From comprehending the esoteric meaning of body position as a symbol of being in the Law, we now move on to mastering the first of seven practical exercises. For convenience, we will call this first exercise concentration.

Concentration - and it is very important for us to understand the meaning of this word in its true mystical sense - is a gathering together of all the faculties of the mind, directing attention to achieving a single goal. We use the word concentration in the sense expressed by the Eastern adepts as follows: Sitting alone, wrapped in a robe, the master entered samadhi.

The expression sitting alone refers to the position of the body and means being in the present. The words wrapped in a mantle say that he has brought together or integrated all the manifestations of his mind. This is the meaning of the teaching about the middle.

Reflect on the mystery that shines through in words to wrap yourself in the mantle of wisdom. The insignia of the Buddhist patriarchs was the mantle. Each arhat, or teacher of the school, wore a cape of a certain color. The robes of the Zen sect were green, and Daruma, the arhat of Zen, is depicted in a robe, one end of which is thrown over his head in the form of a hood. The disciple was not allowed to wear such a dress, as it was the prerogative of the high priests.

Apollonius of Tyana, an initiate of the Pythagorean school, also wore a special wool mantle. When starting esoteric practice, he sat on his robe and wrapped himself in it, even covering his face. It was believed that, sitting in this way, he traveled to the most remote corners of the world. During one of these visits outside the body, he is said to have witnessed the assassination of the emperor Domitian.

We are so accustomed to mistaking symbols for real entities that only a few students wonder what the magical meaning of the mantle is. The mantle, like the magic Baghdad carpet, the magic ring of Solomon and the ring of the Nibelungen, are symbols of concentration - gathering together and directing all the abilities of the soul to achieve one goal.

How, then, can we define concentration? The essence of concentration, like any other genuine exercise, is inexpressible. It must be comprehended from within. It can be comprehended because the exercise itself develops the student's ability to practice. Obviously, one does not need to wear a physical robe to practice concentration; the adept wears a garment that is not of this world. The peculiarities of his traditional dress (which distinguish the adept from ordinary followers in the physical world) are only reflections or allegories of his true appearance.

Concentration is a soft and unobtrusive concentration of attention without volitional efforts. It is based on the comprehension of the Law. Concentration can be called steadfastness of intention. Like a candle that burns evenly on a windless night, insight shines unwaveringly in the womb of concentration.

Concentration is the constancy of spiritual movement in the direction of the One. Here is how the commentary to the Zohar describes it: The follower of spiritual Mysteries looks with perfect attention in the face of Reality.

If there are no misinterpretations, simple concentration practice is completely harmless. However, there is a great difference between the true understanding of concentration practice and the conventional interpretation of this exercise.

Preparing to Concentrate

No occult exercise should be performed without proper preparation. In practice, this training is expressed in two ways. First, it presupposes a general ordering of individual existence. It is futile to attempt to practice occult exercises in a confused and chaotic environment. One should not cherish the desire to leave the world into spiritual states. Concentration is not an oasis of spirituality in the wilderness of everyday life.

You can often hear people say: My meditation practice gives me the strength to continue a life that would otherwise be simply unbearable! If a person is guided by such considerations, he is doomed to failure. Concentration cannot be one of the independent aspects of life. It must penetrate to the very foundation of everyday existence, because otherwise it will not be successful, and a person will simply lose time.

The ability to concentrate in the mystical sense of the word manifests itself in a person's life in the form of the ability to maintain self-control and achieve success in everyday affairs. Consequently, concentration must first of all become an integral part of a person's worldview.

The second part of the preparation for concentration is the actions performed immediately before starting the practice. For some time before doing the exercise, the mind should be at rest, and the body should be completely relaxed - at this time, you should not indulge in idleness, you just need to avoid stress. Sitting in the midst of the general bustle and trying to isolate oneself from its influence by showing some special attitude towards it is illogical and not worthy of a philosopher. This is why the master sits alone. These unassuming words reveal a great secret to those who can understand it.

Concentration symbols

The ancient clergy and modern mystical traditions prevalent in the East are united in the idea that concentration exercises should be carried out using sacred objects. Pythagoras taught his followers to meditate on tetraktis - a triangular arrangement of ten points. He also advised all genuine Pythagoreans to take time to contemplate the sacred figure of the dodecahedron, or the correct dodecahedron.

In the Sacraments of Isis and Osiris, Plutarch argued that the ancient Egyptians kept geometric drawings and figures in the holy of holies of their temples, the sight of which made them like gods. The mathematician Theon Smirnsky argued that God as a state can be achieved through the contemplation of special numerical series. A significant part of the works of religious art and architecture was created under the influence of the old cults of the sacraments and was intended primarily for the practice of contemplation. If you look at ancient symbols from this point of view, they acquire a new meaning and greatness.

