Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Practicing concentration meditation
• Part 2 of 3: Positioning your body
• Part 3 of 3: Choosing something to focus on

Concentration meditation is one of the three main forms of meditation: concentration, open awareness and guided meditation. The purpose of concentration meditation is focused attention on an object: an image, a breath, a candle flame, or a word or phrase. By returning attention to the same object over and over, you develop the ability to stay calm, focused and grounded.

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Part 1 of 3: Practicing concentration meditation

1. Find a quiet place where you can meditate undisturbed. You should ideally meditate in a room that is free from pets, disturbing noises or other people. Some people choose to reserve a place in their home for meditation. Others prefer to go outside if the weather permits.
   • Meditating in the same place all the time can help you concentrate better. Your body will begin to associate this place with meditation and nothing else.
   • Many people find that a morning meditation helps to start the day. Others prefer to meditate at the end of the day. Your own office space offers you the opportunity to meditate during the working day.
2. Sit comfortably. Your body should not experience any discomfort during meditation. The goal is to feel comfortable in your body while fully focused on an object.
   • Wear loose, comfortable clothing that is not too tight or restricts circulation. Clothing that crams up behind your knees when sitting is not convenient.
   • Concentration meditation is usually done sitting or standing, but can also be done lying down if necessary.
3. Set an alarm. Since you will need to train your body and mind to meditate, start with short sessions of 5-10 minutes. You can repeat these short sessions throughout the day.
   • Use a timer instead of a clock so you don't tend to check how much time you have left. If you are sleepy, an alarm can also help you avoid falling asleep and lying down longer than you have agreed with yourself.
   • Gradually you meditate longer consecutively. For example, after 10 minutes of meditation for several weeks, extend that time by five minutes, then by ten minutes.
   • There are many meditation timers available for download as apps to help you, or you can use a regular kitchen timer. It doesn't matter what you set the time with, as long as you don't feel the need to pay attention to it all the time.
4. Let your eyelids relax. You can choose to close your eyes or keep them partially open without really looking at anything. If you are looking directly at an object, make sure your eyes are completely relaxed.
   • You should not tire your eyes or keep them tense. This includes your eyelids, the small muscles around the eyes, and the muscles that move the eyes.
   • You can keep your lips in a light smile, but closed.
5. Focus on what you want to focus on. Often people choose to focus on breathing. You shouldn't force yourself to stay focused, or get angry when you get distracted. If you do get distracted, just focus again. This form of meditation should not feel stressful or forced.
   • If you have chosen to focus on your breath, return your attention to your breath. A full inhale and exhale are one breath. Concentrate on the number 1. Take another breath, all the way in and all the way out. This is breath 2. Continue until you have counted ten breaths. Then start over. Staying focused on this count will deepen your concentration meditation.
   • Your focus may vary depending on the day, the situation you find yourself in, or the experiences you have as you continue to practice. Feel free to experiment with different target points.
   • The concentration is pleasant, but not an end in itself. Let your feelings emerge when they arise. Notice them and let them go.
6. Set aside distracting thoughts. The purpose of concentration meditation is to train the mind to focus continuously. When thoughts or feelings arise, notice them and return your attention to your focus.
   • If you find yourself starting to feel disappointment, frustration, or irritation because of getting distracted, then this feeling is itself a distraction. Notice the feeling and return to your target point.
   • There is a subtle balance between holding the point of your concentration too tight or too loosely. If your concentration is kept too tight, you will feel a certain tension that will hinder your spiritual progress. If it is too loose, you will easily get distracted.
   • Some people experience a shift in their consciousness between themselves and their focus. You may notice that you feel a certain sensation as a kind of fusion with the object. Do not be afraid: this is a normal feeling and a sign of deeper understanding.

Part 2 of 3: Positioning your body

1. Choose to meditate standing. You can meditate in this position, free from distraction from physical complaints such as legs "falling asleep", and it is useful for people who spend much of the day sitting anyway.
   • Stand with your weight in front of your feet and bend your knees slightly so that your back stays straight.
   • Put your toes in slightly, with your legs shoulder-width apart.
2. Choose to meditate while sitting. The traditional position for meditation is sitting, on the floor, or on a "zafu", a small, round cushion. Modern practitioners may choose to sit in a chair if necessary for physical support. The seated method provides more stability.
   • If you are using a zafu, place it in a quiet area. You can choose to place the pillow on a mat or blanket to prevent your knees from lying on the hard floor.
   • Sit on the zafu. Place your buttocks on the front third of the zafu so that they are slightly elevated and your knees facing or resting on the floor. Use a pillow under your knees if you wish.
   • Imagine the top of your head being pulled up with an imaginary thread leading to heaven and stretching your spine. You feel a slight bend in your lower back.
3. Position your hands. In a sitting position, your hands can rest on your thighs, palms up. You can also take a more traditional position, with your hands together.
   • Hold your arms slightly to the side and bring your hands together as if you were holding a beach ball. Place your left hand over your right, palms up and your thumbs together.
   • If your arms are short, you can place them on a pillow, resting on your thighs. This is especially helpful if you are sitting in a chair.

Part 3 of 3: Choosing something to focus on

1. Choose something to start your concentration meditation on. The point you select should be easy for you to focus on, creating pleasant emotions without too much excitement or boredom. When choosing something that has meaning to you, try not to be distracted by the associations associated with it. The goal is to focus on the object itself.
   • Choosing an object of the senses is an ancient meditation technique. Some traditions encourage meditation on the elements (earth, air, fire, water). Others focus on sacred places in the body and chakras.
   • There are literally thousands of possible objects to choose from. Popular are: the flame of a candle, a sacred symbol or object from a religious tradition that has meaning to you, or a word or short phrase that is sacred to you.
   • Remember, it is the training of the mind, not the object, that is the purpose of concentration meditation. An experienced practitioner can target a box of tissues with equal success.
2. Light a candle. Focus your attention on the candle flame; this is called tatrek meditation. Sit far enough away from the candle that you can easily focus your eyes on it.
   • Make sure the candle is in a quiet, draft-free environment. A flame that flickers in the wind will cause the flame to go out.
   • Choose a non-scented candle for optimal concentration. A scented candle can distract from your meditation.
3. Read a short passage from a sacred text. In some traditions this type of meditation is known as Lectio Divinio, or "divine reading." Read slowly. A particular word or phrase can grab your attention. If so, rest your attention on this word or phrase during your meditation.
   • You can memorize the word or phrase, or flip open the pages of the text, rereading them when necessary.
   • The words of the text can become abstract and lose their former meaning. This is fine. The words themselves are not important. They are simply a route to the meditative practice.
4. Choose your way of breathing. For concentration meditation, close your mouth and breathe through your nose, unless it is blocked. Breathing through the nose can produce a broader sensation.
   • The concentration on the breath is called zazen meditation. This form of meditation encourages the practitioner to focus only on the breath itself. Count each breath, starting at 1, and counting up to 10 - counting is a form of zazen.
   • Concentration on the bodily sensations of breathing is called Vipassana meditation. These sensations can be external, such as the feeling of breath against your upper lip, or internal, such as the awareness of the breath as it flows through the upper, middle, and lower lung area. It can also be the consciousness of breath that flows to certain areas of the body known as chakras.