Master the Art of Focus: Guided Meditation by The Monroe Institute

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In this exercise, we are going to use the very traditional subject of the breath to learn how to develop natural and sustainable focus. Everything that we learn here can be transferred and applied to any situation where we may be needing an effective and sustainable focus. The most common problem when it comes to focus is people being too forceful. And so the most important thing we need when developing a natural and sustainable focus is to relax. Trying to force the mind is always counterproductive. The other thing that can really help us is to be a little more deliberate. So let's break this process down into three phases. Phase one is preparation. Phase two is engagement. And phase three is release. So let's prepare making sure that you're comfortable and that you're not going to be disturbed. Make sure your head and hands are supported and then have the intention to be reasonably still. We need to welcome each new sensation and recognize it before we decide how to respond to it. So obviously if your leg is cramping, then move. But don't just react, move with a gentle deliberation. So now let's begin. I would suggest you have your eyes closed, but it really doesn't matter too much. If you choose to have your eyes open, then just pick an uninteresting spot somewhere in front of you and rest your gaze there. Now, I would like you to make your awareness as broad as possible. And by that I mean notice as many of your sensory inputs as possible. So start by listening to the sounds around you and I'd invite you at first just to listen to the sounds around you, listening really, really intently. And as you listen, you can feel your weight and shape in the chair or be you can really just rest. Just giving your weight to the chair or bed, allowing yourself to be supported, just noticing how you are noticing if there's any tension, and just looking for an attitude of allowing everything to be as it is, even that tension. And perhaps noticing where you are most comfortable and just allowing ourselves to be, however we are so just resting in that comfort and that ease. Noticing if a particular sensation like the weight and warmth of your hands or the breath or the hum of an air conditioning unit is the natural center to your experience. Just resting there for a moment and then we're just going to decide to use the breath. The breath is a great subject for meditation because it's always present. So you can just begin to notice the experience of breathing, breathing in, breathing out. And noticing as much as you can about the quality of the experience, noticing whether your breath is shallow or deep. And it's fine, whatever it is is just fine. Just wherever you feel that breath coming in, where it ends, a sense of the exhalation coming to an end, noticing every sensation you can find that's connected. Breathing in, breathing out. The way the tummy muscles move, the way your chest rises and falls, the temperature of the air in the room. You can, if your mind's really busy, just say in as you're breathing in and out. As you're breathing out. Breathing in, breathing out. And you can allow the tones and the music in the background to support that so that everything just becomes part of the breath. So we started with a broad experience, and we still have some of that. And in the very center of it, this very particular focus on breathing. So we're not trying to push anything away. Just noticing how the muscles move with the breath. Now see where the breath is in the body. See how long or short the breaths are. And anytime your mind wanders, just bringing it back to the breath, you can, if you want, do this. It's a very traditional thing to do. Just drop in a count at the end of each breath. Breathing in, breathing out. Just as you feel that last exhalation, that last bit of air leaving you, just dropping in the count of one, Breathing in, breathing out. Count two. Breathe in, breathe out. Count three. Breathe in, breathe out. You can carry on this way until you get to seven and then just return to one. If at any point you lose count or you're thinking about anything else or fall asleep, it doesn't really matter. Just begin again and say in your mind, the breath go back to one. Breathe in, breathe out, count one.

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Now we can slightly change the focus and we can just count before the next breath, which might sound like it's exactly the same place, but it really isn't. Breathing in, breathing out. And then just as you notice the body calling for breath count one, fully experience the breath, experiencing the out breath. Just as you notice the body about to call for air count two, and so on to a count of seven and back to one. And I will be quiet now to allow you to practice in this way for a little longer. Then you'll hear a bell to conclude the meditation. It sa it it. So now, as you hear the final bell drop away before you move. Just take a moment to consciously and deliberately release the practice. Maybe take a few deep breaths and just softly roll your shoulders and gently move your Just reconnecting your awareness. And then think about what you're going to do next and looking forward to being active again, getting very clear about what your task is. And if you have a question or problem that you'd like to place this focus on, then you can do so now. Or you can just look forward to fully engaging with whatever comes next in your day. Welcome back.

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