One modern lama also uses several symbolic objects in his ritual activities. Among them are the dorier, or the image of a double thunderbolt, a ceremonial dagger, a bowl, a small double drum, a mandala, a prayer wheel, and a tanka. To these images should also be added a whole pantheon of Tibetan deities. Each of them is depicted in a special position and performs certain actions. For the initiate, all these seemingly insignificant details are of particular esoteric importance.

Among the objects for concentration among the Chinese Taoists, the word Tao occupies the main place. The next in importance is the image of yin and yang, which marks the balance of negative and positive poles. Next is the structure of trigrams drawn by continuous and broken lines. There are eight main trigrams and sixty-four secondary combinations. Confucius's commentaries on the intimate meaning of trigram combinations are considered important esoteric scriptures.

Calligraphic patterns also serve as symbols used for focus by both Chinese and Japanese contemplators. Calligraphic hieroglyphs that embody basic shapes, lines and rhythms are considered especially effective. Religious drawings, sculptures and frescoes adorn most of the eastern temples. They are also used by initiates in religious activities. The works of priests who created symbolic images while in a state of meditation are most respected. In the East, it is believed that all the beautiful and worthy works of outstanding artists and sculptors have the ability to assist in inner comprehension.

This is the esoteric teaching about symbols for concentration. The sanctity of these objects is also recognized by some mystical sects in the full sense of the word. However, for our purpose, we must delve into the true meaning of the word

Tao, that is, to try to trace the correct Path of understanding the sacred symbols.

Each of them depicts and represents a function of the mind, a state of mind or an action of the will. Thus, they represent the physical similitude of invisible states, virtues and manifestations of Truth accessible to ordinary perception. The state is understood as the degree or level of approximation to reality; under virtue - conformity to reality; and under the truth is reality itself. Here, as before, only insight can distinguish between terms that in common use are considered synonymous. In mysticism, all concepts have a very refined meaning, and the closer to reality a certain idea, the more difficult it is to express its meaning.

When it is said that the master takes the road, the meaning of these words is that he gains in consciousness access to the sources of cosmic omnipotence, balancing the universal energies in the course of contemplation. When the master lifts the dagger, he releases the burden of the senses. Holding the cup, he opens up to the stream of spiritual beings. By turning the prayer wheel, he sets in motion the mechanism of cause and effect, which revolve on the y-axis.

The current flows in every instrument. Not a single real, that is, physical, symbol in itself means anything. The tangible remains, as always, just a symbol or a key to the secrets of the intangible. For the uninitiated, many such truths seem vague, if not completely meaningless. Thus, secrets by their very nature protect themselves from profanation by the unworthy. Anyone who does not see them does not have access to them and, therefore, cannot misuse them.

The magic of mandalas

A mandala is a secret drawing or diagram that is usually quite symmetrical and resembles a geometric drawing rather than a work of art. Its size and palette, although subject to traditional requirements, can vary greatly. In general, the mandala resembles a lotus flower, individual parts or symbolic petals of which can be decorated with Chinese, Tibetan or Sanskrit signs and numbers. In exoteric language, the mandala is a kind of universal map, symbolically depicting the world, heaven, paradise abodes and various parts of the human body.

Although traditional mandalas are common throughout Asia, various sects have created mandalas that differ in some ways from the generally accepted version. Only an advanced student, deeply familiar with all the intricacies of metaphysical teachings, can confidently identify all types of mandalas. In addition, only he can distinguish genuine cult works from commercial copies, which the narrow-minded souvenir merchants successfully sell to visiting tourists.

The famous Abbot Hook was defrocked when he published his books, in which he described the practice of some secret magical rituals in the countries of Central Asia. Among Hook's interesting observations was the report of a mandala that a researcher discovered in one of their temples. The painting showed several figures and among them the moon. According to Hooke's testimony, in the figure, the phases of the image of the moon changed in accordance with the phases of the star in the sky.

In the East, there is a plentiful literature explaining to those who are able to understand how such magical images are created. For example, there is a legend about a Buddhist monk who (while in a state of deep meditation) painted the Sukhavati gate, the door to the eastern paradise of Amitabha. When the masterpiece was created, he hung this silk painting on the wall of his cell. Subsequently, once again plunging into meditation, he rose to his feet, walked up to the picture, passed the gate, which he himself had painted, and disappeared forever. In this way he attained nirvana.

How can this story be interpreted? If we do not go beyond the capabilities of the mind alone, this story will seem strange and meaningless. If we do have the gift of seeing the true mystery of the legend, it will appear before us as an exquisite allegory. The meditating monk is the Self in human form, which is the limitation of the imperfect mind. The painting is the embodiment of the middle path, or Tao. The picture shows a gate or a door, because it truly is the Way. Having visualized in the course of contemplation the mystery of the true Path and having joined it, the student is able to achieve perfection, which, like the Path, is Tao. Truth is revealed to him in the course of comprehension, and he himself becomes what he comprehended. Comprehension is a gateway to the Real, a bridge built from a refined substance that is realized within. The one who builds this bridge can walk over it and identify with what he has built.

