sustained mindfulness and concentration

I attended a dharma talk last night that was rather technical and on the subject of sustained concentration in mindfulness practice. I noticed myself feeling early on in the talk that I was somewhat bored, a little needy, judging the topic as something that would not fulfill me for the evening. But after listening in full, I took away a great deal of insight, that helped me notice and understand this moment of discomfort.

Often I find that when I am uncomfortable with something it is because it is something I NEED to investigate. As a good friend would tell me, "Where you resist, persist" or when something seems difficult try to stay and see things through. To me that is the essence of what meditation is, a form of staying.

In sustained concentration there can be one specific thing that you are concentrating on, usually the breath, sometimes a light (if you are practicing eyes open), or maybe even music. Sustaining focus can be less about an empty mind, and more about a satisfied mind, one that isnt racing about in an anxiety frenzy to control and figure things out.

My suggestion for this week is to try to notice when you feel uncomfortable and either persist through the feeling returning back to your state of focus or if this feels really over powering, to investigate where that discomfort arises first, and then come back.

A reminder for this I have come to say to myself is:

Come back, come back. And then Stay.

Namaste, K