Focus Meditation

Focused meditation entails concentrating on something intensively in order to stay in the present moment and quiet down the inner dialogue.

Unlike traditional meditation, when you focus on nothing to quiet your mind, focused meditation allows you to stay in the present moment while focusing entirely on one item. Similar to mindfulness meditation approaches, you typically focus on sensory stimuli such as sounds, visual elements, tactile sensations, tastes, scents, and even your own breathing.

Concentrated meditation can help you increase your attention and focus for extended periods of time. When you focus your attention on a certain item during meditation, you learn to pay less attention to other distractions. Many people find that focused meditation helps them feel less annoyed by interruptions such as a loud car alarm or the sounds of people arguing over time.

Focused meditation can also help you regulate your emotions. You learn to react to your internal feelings in the same manner that you would to a loud automobile alarm. You notice and accept the diversion, but you don't dwell on it.

Sit in a relaxed but alert way. Close your eyes if you like, or softly lessen the visual field by directing your focus downward. Set yourself up in a comfortable seated position. Consider your body, your feet on the ground, the feelings of sitting, your legs and torso making touch with your seat or the ground. Sit erect but not stiffly, relaxing into your body and breathing naturally. Then pay attention to your breathing experience, the sensations of the in-breath, and the sensations of the out-breath. Observing the flow of air in and out of your body. Direct your whole, undivided attention to this feeling of breathing, whatever it means to you. Observing the air entering and leaving your body. Paying attention to the entire breathing cycle.

The mind can wander away many times, therefore if you find your mind has traveled away from your breathing, take note and gently but firmly return your attention back to your breathing. Return to the feeling of in-breaths and out-breaths, the complete cycle of breath. This is the technique of concentrating on the breath. As we get to the end of this practice of concentrated attention, I'd like to urge you to take three slightly deeper breaths at your own pace. Then, when you are ready, open your eyes.