Home / ya-ttitude / Concentration 101.1: Time to Relax
Concentration…
101.1: Time to Relax…
Find a nice and comfortable place to sit. You know that chair or the corner of the sofa you really, really love to sit and be comfy on; well that is exactly where I want you to start this first exercise. Purpose of the first exercise is to see just how still you can keep.
You know – this is the one those of us with children call time out, but here is a time out for those of us who want to start to develop the ability for concentration-relaxation. This is definitely not as easy as it sounds (flash back to the children). You will have to center your attention on sitting still. Your mind is not to wander off to other things. This is not the time to fantasize about the quiet time you have found or to develop the next great meal plan for dinner – it is solely designed for you to work those concentration skills on being able to hold yourself still. Now be careful to watch and see that you are not making any voluntary muscle movements.
You want to really focus in on the ability to keep your body still and be able to completely relax. First few times you will need to try to do this for five minutes or so, slowly increasing the time of the exercise to fifteen minutes. The real important thing here is to remain focused on the “sitting still.” You need to completely let go of everything you are thinking about, except the being still.
Focus on being still, work on being still, and be still. Focus all of your thoughts and your energy on being still.
May 6th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Much harder than it seems. But I couldn’t agree more, the concept of just being still and using the focus on that to let go of everything else really helps.
I’ll keep working on it.
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May 6th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Thanks Erik -
Focus is next - so take time to learn to relax here - and then get ready for so focus-concentration
May 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I’ve been practicing this technique, plus two variations for some years now. For me it started with an inability to sleep, plus chronic physical tension (my muscles have difficulty fully relaxing). What I do is start by focusing on the top of my head, deliberately and consciously “draining” the tension away (relaxing the muscles).
Continue in this fashion down your body, through your arms and legs, visualizing the tension as a liquid running down your body to puddle and be absorbed into the floor. For trouble falling asleep, do this lying down in bed. To activate your personal energy (chi, ki, prana, what have you), Qi Gong practitioners will teach you a variation of this to do this standing up.
Over the course of time that I have done this, my health has gone up, I sleep soundly, and my vitality and reflexes increased to that of a fit man half my age (I’m a 40 something desk jockey). Plus I can focus my attention to a degree that some find disturbing… hehe.
Good article! Cheers, Marc
May 6th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
It is amazing how strong and how overwhelming to the weaker-concentration-situation of people you become when you can really focus your energy and concentration in all situations.
May 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
nope cant do it. I tried but cant sit still. Too much coffee
May 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
you can you can you can you can
I know you can
and
You know you can
and
Both us cannot be wrong!
Do it Amy!