Young students in some oriental schools practice concentrating on mandalas every day. Then they are asked what results they have achieved. Usually, the experience comes first that the structure is moving. If the mandala has the form of a wheel, it seems to the student that it rotates - at first slowly, and then faster and faster, until all the colors merge and the wheel becomes one rotating disc of light. To achieve this result, you need to focus on the mandala for many months, if not years.

At the next stage, the background of the picture, the wall on which it hangs, and the entire environment slowly dissolve, and the beholder gets the impression that the rotating disk hangs in space, supported only by the force of its concentration.

At the third stage of concentration, the student sees how the mandala disk gradually approaches him, and he himself feels that he is pouring into the center of luminous energy. When this stage is reached, the student should turn to the mentor for further guidance. He finds himself at a crossroads. One mistake in this place can negate all his activities over the past several years.

The mentor asks what the student noticed in the spinning disc. The point of this question is to establish whether the student's focus is inherently mystical or visual. If it is only visual, the studies cease, because otherwise he will quickly slide into idolatry. From a metaphysical point of view, idolatry means accepting symbols as Reality and worshiping these symbols. If the disciple's experience is quite ordinary, and he saw the rotating disc as a person can see an external object, he has failed.

The point is that concentration was supposed to lead him to the experience of a spinning wheel. He had to find his value, not appearance. It had to be a living wheel, the rotation of the Law itself. The mentor asks the student to explain the true meaning of the spinning wheel. If the student replies that he knows, but cannot explain, and if the mentor sees the light of spiritual forces in the student's eyes and sees the awakened power of comprehension in his every gesture, he remains satisfied. With the help of certain occult means, the mentor can accurately assess how deep the disciple's understanding is. If it turns out to be fundamental enough, the student receives special instructions and continues the studies. They give him lightning and tell him to break the wheel. He must destroy the structure of his own concentration, and this should be done without leaving him. It is impossible to explain more in words.

Thus, the student has a key: concentration is the visualization of the Law in transcendental and magical forms. The law is found in the forms. However, these forms must be destroyed, for the Law itself has no form. It can be acquired through form, but not in the form itself. All forms, tangible and intangible, reflect the Fa. Woe to the one who seeks to catch the Law in the net of reason! .. This is the introduction to the magic of mandalas.

Chalice for alms

The main symbol of discipleship is the begging bowl.

This cylindrical vessel made of bronze or clay is a symbol of begging, an emblem of detachment. However, the cup has nothing to do with moral inferiority. Like the sacred objects of the Arhats, the state of consciousness should be seen in the alms bowl. One of the main architectural motifs of the Dragon Shwe Pagoda, perhaps the most impressive of all Buddhist temples, is the inverted alms bowl. The inverted bowl in this case is not just the tomb of the liberated adept, but also a reminder of one of the greatest mysteries.

The search for Truth is the process of finding the whole by part. This process involves an acceptance mindset. Although the concept of seeking is the best we know, we are not really seeking Truth. We do not find, but we receive, we receive. All that exists and that lives gives us something. Reality flows all the time in everything that is. The chalice is a universal symbol of the ability to receive. Therefore, a true Buddhist can receive into it only what he needs for one day - and nothing but food. For Asians, rice replaces bread. Christian prayer says: Give us our daily bread for this day. The Buddhist mystic doesn't even ask. He simply carries a bowl with him, and all who feel the prompting of the good law within will share the rice with him.

When other food is offered, the beggar may also accept it. It is said about Buddha Gautama that on the last day of his life on earth, a poor peasant brought and, out of the kindness of his soul, put some of his food into the Buddha's bowl. The peasant was so poor that his food was unsuitable for eating. However, the Enlightened One accepted it and, turning to the disciples, announced to them that the hour of his departure was approaching. Then, knowing that the food was stale, but the best that the peasant had, he humbly ate it and soon died.

The story is obviously allegorical, and its meaning is extremely simple. To receive the Law means to be full. The Law is given to us through everything that surrounds us, and whenever and under any circumstances we can comprehend the Law and achieve liberation. Everyday experiences, problems of life, karma and dharma - everything should be unconditionally accepted into the open bowl of consciousness. Nothing but food can be taken into the bowl, but who decides whether what is received is food or not? Eventually, the experience is perfected in the Fa. The one who has attained liberation turns the bowl over. When the Law is understood, the time to receive is coming to an end. But before that, a monk in a yellow robe walked under the roads of the world, carrying with him a chalice for alms.

Concentration practice

Read this section several times, delving deeply into its content and trying to avoid possible ambiguity. The fact is that the author cannot know in advance the places that will be misunderstood, although any misunderstanding casts doubt on the success of the entire practice.

