Think of this like a radar (consciousness) that picks up blips (thoughts, emotions, and sensations). Next, we become aware of mind wandering as it occurs (and it will!). A way to think of this is that the focus is like a flashlight shining on a particular thing. What if we try something new instead of lamenting the challenge of meditation? The practice of focused meditation begins with a focal point, perhaps the breath. I propose we think of it as part of the process of meditating. Mind wandering is typically thought of as interfering with meditation. If you want to get your science on, read this article. Depending on our typical thought patterns, these task unrelated thoughts range from positive and helpful to negative and harmful. It simply means we experience task unrelated thoughts. It also happens almost 50% of the time we’re awake. In fact, a whopping 96% of us experience this daily (I think the other 4% must be Zen Buddhist Monks). And it frustrates many a meditator both new and seasoned. This phenomenon of the brain has a name – mind wandering. Next, I would struggle to return to my breath. Suddenly, things like the massive amount of unfolded laundry, upcoming contentious work meeting, and the snippy comment from my mother the day before wandered into my thoughts. When I first started meditating, my focus on my breath lasted about 5 seconds flat. I find the practice of meditation often follows this trajectory. Alas, it was easy to get mentally distracted despite my best intentions. My success depended on my ability to remain on task for an extended period of time. It required attention to detail and focus. You were to find the differences between two seemingly identical pictures. I remember the cartoons by Henry Boltinoff called Hocus Focus.
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