“It was intrinsically rewarding… it didn’t matter what I was focusing on… If I had high concentration… that in and of itself was a reward!”
-Shinzen Young
Concentration is a quintessential skill for a good life… particularly in modern society.
What’s it good for?
Any skill is improved with greater concentration!
A wide variety of experiences are much more enjoyable with greater concentration!
Learning takes place much faster with higher concentration!
But how can we build this skill quickly and easily?
We can start right now.
But wait a minute… doesn’t it take years in a monastery?
No. You can start building powerful concentration in just a few minutes in the monastery of your own life.
Isn’t it only achieved by the truly gifted?
No. The only requisite ‘gift’ is the willingness to play in a structured way.
Here are some of Shinzen Young’s thoughts on the subject:
Depth and Breadth of Concentration
In the video, Shinzen describes both simple, and very challenging methods of cultivating more concentration.
Both methods work, but I encourage you to start with the simple ones… it’s much easier to build up to the more challenging methods when you are already reaping the rewards of greater concentration… 
It doesn’t take ice cold water in winter time to develop concentration… it just takes a bit of playful practice.
Playful practice is more rewarding, and it is much easier to be consistent with…
Children can become completely focused (or immersed) in the world of their imagination… but they don’t approach with “white knuckle” determination… they approach it with the mindset of play.
Now if that isn’t a focused gaze… I don’t think I’ve seen one
Here’s a quick meditation process for you:
- Find a simple task… it can be any relatively simple task, but choose a boring one, if possible… I like to focus while washing dishes
- Perform it, and pay close attention to the sensations in your body as you do it… how do they feel? where are they? how intense are they? how are they moving?
- If your attention wanders, gently bring it back
- You can practice for just a few minutes, or for the duration of the activity
- When you are finished, notice how different the experience of the activity is when you do it this way…
You can do the same thing in a formal sitting meditation:
- Find a comfortable, upright, sitting position.
- Breathe deeply, and focus on the breath.
- Notice the sensations in your nose, chest, and stomach as you breath… notice how they move and change as your stomach/chest expands and contracts
- If your attention wanders, gently bring it back
- You can sit, breathe, and focus for a few minutes… or a few hours
- Pay attention to how you feel right after the meditation
Do one of these processes right now!
Long term, you can build deeper and deeper concentration in specific areas… and you can also bring the focused state into more and more areas of life… and when you do this, you will notice the two drifting into one another quite a bit…
You will spontaneously find yourself in a deep space of concentration… even when doing an activity you have never intentionally practiced with high concentration…
You will find higher levels of concentration coming up throughout your life… even in the application of the most complicated or technical skills…
But it all starts right now!
How much can you pour your focus into reading this post right now?
How much concentration can you direct into your breathing at this very moment?
The path to Pure Concentration is in the Now… so start right now!
I’ll close with another quote from Shinzen Young:
“I also discovered that not only did the highly focused state carry an intrinsic reward, but it also reduces suffering…”
If getting better at everything isn’t enough motivation for you to build your focus… then what about reduced suffering in your life? We all have painful experiences (mentally or physically). Reducing the suffering in these experiences is priceless…
When we reduce suffering, we open the floodgates for more happiness and satisfaction.
And if that isn’t a good enough reason to start to practice concentration now… I don’t think you’ll find one!
keep smiling,
Ben
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I think I want a space for knowing about the interruptions. Otherwise it just seems to be a training in insensitivity.
Evan´s last blog ..An Important Initiative for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
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Ben reply on September 19th, 2009 4:21 PM:
We tend to make space for knowing about interruptions all day long.
I’m just encouraging you to take a few minutes a day (or even 1 minute) and let go of those interruptions. Once you build a momentum of concentration/focus in your practice, you will find yourself getting more and more effective at every aspect of your life.
I don’t know you personally, so I don’t know exactly what you mean by ‘insensitivity’… Every definition of ’sensitivity’ that I have found useful has been some specific manifestation of the skill of concentration/focus.
If your child asks you for help with homework, how helpful can you be if you can’t focus on helping them with their homework?
Again I encourage you to find some time to practice… even if it is only for a minute (just 60 seconds)… the rest of the world should be fine for a minute… it has apparently survived for thousands of years of recorded human history before either of us was born… so it should be okay left to its own devices for just 60 seconds…
And believe it or not… you can do a lot in 60 seconds.
And incidentally, even if you can’t (or refuse to) make time for formal practice… I’ve discussed a variety of informal meditations on this site as well… things you can do to build awareness and acceptance as you go about your daily life!
I wish you the best of luck on your journey!
keep smiling,
Ben
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My concentration increases with things I find enjoyable. It’s as if everything else disappears and I’m focused on just that one thing. People can see when I’m focused and they leave me alone.There’s no point in talking to me. I’m not listening to you anyway lol!
Cheryl
Cheryl´s last blog ..Fountain of Youth: 5 Healthy Habits of Athletes
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Ben reply on September 21st, 2009 6:18 AM:
This is the easiest way to work in some practice of concentration… do things that you love to do.
And once you’ve noticed just how focused you can become… see if you can take it a little bit further. And then see if you can bring some of that focus into other activities as well!
As Shinzen Young says “Depth and Breadth of concentration”
Thanks for the comment Cheryl.
Keep smiling,
Ben
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I am a student at a very crucial stage of my life..my future depends on the fact that how good marks i get this year…but sometimes i just feel like not studying even though i know how grave its consequences will be..so my search brought me to this page..
please help thank you
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Ben reply on September 25th, 2009 9:19 AM:
I understand where you’re coming from Tanuj… it’s not always easy to stay focused on schoolwork.
I want to give you a proper reply… but it will require its own post…
I’ll have it up by tomorrow.
keep smiling,
Ben
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