Concentration should be done at specific times of the day, with particular attention to regularity and duration. Comprehension cannot be achieved by any tricks, and therefore the duration of the studies does not matter. The student should concentrate once a day for no more than five or ten minutes. Truth is timeless. Therefore, it is advisable to practice concentration for five minutes a day, especially since the number five has mystical associations with the control of the five senses. You can choose both morning and evening time to perform the exercise. The middle of the day or night is less preferred, especially for beginners. Day and night are the embodiments of yang and yin respectively; the transition time between them turns out to be the most appropriate.

When the time and place is chosen, it is important to achieve the appropriate state. The ability to focus should be developed through simple, direct, and non-violent methods. Under no circumstances should the mind be immersed in emptiness. The student should also not wait in the hope that thoughts themselves will flow in the right direction. The law does not immediately fill in the forms. First, the artist must paint a picture of the Law.

Choose the appropriate symbol. This symbol will become your mandala, and it will take a long time to work with it. Do not be discouraged if it takes you many months to clarify its meaning. Do not change the symbols too often, and never pass from one to another until the Law is revealed in him.

(((Picture, p. 93. It says :)))

[Chinese print of Buddha preaching the doctrine of enlightenment. ]

Any symbol can be the object of concentration, ideal or structure, if only it can be defined. In other words, this symbol should be accessible, if not to the senses, then at least to the mind. Abstract virtues such as goodness, compassion, and altruism are not good symbols for concentration. That is why in oriental schools all virtues are depicted in drawings. The embodiment of Buddhism is Buddha, personifying all the abstract virtues of this teaching. In Christianity, the perfection of virtues is portrayed in the form of the life, self-sacrifice and death of Jesus Christ.

The teacher is not the Law, but testifies to the Law. In concentration, the student cannot direct his attention to the Fa; he concentrates it on some structure or image that embodies the Law. However, you should never take the image for what it represents!

Often, preference should be given to images that symbolically depict one of the areas of life. It is known that a person often finds the Truth in what he is most predisposed to. For a scientist, his books are sacred. A mathematician by vocation finds God in numbers, while an astronomer sees Truth in the stars.

Therefore, as the first structure for concentration, choose some form or object about which you know that it inspires you and to some extent brings you closer to comprehension. Thus, through the gate of the known, you naturally and directly enter the presence of the Knower.

There are no restrictions on the choice of subject. If you find him worthy, he is the embodiment of dignity for you, you can consider him suitable.

As an example, let's assume that we are nature lovers. We draw inspiration and strength from the presence of living plants. In growth we find the Law. Therefore, let's consider one plant as a symbol of growth, remembering that in this case we do not restrict growth, but only concretize it in order to make it tangible for human perception. In this way, we will avoid ambiguity, whims of the imagination and abstract constructions, which lead only to fruitless reflections and short-term conclusions.

Among plants, the tree is one of the noblest and at the same time perfect forms of the plant kingdom. In addition, the tree is an eloquent symbol, as it has been used since time immemorial to represent various forms of human knowledge. In ancient engravings and manuscripts, we find trees of the law, healing trees and trees as religious symbols. Whole peoples are often depicted as trees and their branches. Several ancient philosophies use the tree as a symbol for the entire universe. Reflections on such a topic can serve as a good prologue to focus. They make it possible to realize the greatness of the symbol and its versatility.

Before proceeding to the next chapter, in which the study of concentration continues, it is necessary to dwell on one symbolic object.

Fifth comprehension

The main subject of this chapter is insight, which can be summed up like this: go through the form. Learn to see ideas as essentially formless, yet perceived internally as manifestations of the Law.

When you read books, listen to sermons and contemplate the creations of ancient wisdom, go through their form. Consider the words of Maimonides: In the body of the Law is the soul of the Law, in the soul of the Law is the spirit of the Law. Seek the spirit of teaching. Don't dwell on less.

In everything that happens to you as an incident or circumstance, recognize the symbols of the formless. Realize that all visible and tangible physical objects, all possible forms of knowledge, are in reality a multi-colored fringe on the mantle of Infinity.

Remember the words written in saisky ??? the temple in Egypt: I, Isis, am everything that was, is and will be; no mortal exposed me. Realize that the whole world is one appearance, and comprehend that everyone who enters the holy of holies of the temple must overcome the appearance in all its manifestations. With the sword of illumination, scatter visibility and find the Law.

Pre-training to control the motor activity of the body, over spontaneous and conscious movements helps to concentrate attention, disconnect from the environment and one's sensations. This is especially useful for those who cannot sit still for a minute.

Control over the motor activity of the body. The exercise is performed while sitting or lying down (just not to fall asleep). Its essence is self-immersion. It is necessary to trace the sequence of the appearance of inconvenience, the desire to move, change the posture, rub some part of the body. Minor discomfort will appear at first. It will grow, there will be a feeling of itching, tension, and peristaltic bowel movements may become audible. You need to go through this stage, relaxing more and more.

