Week1--Awareness of breathing...I have a question

[TheUniversalOne]

Perhaps it is just because I am only on week 1, but it says before moving on I should be able to focus on my breathing. I am having quite a hard time doing this because it seems that when one tiny thought creeps in I have a bunch of random thoughts that just keep leading me further and further away... I was wondering if others have had this problem and ways they were able to overcome it? Should I move on anyway or keep repeating week 1 until I am able to focus entirely on my breath?

Thanks :wink:

[Korpo]

Yes, keep on focusing.

Random thoughts are often called "the monkey mind" - jumping from thought to thought like a monkey from branch to branch - this is what you want to draw attention from.

So return to your breath for avoiding these thoughts and lessening their effect.

Good success,
Oliver

[TheUniversalOne]

Thanks for the prompt response. Would it be fine to move on then?

[Korpo]

Hello, TheUniversalOne.

No, I don't think you should move on.

Being aware of your breath helps you to do several things:
* It builds concentration to help avoiding distraction.
* It is an early stage of learning to still the mind, which can be essential later on.
* It can help inducing altered states of consciousness.

Being able to only follow the breath for a certain time and keeping the concentration can help in a lot of other exercises. If you get a better grip on this it also can help relax and ease the mind - the monkey mind is also the source of nagging worries and "nothing happens, don't you think?" thoughts. Very contra-productive, usually.

What you learn now can ease success with later exercises.

Good success,
Oliver

[CFTraveler]

But at the same time you shouldn't stay on it for longer than, say, a month, because at some point you may decide you can't move on to the next step- don't let it consume you.
In other words, eliminating monkey chatter completely is not the object of this exercise, attenuating it, giving you some control of it is.

[BriMercer]

I think it's fine to move on. Week 1 really isn't about quieting the mind, it's about energy work. The mind quieting exercises really are just trying to prime you for Week 3. I'd recommending moving on with some extra mind quieting exercises at random parts of the day, say five minutes at a time.

If you're still having trouble keeping your mind quiet at the end of Week 3, consider repeating that week instead.

Brian Mercer

[TheUniversalOne]

Ahhh-- alright then, thanks for the all of the help. I was concerned about not being able to move on because I really don't want to drop the program. I'm sure I'll be fine later on.

[lucidcruiser99]

Also consider letting your thoughts play out before you begin trying to focus.

And by this I mean go somewhere quiet, away from where you'll be doing energy work, with no TV or radio or anything. I go sit on my porch and listen to the birds for about 10 minutes, letting the day's stresses run their course.

It might work better than trying to fight them.

[TheUniversalOne]

This is true, as it seems the more I try to quiet or push away my thoughts the more they disturb me. I do have a book on meditation, perhaps I can try some of the techniques in there.