The state of the Mind is ever changing. It fluctuates throughout the day. From being dull and confused it becomes occasionally focussed and if controlled well, it can be consistently focussed and deeply concentrated. Overcoming distraction is something that we can all learn through the practice of yoga. Let’s find out how it can help with focus and concentration.
With the constant rise of digital distractions, the attention economy, pressures of our fast-paced life, social stress, prevalence of false narratives and misinformation campaigns, social and economic injustices, existential threat of climate change and many more serious challenges, our attention is significantly compromised and we are the now the experts of distraction.
The five states of mind according to Yoga
Traditional Indian Yoga text – the Yoga Bhasya – Vyasa’s commentary on the Yogasutras, classify the various states of Mind as:
- Kshipta – Fickle or scattered
- Mudha – Dull and Confused
- Vikshipta – Alternating between fickle and focussed
- Ekagra – One pointed Focus
- Nirodha – Completely absorbed.
Most of us normally hover around the third state where the mind is alternating between the two extremes of being distracted and having focus. All the effort to bring the mind from this state towards being focussed is Yoga.
When the whole attention of the mind is directed to anything whatsoever, that state of mind is called concentration. No action of the mind can be called concentration if the whole of it is not centralised in the chosen objective.
During concentration, multiple other things that are excluded from the point of Concentration, draw our attention. They create a reaction in our minds and this reaction is called Distraction. For eg;- while studying, there will be some smells coming from the kitchen which will make us hungry though the time for dinner may be much later.
Why is it difficult to focus and control the Mind?
We find it difficult to concentrate the mind on anything because of a basic lack of knowledge of our own mind. In order to control something, we must know what that thing actually is. To understand our own nature, we must know what we are made of and how we work. When we think something, we must know why we are thinking in that manner. “I don’t know. I happen to think like that.” is an unintelligent reaction to a phenomenon taking place in one’s own mind.
Importance of Concentration and Focus
Our Mind has deeper layers of psychological terms as subconscious and unconscious layers. They actively operate, determining the way our waking Mind works and condition our way of thinking. We assume our freedom of thought and freedom of choice but often there is a deeper play.
The mind is nothing but a knot, it is a psychic knot, tied to a complexity of ideas, a kind of confusion. A knot with which everything seems to be tied, but not even one item can be untangled easily.
Concentration is a process by which we break the knot of the mind. Training of the mind to overcome distraction, to focus and remain focussed for longer and longer duration is fundamental to getting rid of confusion, distraction and chaos. It is critical in achieving holistic health and a meaningful life. It is the most important and direct aspect of improving our state of Mind and is in fact Yoga.
Yoga for Concentration and Peace of Mind
The first result of focusing on one object is the calming of the Mind. As we begin focusing on one object, the number of thoughts reduces. We experience a temporary sense of calmness. As we think continuously about one object, thoughts about many other things quietly dissolve. As the mental noise reduces, we experience prolonged peace. Mental impressions start realigning and falling into place. Our innate intelligence starts seeing things more clearly, better understanding follows, new insights are gained and new ideas formed.
How to Concentrate the Mind and overcome distraction through Yoga
‘Meditation’ is a very vague term and as its usage becomes wider, it gets further diluted. Plenty of meditation apps are trying to teach meditation, but what they are essentially doing is externally guiding the attention inwards. It does help to a certain extent in calming the Mind, in reducing the emotional turmoil and improving the mood. There is even a placebo effect. But as the source of guidance remains external, its efficacy is limited. As a result, practice of Meditation remains an extremely difficult and illusive habit to form.
Respected Yoga Guru, Guruji BKS Iyengar writes in his book the ‘Tree of Yoga’ that “Meditation is not something that can be expressed in words. It must be directly experienced in one’s life. Nor can meditation be taught. If someone says he is teaching meditation, you can immediately know that he is not a yogi at all.”
The progressive stages that lead to Meditation
In the Yogasutras, Maharshi Patanjali, describes the effort required to achieve the state of Meditation as Antaranga Sadhana – internal work. He purposefully uses four terms to describe the progressive stages that lead to Meditation.
