I tend to have a lot of trouble focusing my energy and keeping my mind clear when I'm meditating. This is mostly due to the fact that I live with three other people who are not Wiccan and are very noisy all the time.
However, I also find that there are just too many things going on in my head to empty them all out. I'll be meditating when suddenly, thoughts such as "I'm hungry. I wonder what mom's making for dinner," and "Did I hand in my English essay on time?" come bombarding in and completely destroy my focus.
Is there anything you do to maintain your focus while meditating?
Trouble Focusing
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[cherokeewind]
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Blazewind
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I agree with Hedge about the music. It will create soem sound,nad block some of that background noise in your house. that may help a bit. Try to choose music that has no lyrics, otherwise you may find yourself getting pulled into focusign on the words to the song, instead of what you were trying to focus on in the first place.
Also, from the examples you gave of your distracted thoughts, I would have to say, try to take care of your mental and physical needs before sitting down intendig to meditate. Make sure you are not hungry, that your papers are handed in ect. If those kind of things are dealt with, you may have less to think of and become distracted over.
Also, from the examples you gave of your distracted thoughts, I would have to say, try to take care of your mental and physical needs before sitting down intendig to meditate. Make sure you are not hungry, that your papers are handed in ect. If those kind of things are dealt with, you may have less to think of and become distracted over.
Blazewind
The only truely stupid question is the one that no one had the nerve to ask.
The only truely stupid question is the one that no one had the nerve to ask.
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SugarCharmz
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I have the same problem. I listen to and practice a lot of music, so I always have songs running through my head. When the songs run through my head, I'll think about whatever that song reminds me of (for example, the song "U+Ur Hand" by P!nk would remind me of my friend Pam who LOVES P!nk and then I'll think of things we've done together then I'll start thinking about somebody else who was around then think about things about them...... it goes on, lol).
I found to empty your mind is to (and I know one of the other posters said this) focus on your breathing. Listen to the sound of the air blowing through your nasal and feel your chest filling with air and feel the muscles of your stomach expanding, and then let it all out and feel yourself deflate like a balloon and imagine all the tension and stress of your day/week leaving your body.
That's what this rockstar does. It takes a few minutes to relieve and relax yourself -- I was amazed at how tense my face was, it was the last thing i relaxed because I thought it already was, lol.
I live by a busy highway, so outside I can hear the hum of traffic. It's kinda lulling really, almost like the ocean, That's what I listen to when I'm outside, along with any birds that choose to chirp by. 
Anyway, i hope this helped you!!!:D:D:D:D
I found to empty your mind is to (and I know one of the other posters said this) focus on your breathing. Listen to the sound of the air blowing through your nasal and feel your chest filling with air and feel the muscles of your stomach expanding, and then let it all out and feel yourself deflate like a balloon and imagine all the tension and stress of your day/week leaving your body.
That's what this rockstar does.
It takes a few minutes to relieve and relax yourself -- I was amazed at how tense my face was, it was the last thing i relaxed because I thought it already was, lol.I live by a busy highway, so outside I can hear the hum of traffic. It's kinda lulling really, almost like the ocean,
That's what I listen to when I'm outside, along with any birds that choose to chirp by. Anyway, i hope this helped you!!!
:D:D:D:D~*~Angi~*~
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"There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth." ~Leo Tolstoy
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"There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth." ~Leo Tolstoy
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Hi, I thought I'd quickly contribute some of my thoughts on this.
Indeed, I think we all have trouble focussing our thoughts and maintaining that focus. Also, we all have minds which wander from where we wish to direct our focus.
I think that focussing on breathing is good advice. Here are some other things which can help:
Patience. This one is a bit difficult. If you find your head filled with 'stuff', be it a song which leads to a memory which leads to a fantasy and all the myriad wanderings the mind can engage in, try waiting. That is, don't force the mind to stop thinking, just be patient and wait. Trust that it will stop all on its own. This works well for me, but patience is the key, because it (your mind) won't stop right away, hence you might get impatient and start thinking of it not stopping etc. Just wait, and trust.
