How To Increase Focus: A Powerful Meditation Technique For Focus And Concentration

Well here we are at the final article in this series on how to increase focus by using meditation. We learned about the physiological effects of meditation. We learned a simple mediation technique developed by Harvard Medical School. We learned a simple breathing technique for creating a deeper meditation state, and now we are ready to learn the most powerful meditation technique of all.

Meditation is simple a form of concentrated thought. There are many ways for achieving your focus. Some people focus on an object like a candle. They gaze at the flickering candle while blocking out all distractions. Others meditate on a picture of diagram. Visual meditations like this use what is called a Yantra or visual focus. However, most people are used to meditation based on a mantra. Let me explain how this type of meditation works.

A mantra is a sound, word, phrase, or statement that is repeated. For example, many people are familiar with the Eastern meditation upon the sound OM. It is supposed to be the sound that the universe makes. We already investigated using a single word as a focal point for meditation when we learned about the techniques taught at Harvard. We learned to meditate focusing upon a single number. Today, I want to teach you a meditation based upon the repetition of a phrase.

You can choose anything phrase you want. It can be an affirmation like, "I am strong in the Lord, and the power of his might. My yoke is simple, my burden is light. I am strong, free, and unafraid. Using a phrase for meditation works better for many western minds. They get bored repeating a single sound or word repeated. A longer phrase get's their minds more attentive. However, I believe that a religious phrase you are comfortable using works best. Let's look at a perfect example.

"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done

On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive they that have

trespassed against us.

Our Lord lead us not unto temptation,

but deliver us from evil,

and the kingdom and the power will be yours.

What is nice about using the Lord's prayer is its familiarity for many people. You can easily use a different prayer, but because many people already know this, and are comfortable using it, it works well.

You sit in a chair. Feet on the floor. Get comfortable. Close your eyes, and repeat this prayer for 20 minutes. When you find your mind drifting away then gently nudge it back. You will find this form of mediation very relaxing and it will give you the ability to focus and concentrate your mind.

While working or performing an activity that requires focus. Simply gently move your thoughts back to your goal if you become distracted.