[Addon-on] to LYL Level 2.37 - Focus
Choose any of the following affirmations, or create your own to repeat during those times when distraction set in before or during an event:
~ "I stay in the here and now, so I´ll take a bow."
~ "Think less, achieve more"
~ "Single-mindedness creates happiness"
~ "Like a child at play, I ask my mind to stay."
~ "Focus,focus,focus,focus"
~ "Follow through, and I am tru."
In your state of relaxation , return to your natural breathing patterns. Focus entirely on your breathing. Notice that each inhalation carries oxygen that will bring peace and calm throughout your body. As you exhale , notice that your breath carries away not only carbon dioxide but all your tension and anxiety.Watch it float away. Count from one to ten, and then repeat the process when you get to ten. Do this for a total of five minutes once a day. Be patient, since this may take time to master - don´t become discouraged. Notice how much you improve in seven days.
Imagine yourself playing in an upcoming event.
A collegiate basketball player finds himself on the foul line with tho seconds left in the conference championship and his team down by one point. The fans sitting behind the basket are yelling and waving towels to distract him. He ices the victory with two foul shots. After the game, he is asked how he blocked out the incredible noise. He says he never heard a sound.To focus himself, he had watched the seams of the ball spin perfectly off his fingertips, up and over the front rim.
Imagine yourself managing an upcoming event. Visualitze yourself as clearly as possible, participating as you would hope. Stimulate, in your mind´s eye , various distractions: noise from the crowd, a bad call from the referee, an obnoxious play by the opponent. As these distractions occur to you, tell them that they can stay if they wish or step aside and leave, but you must immediately attend to your play or performance.Imagine yourself dismissing them, that they have lift. Focus your vision on the "ball" or road or slope or water iself. See its shape and texture. Look for the writing between the seams of the ball (or in the cool air or water). See the ball spin, feel it in your hands. Stay focus on this image for two minutes, no matter how difficult it is.
.Create a state of total distraction for yourself by intentionally introducing a wide variety of thoughts and issues. Think about your work, problems at home, financial issues, what to have for dinner, where to go for a vacatopm, paying your taxes, and on and on, until your mind jumps from place to place, spinning endlessly like a wheel in the mud. Then teturn to a rexlaed state, and discipline your mind by using the visualization above , "Training the Mind to Focus." Once focused on each breath, allow your mind to choose one thought and think about it, then go on to the next, until each has had an opportunity for attention.
By practicing in this way to any athletic, work, or home-related task, the mind becomes more adept in maintaining attention. If you find yourself distracted while doing the task, use deep breathing to relax, then begin to visualize yourself attending to business once again. See yourself fully concentrating on one small aspect of the task and able to maintain this focus on a specific area of concern. Be present, and tell yourself that when you´re finished, you will give your attention to the distractions.
This is an easy, quick way to stengthen your ability to focus and be present in the moment, in the Beginner´s Mind.
Stare at a candle at the base of the flame (do not stare directly at the light) while you focus on your present feelings. Exclude all other thoughts. Just focus your body and mind on your sensations. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the present moment and feelings by saying, "at this very moment, the candle flame and I are the center of life. I focus on the brilliant light that enables me to feel peaceful and calm. That is all there is in this moment."
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| Level Your Focus |
1)Affirmations
Choose any of the following affirmations, or create your own to repeat during those times when distraction set in before or during an event:
~ "I stay in the here and now, so I´ll take a bow."
~ "Think less, achieve more"
~ "Single-mindedness creates happiness"
~ "Like a child at play, I ask my mind to stay."
~ "Focus,focus,focus,focus"
~ "Follow through, and I am tru."
2)Visualizations
a)Training the Mind to Focus
In your state of relaxation , return to your natural breathing patterns. Focus entirely on your breathing. Notice that each inhalation carries oxygen that will bring peace and calm throughout your body. As you exhale , notice that your breath carries away not only carbon dioxide but all your tension and anxiety.Watch it float away. Count from one to ten, and then repeat the process when you get to ten. Do this for a total of five minutes once a day. Be patient, since this may take time to master - don´t become discouraged. Notice how much you improve in seven days.
