Concentration Exercises:

Developing Mindful Attention

On this page, you’ll find a series of practical, highly effective
concentration exercises to help you develop your powers of
concentration and achieve laser-sharp focus in your thinking.

For maximum effectiveness, try to practice these concentration

exercises for brief periods at intervals throughout the day. The
exercises are designed so you can do them almost anywhere,
even if you have only a few moments available. You might be at
your desk, or riding in a taxi, or just out for a walk -- but by
taking advantage of the techniques you’ll find in this workbook,
you can turn previously unproductive time into a powerful
resource for sharpening your mind.

One word of caution, however: because the Awareness Training

exercises require your complete attention, you should not
perform any of them while driving or while occupied with any
other task that demands concentration.

By making these exercises a part of your daily routine, you can

enhance your performance -- and your enjoyment -- in every
area of your life.

Concentration Exercise #1: Visual Object

Begin this concentration exercise by directing your attention

toward something that interests you at this moment. It can be a
physical object, like a flower or a candle, or it can be a mentally
visualized object or color.
Because of its calming effect, the color blue is often
recommended as a starting point. You can simply visualize the
sky, or you might place a piece of blue cloth or paper in front of
you.

Now, rest your eyes on the color, and relax. Just sit and be fully
present with the color or object. If your attention wanders, return
it to the image before you.

Focus more on the quality of your concentration than on the

length of time you’re able to stay focused. Begin with only a
minute or two...then take a brief break...then return your
attention to your chosen object. Continue alternately focusing
and relaxing for ten to twenty minutes.

Be sure to focus on the quality of attention. The quality of

concentration is more important than the quantity of time that
you put in. Increase the length of time you focus only as the
strength of your concentration grows. Don’t compromise the
quality of attention for the quantity of time.

As your training continues, you’ll feel your concentration

acquiring a laser-like intensity, then gradually increase the time
that you focus your attention.

Concentration Exercise #2: Natural Object

Many of us have touched a state of deep concentration during

times in nature. Watching the sunrise, sitting by a flowing
stream, gazing upon a flower, a cloud, or raindrops on a still
pool, our minds become clear, quiet, and deep. The chirp of
crickets, the sound of breaking waves, or a babbling brook wash
away our agitation and leave us calm and collected.
1. Select a natural object or process.
2. Attend to it wholeheartedly.
3. Open yourself to let it come in to you, and receive its light,
sound, vibration, and life into yourself.
4. Open your heart and mind to embrace and be pervaded by
it.
5. As you watch, listen, or feel this natural phenomenon, enter
into a deep, quiet communion with it. Allow its essential
nature and hidden qualities to reveal themselves intuitively.

Concentration Exercise #3: Walking

Much of our time in a day may be spent walking. This technique

can help us to use walking as a means for developing
concentration.

1. Count your first five steps.

2. With the next step, begin at one again and count up to six
steps.
3. With the next step, begin at one again and count up to
seven steps.
4. Continue counting in this way until you reach ten.
5. Now begin again, counting your steps from one to five.
6. Repeat the entire sequence up to ten steps as many times
as you like.

If you lose track at any point (and you most likely will), begin
again at the cycle of five steps. Note that if you begin on your
right foot, the cycles ending in five and six steps will end on the
right foot. Those ending at seven and eight will end on the left
foot. And those ending at nine and ten will end on the right foot.
This pattern will reverse with each full cycle.

[Adapted from the booklet "Awareness Training: Exercises for

Mindful Attention" by Joel and Michelle Levey