Art of ConcentrationArt of Concentration

OverviewOverview

Recap of last sessionRecap of last session What’s in your mindWhat’s in your mind Sneak peak of thoughtsSneak peak of thoughts Tug of war inside mindTug of war inside mind Concentration explainedConcentration explained Achieving concentration through Bhakti Achieving concentration through Bhakti

YogaYoga

Recap of last sessionRecap of last session

Mind your Mind !!!Mind your Mind !!! Mechanism, functioning of mindMechanism, functioning of mind Thinking, feeling, willingThinking, feeling, willing Techniques for regulating mindTechniques for regulating mind

Control the sensesControl the senses Engage them positivelyEngage them positively MeditationMeditation

What’s in your mind

Thoughts Plans Persons Activities . . . . . . .

Sneak peak of thoughts Thoughts of current moment Thoughts of future - day dreaming, what

will I do Thoughts of complaining – I don’t have

this, others have it

Sneak peak of thoughts Thoughts of criticising – it shouldn’t have

been like this Thoughts of worrying about past - why it

happened to me, why not someone else Thoughts of anxiety – what will happen to

me Thoughts of happiness

Tug of war inside mind

Tug of war inside mind

Many thoughts parading in the mind pull in different directions

We end up doing nothing productive, become despondent later

Solution ? Concentration

Concentration - explainedConcentration - explained

our ability to hold our mind on a particular our ability to hold our mind on a particular form or an object or words for a prolonged form or an object or words for a prolonged period of timeperiod of time

Steps of concentrationSteps of concentration Holding your mind on an object for

• 12 seconds• 12 times 12 = 144 seconds• 12 times 12 times 12 = 25 minutes 28 seconds

Are we really present in the present ?

Are the senses alone enough to concentrate ?

In this case the eyes are seeing, ears are hearing

Important element mind is somewhere else

Missing link

Restless mind Concentration

Concentration through Will powerConcentration through Will power

Will power - the virtue by which one is able to make the senses and mind do what one wants to do

Will power - illustrated

Achieving concentration through Bhakti YogaAchieving concentration through Bhakti Yoga

Mantra meditationMantra meditation Focus on one mantra at a timeFocus on one mantra at a time Hook the sense of hearing, vision and touchHook the sense of hearing, vision and touch

• Hear the mantra with ears and mindHear the mantra with ears and mind• See the mantra with eyes and mindSee the mantra with eyes and mind• Feel the beads with fingers and mindFeel the beads with fingers and mind

Don’t worry about the previous or next Don’t worry about the previous or next mantra, focus on the presentmantra, focus on the present

Will power is developed and concentration is Will power is developed and concentration is achieved graduallyachieved gradually