Imagine yourself playing in an upcoming event.
b)Stopping Distraction
A collegiate basketball player finds himself on the foul line with tho seconds left in the conference championship and his team down by one point. The fans sitting behind the basket are yelling and waving towels to distract him. He ices the victory with two foul shots. After the game, he is asked how he blocked out the incredible noise. He says he never heard a sound.To focus himself, he had watched the seams of the ball spin perfectly off his fingertips, up and over the front rim.
Imagine yourself managing an upcoming event. Visualitze yourself as clearly as possible, participating as you would hope. Stimulate, in your mind´s eye , various distractions: noise from the crowd, a bad call from the referee, an obnoxious play by the opponent. As these distractions occur to you, tell them that they can stay if they wish or step aside and leave, but you must immediately attend to your play or performance.Imagine yourself dismissing them, that they have lift. Focus your vision on the "ball" or road or slope or water iself. See its shape and texture. Look for the writing between the seams of the ball (or in the cool air or water). See the ball spin, feel it in your hands. Stay focus on this image for two minutes, no matter how difficult it is.
3)Exercise
a)Focus from distraction
.Create a state of total distraction for yourself by intentionally introducing a wide variety of thoughts and issues. Think about your work, problems at home, financial issues, what to have for dinner, where to go for a vacatopm, paying your taxes, and on and on, until your mind jumps from place to place, spinning endlessly like a wheel in the mud. Then teturn to a rexlaed state, and discipline your mind by using the visualization above , "Training the Mind to Focus." Once focused on each breath, allow your mind to choose one thought and think about it, then go on to the next, until each has had an opportunity for attention.
By practicing in this way to any athletic, work, or home-related task, the mind becomes more adept in maintaining attention. If you find yourself distracted while doing the task, use deep breathing to relax, then begin to visualize yourself attending to business once again. See yourself fully concentrating on one small aspect of the task and able to maintain this focus on a specific area of concern. Be present, and tell yourself that when you´re finished, you will give your attention to the distractions.
b)candle focusing
This is an easy, quick way to stengthen your ability to focus and be present in the moment, in the Beginner´s Mind.
Stare at a candle at the base of the flame (do not stare directly at the light) while you focus on your present feelings. Exclude all other thoughts. Just focus your body and mind on your sensations. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the present moment and feelings by saying, "at this very moment, the candle flame and I are the center of life. I focus on the brilliant light that enables me to feel peaceful and calm. That is all there is in this moment."
4)Guides for Focusing
~ When you have many important items to attend to in the present, rate them in order of importance.
Focus on the first, and mentally see yourself stacking the rest, with the most important on top, in a file box. Tell them that their turn will come in time, that you will focus on them when it´s appropriate.
~When going for a job interview or an important meeting or presenting a talk, you will be more focused and "tuned in" if you visualize, prior to your arrival, the physical environment where the event will occur.
See how you´ll be dressed, imagine the other individuals who will be present, define your goals, and see yourself acting as if all went according t plan. Feel the exhilaration of having focused perfectly and the reward of accomplishment.
~Take a walk in the forest or any other natural setting. Stop and listen to the sounds; smell the vegetation; feel the texture of the trees; focus on birds in flight . This will help you attend to the present.
~When you are cleaning up after meals, get into the LYL of dishes.
Experience the textures of the soap on the glasses and plates. Focus on doing a thorough job, as you enjoy the quit time alone and away from the inense energy of your children or other activities. Place the clean items neatly on a rack to dry. See how they glitter. Clean the sink so it sparkles after rinsing. Act as if this were the most important job now - and it is.
~Cooking can be a way to focus and concentrate. Focus on the textures, colors, and tastes of the food as you prepare it. Have music playing in the background, preferably Zen medidation sounds or Classical and Baroque - these help to focus on the task at hand
