Good focus hard to come by

Spirituality
#1

I seem to have trouble getting that really calm and focused state going.
It seems that not only do I have to not have contact with my teachers,
but it’s better if I don’t even have to try to figure out what they’re trying
to say with the nature photos either. And I can’t be having any upsetting
discussions with anybody. I have to not be trying to analyze anything,
except maybe a nice technical book about software.

So after I said something to them recently about something that bothered
me (whatever I say to one, the other one knows it too), they stopped with
the nature photos. And then I wondered to myself: “Did I just do that
so I could really have peace and quiet to go focus on meditating?” and:
“did they just spoil me with pictures until I decided I was really ready to go
off and do some real meditating, on my own”? That would actually be a
guru-like sort of thing to do. I don’t know!

Maybe once I develop a little more I’ll be able to focus much better.

#2

Do you do anything to prepare yourself for meditation, or do you just dive in?

#3

I do prepare myself. I do a variation of autogenic training
which is very much like yoga nidra. That does physically
relax me, but I don’t really get somewhere if I’m distracted.
Some people don’t do so well with self-hypnosis.

#4

What kind of breathing excersizes do you do? try 5-10 minutes of alternate nostril breathing before meditating. Also, minimize distractions as much as possible. If something is distracting you, like a loud noise, just think nothing of it.

#5

HI Tsukasa,

No, no pranayama of any kind for me. I’m following my teacher’s
feelings about that. It’s ok, this is starting to work. I wish I could
have my cake and eat it too, but not in this case. Eventually I
might be able to :).

I’m just wondering out loud about how my mind works…I don’t
always even understand myself. It’s ok if I don’t.

#6

yeah you can try breathing exercise before you start meditation…