Control over the muscles of the pyk and legs. In a sitting position, extend your hand to the side at shoulder level, palm down, and closely follow the middle finger, not allowing the slightest movement. Perform one minute for each arm and leg.

Control over the muscles of the whole body. Perform while sitting, look at one point. Relax the muscles of the face, eyes. Breathe rhythmically, slowly, calmly. Relax the muscles of the whole body. Exercise daily for 5 to 10 minutes.

Option - standing with arms outstretched.

Control over voluntary movements. Slowly rotate your thumbs around each other 50 to 100 times, focusing all your attention on this.

Modification of the exercise - very slowly, in turn, unbend the fingers of the hand clenched into a fist, then bend. Attention should be completely focused on movement. It is desirable that the hand first be in the field of view, on the table, for example. You can keep it in your pocket later. For right-handers, pay more attention to the left hand.

This seemingly simple exercise has an amazing effect. Will is strengthened, its role in managing attention increases. For some, this exercise affects even more than the physical training system. The explanation, perhaps, should be sought in the large representation that the hand has in the cerebral cortex.

To develop the ability to disconnect from the environment, yoga uses a system of exercises based on the principle of dominant, when all attention is focused on only one feeling.

Focusing on the visual image. Place an object in front of your eyes at arm's length and focus on it. Consider it for 5 - 10 minutes, highlighting such qualities as color, shape, structure of the material, etc. Try to go so deeply into the process of viewing in order to turn off the other organs of perception. You can complicate the exercise, gradually moving from bright to dimmer colors, from a clear, unusual configuration to more and more expressionless forms.

Focusing on sound. The ticking clock is used for training. First, they are laid side by side, then they are carried further and further. You need to listen to the ticking, count at first to a hundred, then bring the duration of the exercise to 10 minutes. Daily training, according to yogis, develops clairaudience.

Focus on tactile sensation. A coin or other light object is placed on the naked part of the body and attention is focused on the sensation of contact. If there is a feeling of warmth and even burning, the coin is moved. Sometimes zones of energy centers are chosen as places for contact. Additional points are the center of the palms. Over time, you need to learn from just one touch to determine the side of the coin.

Focusing on taste. To do this, first use products with a contrasting taste (salt, sugar, spices, etc.), then move on to less contrasting ones. You need to close your eyes (you can also ears) and try to completely go into the taste sensations, merge with them, feel them with every cell of the body. Train for 5 - 10 minutes.

Focusing on scent. They work with various aromatic substances for 10 minutes a day. The source of the odor is gradually removed. The harshness of the smell is reduced.

After mastering the above exercises, they set directly opposite tasks. One should not see, not hear, not touch. Do not see the clock in front of your eyes, do not hear their ticking, distract yourself from the pressure of the object in contact with the body. Having achieved success, it is no longer difficult to disconnect from the environment, to voluntarily direct focused attention to any object or its individual characteristic.

Additional methods of disconnection include: repeated monotonous repetition of the mantra AUM (mentally or aloud), concentration on the breath with the mental accompaniment of inhalation with the sound of CO, and exhalation with the sound of HAM; performing several series of various Pranayamas with bated breath between each series (Kevali - Kumbhaka); mentally wrapping oneself in a cocoon, impervious to light, sound, smell.

Concentration on an object with visualization is the next step. The Trataka method, discussed in detail earlier, is used. Its essence lies in the alternation of periods of gazing at an object with periods of mental reconstruction of its image. Gradually, the visualization periods increase from several to tens of minutes. Any object can be used as objects for this exercise. The training complication is to reduce their attractiveness.

Concentration on objects of nature is a further complication of the practice. Clouds, blue sky, water surface, stars, moon, nature views are used as objects. The method of concentration, as in the previous exercise, is Tratak.

Concentration on processes eating, walking, doing physical work, talking, etc. expands the range of self-control, trains attention, promotes awareness of oneself and one's habits, and helps to improve.

Concentration on meditative music, like all previous exercises, it is performed in a relaxed state. You need to imagine that music fills your entire being and you gradually "merge" with it.

Concentrating on the thought process consists in the detached observation of the thoughts that arise. Track the beginning and end of each thought. Attention attempting to slip onto other objects gently return.

Concentration training should be regular. Its success is determined not so much by volitional efforts as by preliminary cleansing of the body and mind. An attempt to start with Raja Yoga without first going through the stages of Kriya and Hatha Yoga rarely ends with success. Yogis believe that non-compliance with the requirements of Yama and Niyama clogs the mind and makes mental training impossible. Self-conceit, arrogance, vanity, hypocrisy, falsehood - all these qualities constantly create problems: either a conflict with the authorities, or a sidelong glance from a colleague - everything worries, creates an unfavorable emotional background, leads away from the tasks of self-improvement. Failure to comply with Niyama's requirements sooner or later leads to illness, and then there is no time to train gaze and attention. Only an integrated and consistent approach will lead to victory over yourself.

