How can i use meditation to concentrate!

Question

I want to use meditation as a way to deeply concentrate, I always feel as if im in my head and it stops me from doing what I want to do and stops me from getting work done. I want to use meditation. I have been doing meditation, and I understand it a bit. But how can I achieve one pointed focus to help me stop being in my head and focus?

Answer 1

Deusllxll, You ask, "I want to use meditation as a way to deeply concentrate." In the beginning, I used a "mantra" meditation to develop a rather laser-like concentration, although it was not associated with Buddhism.

First, have in mind what you are trying to accomplish. Is it a spiritual goal? Are you searching for the meaning of life, and to have a relative understanding about your existence here? Then you can begin with a mantra meditation. It will spill over beneficially to other areas of your life if you go this route, also. You will be able to concentrate the mind and hold it on one thing for extended periods, or concentrate the mind on nothing if you practice Buddhist meditation. All your meditation efforts will end up in the same place.

I started my meditation with a "devotional" slant, related to Bhakti yoga, with a 17 syllable mantra that was in spoken in the Sanskrit language. I was instructed to do at least one hour (2 1/2 hours preferably) of meditation everyday. The meditation was with a focus on love for the Divine, which took a while to cultivate. The love is important because it will bind you to the meditation through thick and thin, through the good times and the despair. Whenever I found myself drifting off into thoughts, I was to start over with the mantra. A person is to keep his mind focused on the "third eye" while meditating, which some believe is where the individual is located spiritually. I did this for five years.

I eventually gravitated to Buddhism where the mantra is the incoming and out-going of the breath, and the feelings of love are compassion for all.

Any type of meditation you do will be a precursor to something deeper and more meaningful. Those who meditate are on the path of expansion, just like a plant grows from a little seed. The sign that you have developed an interest in meditation, and are reaching out for instruction means your path will be fuller and richer for you from now on.

Answer 2

In normal english language the word "concentration" has connotations of trying hard to focus on one thing. In Buddhist meditation we often develop concentration by being aware of the breath but we don't try hard to focus only on the breath.

We are always surrounded by distractions, our minds like to pay attention to those unimportant distractions instead of what we want to focus on. One way to avoid distractions is the normal method of putting in a lot of effort to focus on the important things but this is based on clinging and it can't be maintained. Instead of that we calm the mind so that when distractions appear the mind doesn't worry about them. With a calm mind we can focus on what is important without effort.

When you are meditating you can train yourself like this. If you do breath meditation don't try hard to focus on your breathing, whenever you notice you are distracted don't judge yourself just return your awareness to the breath.