1. Dharana
2. Dhyana
3. Samadhi
4. Sayyama
Dharana:
Desa-bandhas chittasya dharana, says Patanjali. Purposely tying the mind to a particular spot is called Dharana. It can be translated to concentration. Here we choose an object, say for example the breath, and try to concentrate on it. Initially as we do so, there arises chains of thoughts and we get trapped in them. We slowly realise this and then try to bring our attention back to the breath.
In 20 mins of practice, there are numerous such episodes. This happens with everyone. But as the expectation is not rightly set, most people give up after a few attempts. They expect that they will be able to hold their attention right from day one and get frustrated as to why they cannot concentrate. But this is normal.
It is not that your Concentration is being disturbed. What is truly happening is that continuous thought patterns are being intermittently broken. This is success. In a period of 20 minutes, you’ve been able to achieve small intervals of Concentration.
The practice of holding the attention to one object and getting intermittently disturbed is called Dharana.
Dhyana & Samadhi : Dharana is a voluntary action where as Dhyana and Samadhi are its results. Chains of thoughts have been broken through consistent practice of Dharana and you are now able to hold the attention on one single object. Traditional texts say that when one single thought is continuously held for 12 seconds it leads to Dhyana. Here Patanjali says तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्॥२॥ One pointed unbroken flow of thought is Dhyana.
Guruji BKS Iyengar says
“When oil is poured from one vessel into another, it maintains a constant, steady, and even flows. Likewise, the flow of attention and awareness remains stable and constant. This steady awareness is dhyana (meditation).
Perfection in Dharana leads to Dhyana. A golden moment appears after intense practice of Dharana and it may appear anytime, even when you might not be practising. Patanjali says that when the mind reaches the state of Dharana, it starts behaving like the object. If you are focussed on the breath continuously, you mind starts behaving like the breath. You are no longer observing the breath but have rather become the breath. Your consciousness has taken the form of the breath. This starts happening, when the Mind gives up its own form, when you give up the ‘I’. When the Ego is overcome, the thought process is stopped. This standstill is when you enter the state of Samadhi. The stage of Dhyana is the transit period into Samadhi.
When all three – Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi start happening in quick succession, the process of Meditation is complete and is called as Sayyama. This is when the brain, which usually perceives through the 5 senses, is able to transcend them and is able to gain extra sensory perception. That is known as Meditation.
And it is really hard. It needs years of practice to achieve it. But even if we are not able to hit the bull’s eye, having it as a target defines the purpose and the process. It structures our efforts. And in the journey, we achieve multiple milestones.
First being that of great health – Aarogya, physical and mental health,
Shanti – calmness – control over unnecessary thought process, better ability to handle emotions, mental peace.
Ekagrata – Calmness and mental peace leads to improved Focus,
Smriti – improved working memory,
Viveka – better handling of intellectual capacity, discriminatory wisdom to differentiate what is good and that which is unhelpful for progress,
Spontaneity, better sleep and most importantly it gives rise to humility or Namrata, an essential virtue for other virtues to emerge.
What is needed for meditation ?
There are two aspects to Concentration. First, is the positive aspect which helps us to fix our attention and focus.
Second, the negative aspect, a result of the first, which prevents disturbances from entering our Mindspace. This Self-Control stems out of the various practises of Concentration.
When we positively tie our attention to any particular spot, we need to worry too much about what the spot is. It can be anything of our choice as long as it does not distract us. You might say I will focus my attention on a delicacy of my choice. It will create a reaction of hunger and won’t be of much use to concentrate. Apart from that any spot is good enough, it can be flame, a dot, an image, a flower, a star, the moon, your breath, sensations or movement in your body, actions which you take, sounds that you hear, anything as long as you are able to concentrate the whole of the mind on that spot, any spot is good enough.
You may ask “But, why should I concentrate on one object? What is the point behind it? I am not aspiring for enlightenment or moksha so what is the need for concentration on a point? What is its relevance?” When we cannot see the relevance, there is a reluctance of the mind to concentrate.
Mind is not something which produces activity; activity itself is the Mind. There is no mind other than consciousness taking external forms. So, the fixing of the mind checks its ability to become scattered and the Mind becomes collected during the process. It is the beginning, the entry point, the door to your inner world and the key to overcoming distraction is now with you. The choice is yours, you either walk the path now, or something will force you to do it later.