Hints for conentration

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Dear All,Came across this article, and really enjoyed it.Wanted to share with all of you. Love & RegardsLakshmy==========================================================

Hints for Concentration by Swami Chidananda of Divine Life SocietyQuestion: When I try to concentrate, the mind wanders;what is the best remedy for this? Answer: You have got the greatest authority giving the

perfect remedy. It is simple; yet it is perfect. It isan old, old question. It is one of the chief obstaclesto meditation. It is Vikshepa Shakti, one of thegreatest manifestations of Maya. Arjuna himself puts

this problem before Krishna: “The mind is veryflickering and oscillating; and it is as difficult tofix it on the Lakshya as it is to tie the wind.” And,Krishna does not say: “Oh, no; it is easy.” He admits:

“It is very difficult to control the mind.” The methodsuggested by the Lord: “Yes, it is difficult; but itcan be conquered by two things—Vairagya and Abhyasa.” Why these two things are given is the outcome of a

wonderful analysis of why this Vikshepa takes place.Why does mind wander about? Usually the mind goes andfixes itself up wherever there is attachment. Manwants pleasure and happiness; and he thinks he can get

this in the external world of name and form. Thereforevarious objects keep attracting the mind. Therefore,the mind runs from one object of attachment to anotherin a continuous succession. The first thing, therefore, is a wrong conception that

there is pleasure in objects. For this Vichara is thecure. Vichara makes the mind slowly learn thatpleasure is not outside. He begins to say to the mind:“Do not go to the outside objects. There is infinite

bliss within. Turn inward.” Vichara also points out tothe mind that the whole world is full of pain.Actually, one anna of pleasure is mixed with fifteenannas of pain; and that pleasure is also Bhranti-Sukha

only, like the pleasure derived from scratching theeczema. A dog bites a bone and hurts itself. Bloodoozes from its own palate. It imagines that the bloodcomes from the bone and is happy; is this realhappiness? Vichara gives Dosha-Drishti in sensual

objects. As a result of Vichara, the mind is made to flowinward. A sort of dispassion arises towards theobjects. Fixing it inside become easier. Vairagya isdispassion for all objects of this world and the other

world. Once the turning away is there, the mind must behabituated to get itself fixed upon any particularLakshya chosen by a person. Therefore, Abhyasa isnecessary. The old tendency of the mind is there.

Bahirmukha Vritti is part and parcel of the mind. Itmust be counter-acted and it can be done only by thepositive practice. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,Abhyasa is defined as continuous, unbroken practice,

carried on over a long period of time. Vairagya is thenegative portion; Abhyasa is the positive portion. Ifyou go on with your practice, it is absolutely certainthat one day the accumulated result of this method

will keep the mind absolutely fixed upon the Lakshya.Poorna-Dhyana will come and it will lead you toAtma-Sakshatkara. Pranayama is also a great help. It is important that we should not be discouraged. If

the mind used to run a hundred times previously and itruns only ninety-nine times now, it is an advance. Ifyou make the mind move in smaller circles instead ofbigger circles, it is definite progress. Another important point is: develop an intense love

for the Lakshya.