this kind of training is severely lacking in todays world? Personally i would consider this the foundation of all development. What do you guys think?

 

-Astral

Concentration Mouni Sadhu - The Occult training manual.pdf

Edited February 12, 2011 by Astral_Anima

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

All of the above, I think the ability to focus one pointedly on a given task is probably the factor which determines success or failure. Multi-tasking is the opposite of concentration, and despite the protests of young multi-taskers, it remains an essential ability to cultivate.

[Everything]

All of the above, I think the ability to focus one pointedly on a given task is probably the factor which determines success or failure. Multi-tasking is the opposite of concentration, and despite the protests of young multi-taskers, it remains an essential ability to cultivate.

Especially when it comes to creating art, like playing a music instrument, concentration is important. You require to be fully present, one slip of thought will ruin the entire play. You must go into trance as soon as you touch the first key. Plus, skill concentration allows for more present mindedness, without fatigue. Its very useful and extremely beneficial for your brain as well.

[Mal]

So it would seem that the average man is not a good craftsman, because he cannot

control his chief tool―the mind and its thoughts. His life is spent on using and

accepting something which originates beyond his reach and understanding.

 

IMO concentration is paramount, if your mind is flopping about between various thoughts how could you focus on the task at hand?

 

But most (if not all?) methods of meditation teach you to calm and still random thoughts, allowing single point focus. *When needed.

 

I do enjoy 'watching' all the various random thoughts and connections the mind can generate. I also quite enjoy a bit of a daydream But you should be able to focus and cut that sort of stuff out when you want and not be continually subjected to random thoughts.

 

I use to get distracted by "good ideas" too, feeling like I needed to investigate that train of thought or I would "miss" that good idea. I find methods like Zen to Done (a simplified Getting Things Done method) help dispel the worry of missing great ideas.

[devoid]

Hi Astral,

 

The snip you posted (of what the craftsman is doing) is a great example of what the Chinese mean when they say doing without doing: He has practiced his skills so much (done the gong fu) that he has made it a perfected automatism that he can start or stop simply by will power after which his hands simply do the job for him without bothering his conscious mind. At this perfected stage he does not require concentration any more - he is freed from it in relative to this task.

 

Now, getting to that point (e.g. if one was a new apprentice of the craftsman) is an entirely different matter which requires lots of concentration and lots of hardship.

 

The concentration required can very well be cultivated - here's how:

The trick is to tune down the heart(mind) and focus on the (intellectual)mind - i.e. focus on the Yi and tune down the Xin to use the Chinese terms of the intellectual, decision-making and the emotional mind. Thus, from an energetic perspective, simply shift the majority of energy flow going to middle dan tian to the upper and lower dan tians. In terms of chakras, try to tune down / seal off the heart chakra while you need to concentrate.

[suninmyeyes]

Picked up this new ebook. Here's an excerpt:

 

 

What do you guys think about the cultivation of concentration, the idea of having control of your mind? Are there any techniques you guys use to develop concentration? Do you think this kind of training is severely lacking in todays world? Personally i would consider this the foundation of all development. What do you guys think?

 

-Astral

[/quote

Developing concentration is one of the most important life skills and IMO much more depth and emphasis should be put on it in both regular schooling and family enviroments.If I was able to take a skill into the next life it would be concentration .

My concentration technique is listening to the sound in me(always).It was a bit abtract in the beggening of practise(by the way abstract suits me fine, I like it).It has proved very helpful and insightful.

I also think that children from young age should be thought so much more as well as concentration from more of a holistic aspect, about body-mind matters and realtions,emotions,dreams,sexuality.