Meditation

True meditation is a special state of immersion in something observed or performed. Images and thoughts, unexpected and startling, come by themselves. True meditation, according to yogis, happens spontaneously. However, it must be prepared, the prerequisites for its emergence must be created, carefully practicing simple controlled forms. Learned separately, they can subsequently be combined into a chain of thought travel. The specific choice of meditation topics, their combination is a problem that they solve independently,

Pendulum. Feel yourself suspended from a rope in space. A piercing darkness all around. For each inhalation and exhalation, there is, as it were, a swing from side to side. The amplitude is more and more. The body is relaxed. Attention to the surrounding stars, nebulae, the feeling of weightlessness. The thread holds the top of the head and goes to infinity. The movement changes to circular. Several laps and thread breakage.

Falling back down. Flakes of fog, static structures sweep by. The flight accelerates in a vertical tunnel. There is no fear, nothing bad can happen. Weight in the body, incredible heaviness. Smooth glide to level flight. Decrease in speed.

Flight. Imagine a blue bottomless sky around. Blooming land below. Feel like a bird. Watch the landscapes passing by below. Go down below. See lakes, rivers, lawns. Find your own clearing.

Nature. See yourself lying on the grass, sand, hayloft, under a tree. Feel the aroma of freshly cut grass. Hear the chirping of grasshoppers, the buzzing of a bee. Feel the sunbeam on your shoulder, chest, forehead and a breath of breeze, feel a pleasant languor, relaxation.

Creek. Imagine yourself lying in the bed of a forest stream. Jets of pleasantly cool, clear water wash over the entire body. Water permeates it, penetrates through, flows through the head, body, legs, first in small streams, then in a stream, taking with it diseases, toxins, fatigue, bad mood, filling it with sparkling purity, joy, energy.

Ray. It seems to fall on the face from above. Sources: moon, sun, your star, all space. Penetrates through the brow into the head, flows down the spine, saturating the entire body with orange (yellow) energy. It spills out through the whole body. Gives a feeling of warmth (coolness).

Option 1. At first, the whole body is filled with energy, its clot accumulates in the coccyx, synchronously with breathing it rises stepwise. When the charge reaches the crown, see a thin sparkling thread in the middle of the spine.

Variant 2. Along the course of the ray, with each inhalation, a sparkling sign, the OM symbol, flows and penetrates into the middle of the head.

Ripple. Feel the pulsation in certain areas, and then throughout the body. Connect it with a ray, a stream.

Dissolution. To see a stream (stream, ray) passing through the body, which carries away diseases, tension. Imagine melting soft tissue. Feel like a skeleton. Dissolve it too. Feel like a complex of emotions and desires. Get rid of them too. Then let go of thinking. To wash the rest of the Soul with the pure coolness of the stream. Re-create yourself in reverse order.

Rose garden. Imagine yourself among blooming rose bushes. Smell them. Pay attention to the most beautiful bud. Carefully observe how, under the influence of your gaze, it begins to slowly open. Imagine a picture of the complete blooming, and then the shedding of the flower. Watch the fall of each petal.

Time and anti-time. Mentally see yourself in the process of any activity. Trace the process over time. Try to reverse impressions without missing any previously seen details.

I am an object. Feel yourself as any object, feel its state, internal structure, relationship with the environment. For example, imagine yourself as a bubble, rising and falling in the rhythm of breathing. Feel the tension of its walls, the emptiness inside, the rope that does not let go of the flight, experience the feeling of weightlessness.

Partner. Imagine your business negotiation partner. Introduce yourself to them. Analyze the situation he is in. Recreate his views, needs and motives. Feel his reaction to your possible proposal.

Meeting. Present the course of the meeting, all those present, their characters, habits, views, attitude towards you and the problem under discussion. Feel the possible options for the development of the situation and the decisions made.

My qualities. See yourself from the side. Assess the merits and demerits. Stably visualize an image or a situation where a negative quality is replaced by a positive one (persistence, benevolence, patience). Perform regularly for 5 minutes before falling asleep.

My star. Imagine yourself lying under the night sky, choose your star. Contemplate it, imagining yourself as a small lake, in the depths of which a star is reflected. Feel kinship with her, the same vibrations, feel her in the depths of yourself. Perform several days in a row.

Everything is unreal. In a crowded place, feel the unreality of what is happening. Look like an outside observer. Repeat during the day several times for 2-3 minutes.

Immersion in your emptiness. Performed before bedtime with closed eyes. Feel like a dark deep emptiness, an entrance to a huge other world. Look into it. Perform 20 minutes for 2 - 3 weeks.