Stop being a control freak. I find that a large part of the reason that we obsessively think of one thing after another is that we have a secret fear that if we stop keeping tabs on *absolutely everything* which we consider as part of the makeup of our life, that it will spin totally out of control, or, even worse, may vanish altogether. We may even fear that our mind itself will vanish.
Perhaps these fears are justified, so I'll offer two bits of encouragement: 1) Fortune favours the bolds. That is, you must be willing to risk something to gain something. Don't be afraid to stop paying attention to all the things of your life. 2) If you love something, set it free, if it returns to you, it was meant to be. That is, anything in your life that you love, which draws your attention, be it a song, a friend, an important relationship or even your body, allow yourself to let it go. Don't be afraid of it not returning to you. Even hanging onto a song can be the mind's attempt to anchor itself to your life as you know it.
My comments might seem a little extreme. After all, we're only dealing with something like a mind which wanders or is caught up in a song. However, this is just my insight into what I believe are the underlying causes of difficulties in bringing the mind to a specific focus.
cheers,
T. Guy
Indeed, I think we all have trouble focussing our thoughts and maintaining that focus. Also, we all have minds which wander from where we wish to direct our focus.
I think that focussing on breathing is good advice. Here are some other things which can help:
Patience. This one is a bit difficult. If you find your head filled with 'stuff', be it a song which leads to a memory which leads to a fantasy and all the myriad wanderings the mind can engage in, try waiting. That is, don't force the mind to stop thinking, just be patient and wait. Trust that it will stop all on its own. This works well for me, but patience is the key, because it (your mind) won't stop right away, hence you might get impatient and start thinking of it not stopping etc. Just wait, and trust.
Stop being a control freak. I find that a large part of the reason that we obsessively think of one thing after another is that we have a secret fear that if we stop keeping tabs on *absolutely everything* which we consider as part of the makeup of our life, that it will spin totally out of control, or, even worse, may vanish altogether. We may even fear that our mind itself will vanish.
Perhaps these fears are justified, so I'll offer two bits of encouragement: 1) Fortune favours the bolds. That is, you must be willing to risk something to gain something. Don't be afraid to stop paying attention to all the things of your life. 2) If you love something, set it free, if it returns to you, it was meant to be. That is, anything in your life that you love, which draws your attention, be it a song, a friend, an important relationship or even your body, allow yourself to let it go. Don't be afraid of it not returning to you. Even hanging onto a song can be the mind's attempt to anchor itself to your life as you know it.
My comments might seem a little extreme. After all, we're only dealing with something like a mind which wanders or is caught up in a song. However, this is just my insight into what I believe are the underlying causes of difficulties in bringing the mind to a specific focus.
cheers,
T. Guy
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[cherokeewind]
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"Perhaps these fears are justified, so I'll offer two bits of encouragement: 1) Fortune favours the bolds. That is, you must be willing to risk something to gain something. Don't be afraid to stop paying attention to all the things of your life. 2) If you love something, set it free, if it returns to you, it was meant to be. That is, anything in your life that you love, which draws your attention, be it a song, a friend, an important relationship or even your body, allow yourself to let it go. Don't be afraid of it not returning to you. Even hanging onto a song can be the mind's attempt to anchor itself to your life as you know it."
Makes sense thatguy...with the help of our energies working for us.
Makes sense thatguy...with the help of our energies working for us.
Cherokeewind
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AkanaAnash
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Hey Ash,
Maybe you need to do some Walking Meditation.
Not walking, per se...but a physical activity which requires all your focus.
When I do these types of meditations, I have certain chants I recite in my head...to both remain conscious and focussed.
For example, when doing yoga, I have a certain prayer/invocation to the Goddess that I repeat over and over until there is nothing else going on in my head.
If you can get that far with your concentration work...you've done a LOT!
Thet
Maybe you need to do some Walking Meditation.
Not walking, per se...but a physical activity which requires all your focus.
When I do these types of meditations, I have certain chants I recite in my head...to both remain conscious and focussed.
For example, when doing yoga, I have a certain prayer/invocation to the Goddess that I repeat over and over until there is nothing else going on in my head.
If you can get that far with your concentration work...you've done a LOT!
Thet
"The Prince Of Darkness is a gentleman"
W. Shakespeare
W. Shakespeare