princeamon said:
I have a REALLY REALLY important exam in the next month and i have some serious focusing problems. normally i am not a careless person but thinking about this exam is effecting me so i just can't focus. i get headaches, blurring in my vision and things like that while i am studying. Even though most of my subjects are good, i can't do it in the exam. So I decided that the problem is not about studying. It is about my mind. So how can I fix that?? I am looking for a spiritual powerful concentration technique because spiritual things feel much more powerful than just scientific facts and affect my belief about its benefits. I hope someone have a recommendation for me
You can also try these:
To help focus:
1. Settle into your seat. Begin by taking a seat, or if necessary, standing. The important thing is to feel where your body is touching the seat and touching the ground.
2. Scan your body. Sense where your bottom is touching the seat. Sit up straight or stand straight but not stiff. Make sure your feet are completely touching the ground, connecting you to the earth. Your eyes are open, so take in the surroundings of where you are. Lower your gaze slightly.
3. Connect with your breath. Pay subtle attention to your breath as it goes out.
4. Follow the exhale. At the end of the exhale, let there be a gap of time, a void moment where you are fully aware of what is happening while the inhale is happening. And in that gap you have natural awareness: it’s there already, you don’t have to create it. So, follow the breath out, and out, and out. As thoughts arise, treat them as you would anything else you encounter: Notice it, and use that noticing to bring you back to the exhale and ride it out. Out, and out, and out.
To help the mind focus 2:
1. First, feel your bottom on the seat, and your feet on the floor or the ground, flat, touching the earth. Your eyes can be open or closed, head tilted slightly down. Your shoulders are relaxed, your hands are resting on your thighs and your upper arms are parallel to your torso. Just take a moment to feel that posture.
2. Now we’re going to use the breath as an anchor for our attention. We don’t concern ourselves with trying to adjust the rate of the breath, we just come with whatever breath we have.
3. One of the first things we notice naturally as we try to pay attention to breath coming in and out is that the mind is filled with thoughts. It’s like a waterfall of thoughts. And in this practice, just notice the thought. Touch it, and go back to the breath.
4. No matter what’s been going on in the session, you don’t need to evaluate it, just let it go. Then open your eyes, and enjoy what’s coming next.
Training the mind to focus:
1. Find a comfortable posture of your choice. This could be a sitting posture, standing, or lying down.
2. If you choose to keep your eyes open, let your gaze rest, lowered on a point in front of you. If you choose to keep your eyes closed, rest your eyelids.
3. Set your intention toward relaxing and effortlessness.
4. Whenever you notice yourself shifting into “doing” or “thinking,” simply return back to your original intention, and begin again.
5. Relax your attention. Release any fixation that you might have on any object. Be as ordinary and natural as possible. If you notice that your attention becomes fixated or distracted, simply relax.
6. Exhale all striving. Empty yourself of any effort toward achieving a particular outcome or result. Remain open to and accepting of the present moment. Let your experience be as it is.
7. Sense the silence. Surrender all attachment to what you notice, and feel the sense of silence. Be aware of the silence and feel the vastness of the silence.
8. Tune in to awareness. Recognize that you are naturally aware, and you are conscious of this awareness. Trust this effortless knowing and the silence. There’s nothing to do, and nowhere to go. Just rest.
9. When you are ready to end the practice, gently bring your attention to your surroundings and invite simple movements to your body.