Shiva netra (tantric meditation “third eye). Sit motionless with a defocused gaze, focus on the blue light (10 minutes), close your eyes and gently swing from side to side (10 minutes). Repeat three times.

Nada Brahma Meditation is a classic Tibetan technique. Sitting down, chant the mantra OM (hum). Listen to the rustle of vibrations. Imagine yourself as an empty vessel filled with humming vibrations. Dissolve in them. This stage lasts up to 30 minutes. Then slowly draw a circle with your palms, spreading your arms to the sides from the level of Manipura to Ajna and lowering them. The first 7 - 8 minutes, the palms are facing up (energy release), the next - down (reception). Feel the energy exchange with the Universe. At the third stage - exit after complete relaxation for 15 minutes.

Energy exchange. Standing in front of objects of nature (river, trees, sun, sea, stars, etc.), on a slow breath, imagine that the subtle energy of Prana filling them is passing to you in the form of an inhaled fog. As you exhale, mentally slowly release your energy. It is necessary to evoke admiration for nature, admiration for it. The selection of Prana's colors is intuitive (blue, green, orange, white, etc.). Help with your hands, as in the previous meditation. Exercise calms down, gives strength.

The last three meditations are dynamic. According to Guru Bhagavat Shri Rajneesh, they are more effective than static ones. These exercises are closer to true meditation, which, unlike the preparatory steps, is not accompanied by volitional effort. This is a state of shutdown, trance, in which there is no mental manipulation. It is believed that it harmonizes the energy structure, relieves stress, opens up new horizons of consciousness.

Training rules

1. Conduct training in a calm place. A sharp knock, noise, the appearance of unauthorized persons are unfavorable factors. Over time, meditation becomes possible in all conditions:

2. It is more expedient to carry out meditation in the morning, between 4 - 8 o'clock, in the evening between 19 and 20 and just before falling asleep.

3. Exercise on an empty stomach or no earlier than an hour after eating. In case of severe physical fatigue, emotional overexcitation or illness, it is better to refrain from meditation.

4. Create a ritual of activities (interior, lighting, music, aroma, clothing).

5. Exercise 3 - 5 times a week for 15 to 40 minutes.

6. Excessive variety of topics for meditation is not always beneficial. Better to limit yourself to a small number of them, but update periodically.

7. Evaluate the effect of meditations, choosing the most appropriate for your psychological makeup and temperament. The criterion is freshness, joy, calmness.

Evolution of consciousness

In the Vedas, Upanishads and other sacred books of India, ancient philosophers showed in large strokes the path of man in comprehending the world and himself, running from the material through Manas (reasoning mind), Budhi (Higher thinking) to Brahman itself (Cosmic Mind). The steps of this movement were described in detail by Patanjali, who gave the technique of transferring consciousness to higher levels, the technique of Raja Yoga. It took another two millennia for the Teacher to appear, whose intellect, through this technique, penetrated into the sphere of higher thinking (the Superconscious), studied and systematized it in detail.

Aurobindo Ghosh in the doctrine of integral yoga considered five states of consciousness, of which two belong to the level of consciousness and three to Higher thinking (Superconsciousness). He believed that a person who has acquired a deep concentration of attention, which allows him to enter the state of Samadhi, enters the zone of the Superconscious. Before him, doors open to the unknown, to where the untouched reserves of the body and psyche lie. Aurobindo Ghosh delimited the space of Higher thinking and identified three states: the Illuminated mind, Intuitive and Global.

Illuminated Mind. In the course of yoga training with the acquisition of peace in mental activity and the emergence of the ability to stop reasoning thinking, the manifestation of the Illuminated mind becomes possible. In this state, information flows in the form of an avalanche of images, words of revelation, overwhelming a person. Phrases, rhythms, colors, everything breaks out and with sufficient technical skills can be embodied in music, poetry, painting.

Enthusiasm, surging energy, constant readiness for action are the characteristics of the Illuminated Mind. Talented poets, musicians, painters, writers, and also lovers rise to this level. But this state is not stable. With insufficient readiness of the mind and body, a return to lower levels is possible.

Intuitive mind. Intuition is said to be the remembrance of Truth. Truth, knowledge, information seem to be near, waiting for us to become clearer and more enlightened to see them. In this state, the meaning of concepts, phenomena, objects is concentrated in concise formulations, without a single superfluous word. Enlightenment lasts longer. Major scientists, creators of new sciences and areas of art, philosophers and religious figures rise to this level.

Global mind is the peak that a person reaches very rarely. This is the Cosmic Consciousness, merged with the individuality and the consciousness of the poet. If the walker patiently conquered each step of the ascent so that the lower levels remained connected with the peak, then he can tell what he has attained.

The global mind is the world of gods and the founders of great religions. At this level, the Universal Beauty, Universal Love is cognized. There are no contrasts here. Good and Evil, Love and Hatred are perceived not as denials, but as elements of Cosmic Harmony.

