Why Concentration is So Important

     Many people are put off by the thought of meditating.  They can’t imagine sitting still and being with themselves for any length of time. 

    It’s not easy or always pleasant spending time in the company of one’s own mind. It takes courage and a willingness to observe our habits, thoughts, emotions, and tendencies.   

    However, the value of getting to know your mind outweighs this initial discomfort.  The benefits of meditation are splayed all over the internet so I won’t go into it here.  But learning to concentrate the mind is a supreme skill with effects that spread far beyond the meditation cushion. 

     A life-changing reason for learning and committing to a concentration-building practice is that it will help with being more focused and present in life.  Students in my meditation classes almost always cite distractibility and the inability to be in the present moment, which causes them stress and anxiety, as the main reason for coming to a meditation class. 

     There are many kinds of meditations with many purposes.  The concentration or attention building techniques used particularly in mindfulness meditation is an important one to learn. 

     Here’s why.

     Our experience of life is created by and through our mind.  So if all of our life experiences – pleasant, unpleasant or neutral -- is a product of our minds, projected through our minds, and is interpreted by our minds, then it makes sense to get to intimately know the consciousness that is responsible for all we undergo in our lives.

    We all know how stressed and anxious we feel when we are at the mercy of our mind as it flits from one thing to the next.  We are trying to work on a report and our mind switches to worrying about next week’s meeting, or to what’s for dinner, or to wondering if we turned off the stove, or to recalling a dream. It’s exhausting!

    Therefore the skill or ability to willfully direct and keep our minds on a chosen object is crucial in being mentally, emotionally and physically healthy. 

    Meditation trains the mind to be concentrated and pliable to our will.  We train in controlling it rather than it controlling us.  We know our minds are tamer or are tamed when we direct it to a subject and it’s able to remain on it.

    To do that we need to learn how to relax first.  Too much effort can stir up the mind.  It’s a fine balance between trying but not struggling. 
    So we sit calmly with the intention that we’ll simply observe what the mind does.  We give it a job of being aware of the breath and then notice when it leaves the breath to worry or fantasize about something else. 

    Remaining observant and not getting disappointed or upset when the mind wanders is especially important.  The task is to simply and gently bring it back to the breath when it wanders away.  The repetition of this process, done with curious interest into the antics of your mind, will over time make it more pliable to your will. 

    When the mind becomes calmer or concentrated, we are able to see more clearly.  This may illustrate the point.  If the waters of a pond are stirred up (as our minds usually are), we won’t be able to clearly see the bottom or the plant and fish life in it.  But if the waters are calm, then we can see to the bottom and also see the clarity of the water.  In the same way, when our minds are calmer and clearer through concentration practice, we are more acutely able to observe ourselves, others, and life experiences. 

    Then we can see the effect of our thoughts, speech and actions on ourselves and those around us.  For most of us currently, much of our mind’s working is hidden from us, and we mindlessly follow our thoughts.

    Starting with just five minutes a day, we can begin to make friends with this most important part of ourselves that is running our lives.  Grab the opportunity to familiarize yourself with your mind.  You’ll experience benefits beyond your wildest imagination.

     May you grow your concentration and get to know your mind today.