Focus Pocus

 


Some art on the beach at Nerja, Spain, on Mediterranean Sea. 2018

While reading, you can catch yourself not really reading the words anymore. The mind begins to wander. You might be fatigued, in need of a break, or distracted by worries or 'to do' lists. Pay attention. Focus. Concentrate. Did you hear that as a child?  But, is this ability to direct our mental effort something instinctual and natural, or is it something taught and improved with practice? Our attention can be drawn away by mental thoughts, emotions and physical senses such as sounds, smells, colours. Keeping focused is easier said than done with so much to interrupt us... especially our phones. I've started wearing a watch again, as the phone wants to show me more than the time! 

Different types of meditations can help develop concentration, where you aren't necessarily trying to sit with eyes closed in silence. You are encouraged to gently focus on something like the breath, the center of an object, a candle flame, a sound, music or voice guiding you. For centuries, the touch of a pebble or bead like those on a mala or rosary, or the repetition a word/mantra, were used to keep centered. Here are some other helpful tips that might surprise you.

Perhaps the idea of focusing for emptying the mind, or to fill it with learning, is a state of letting go and letting in.


Three pebbles came home with me from Spain. When I feel them in my hand I remember that day, and the gift someone left behind on the beach.




Comments

  1. AileenOctober 31, 2021 at 6:41 PM

    Thanks, Cecile! I appreciate the tips in your comments and the Healthline link.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnnetteNovember 1, 2021 at 5:27 AM

    Oh wow, so true, there are so many distraction of so many kinds. I find myself going in so many directions, yikes take a breath, slow down, stop and smell the roses as they say :) Thanks so much and a special thanks for the "tips" link :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cyclo Zone

Image
  Cyclo - a traditional type of pedi-cab in Vietnam. (2016) It came as part of a tour package. We indulged our weary feet with the slow "cyclo" ride around the historic old quarter of Hanoi, and to provide our driver the employment. The  narrow,  bustling streets were crowded with motor bikes, almost non-existent side walks, people selling their wares or engaged in conversation around tiny plastic table sets while having Vietnamese coffee or tea.  It was curious how the streets were still organized -- named by product. One street might sell different types of string and yarn (Yarn Street), another street sells only picture frames, another books, another spices, and so on. If one shop didn't carry what you needed, they directed you to one down their street that might have it. This ancient system was efficient for someone in the market for a specific item. But, it also seemed in the spirit of cooperation rather than competition -- to help the client and to help each bu...
Read more

Flower Moon

Image
  Walking on the Moon -- our feet eclipse the giant moon installation at St. John's Cathedral in Saskatoon, Sept, 2023. We've had our eyes to the skies of late. A few weeks ago we were fortunate to be in a location where we experienced the solar eclipse. Then, the recent geomagnetic storm that swept over the earth created beautiful auroras, causing skies to sparkle and dance with colour at lower latitudes than usual. Witnessing these events fills us with wonder and awe. Here we are in this small place on our planet, marvelling at the grand cycles of an infinite universe.    Traditionally, many of us consider the passing of May's full moon to be the gardeners' go-ahead.  A quick search led me to the date for the next full moon, May 23rd. What I also discovered was that there is a name for each month's full moon, and these names vary from culture to culture. I like that our Indigenous peoples refer to May as having the Flower Moon , to signify the flowers that bloom t...
Read more

Step Up

Image
Stairs in Mount Tolmie Park in Victoria, BC 2024 You've likely heard of Blue Zones --  5 specific areas in Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy, and California.  They are places where people live happily with extreme longevity and few health conditions. They do many things 'right' without even trying, through their diet, exercise, and often gardening.  After living for 3 1/2 weeks on an extremely rugged island in the Aegean sea in Greece, without a vehicle,  I've come to believe one of the most effective* forms of exercise is to climb stairs (or hills). Our accommodations were perched high on a steep hill, requiring us to walk down into town and back up at least once a day. Huff-puffing our way up with hearts pounding, we thought we might keel over, lest we stop for breaks at least 3 times. We lost count of how many actual steps  -- 300+. Some days it felt a little easier, but it was always a challenging leg and cardio workout.  STAIR STATS reveal they are less...
Read more