All three stages of the evolution of consciousness represent the Superconscious. However, the threshold of the Superconscious, the boundary of reason, to which every person has ascended, is not the same. For some, the Illuminated mind can hardly be called Superconscious - this is part of their normal state, for others, a simple reasoning mind remains a distant possibility of internal development.

Modern man, having developed the analytical logical capabilities of thinking, often loses the ability to directly, unbiased perception of the environment. He lacks an intuitive comprehension of the essence of things, the ability to non-standard solutions.

Yoga allows you to rise to the level when a person becomes the master not only of the body and psyche, but also of thinking. He acquires the purity of thought, the clarity of its expression, the ability to concentrate at any moment and realistically assess the situation. Capabilities and talents are developed.

Yoga is the path to oneself, the path of comprehending one's "I", the path of serving Humanity. I wish you success along the way. After all, "every person is Shiva and is able to attain His power, developing himself by the methods of yoga" (Garuda Purana).

This chapter gives us a more concrete idea of \u200b\u200bthe practical benefits of the classifications of mental events in the Abhidharma, especially for the practice of meditation. Here we are considering another group of five, “object-defining” events of the mind. The Sanskrit term is "viniyata", which means "detached, balanced, regulated, limited", but in this context it has the meaning of "special" or "determining". Object-defining events of the mind are those in which we interact more specifically with the object of our attention. They define an object in the sense that we define that it will be one and not another object. We are, so to speak, much closer to the object. These mental events are associated with it in a much more lively and even dynamic manner than the omnipresent mental events. The object-defining events of the mind, therefore, are primarily manifested in the context of meditation, which is the process of striving oneself towards a particular object with an ever-increasing force of involvement.

Interest (chanda)

And again Yeshe Gyaltsen begins his presentation with a quote, this time from the Abhidharmasamucchaya: “What is interest? It is the desire to endow the desired thing with this or that special quality, and its function is to lay the foundation for the beginning of tireless efforts. "

So this is chanda. Gunther translates this as "interest", you can also translate it as "eagerness." Before fixing the mind on an object, you say, so to speak, “Let this be the object of my attention,” which implies that you are putting some effort into that particular object. This is undoubtedly especially important in the context of meditation. And it is on the basis of interest that other object-defining events of the mind gradually emerge.

It is important to note that this, the first of the object-defining events of the mind (and also the first of the riddhipads, the four bases of psychic power), is not an omnipresent mental event. Of course, this is not news to most of us: we know very well that zeal or chanda is not always a part of our experience. In fact, unfortunately, you can go through life without showing much zeal for anything. This is what, at first glance, is "equanimity" or "relaxation". Zeal is something that needs to be strengthened and maintained, and it is strengthened in connection with other qualities. First, we need to see the value of the state of meditation. It is this that stimulates interest or eagerness, which is the basis of aspiration or effort, which in turn leads to prasrabdhi, or "holistic enthusiasm."

Zeal, one might say, is the opposite of laziness, since overcoming laziness and developing zeal are closely related. Regarding laziness, Yeshe Gyaltsen quotes the Tibetan master Tsongkhapa: “If we are unable to suppress laziness, which takes pleasure in aversion to meditation practice and rejoices in factors that are not conducive to practice, we quickly lose interest ... physically and mentally, when we do not get tired day and night to direct ourselves to what is positive, laziness is overcome. In order to develop such vigor, it is important to have concentration, which is the enduring cause of the above-mentioned state of alertness, and to make this process continuous. In order to gain the power of concentration, one must have a strong and continuous involvement in concentration. For concentration to be a stable causal factor, we must constantly evoke a firm conviction that engulfs our entire mind, because we have seen the virtues and value of concentration. The understanding of these qualities and the process in that order should be taken as the most important point, because they are clarified and defined in our own experience ("Lamrim Chenmo").

In general, Tsongkhapa states the following here:

A) Laziness must be overcome, since it interferes not only with concentration, but also with the continuity of concentration in meditation.

B) We can say that laziness is overcome only when we do not feel resistance in meditation, day and night aiming ourselves for the good, and constantly feel both mental bliss and physical bliss.

C) To develop this, we need constant concentration - that is, we need to constantly engage in this practice.

D) In \u200b\u200border to actually achieve this level of engagement, we need to constantly evoke a strong conviction of its value during the practice - especially and mainly when concentration falls.

Therefore, laziness means devotion to something that prevents us from dedicating ourselves to something that is of great value and experiencing joy from it. We tend to think of laziness as a lack of zeal, but the Buddhist concept of laziness is completely different - and quite shocking. For Gampopa, for example, the most extreme form of laziness is dedication day and night to defeat enemies and gain money.

Laziness actually means that we are engaged in activities that do not contribute to the emergence of skillful states of mind: our deeds actually prevent us from realizing what we would otherwise be doing. In fact, Tsongkhapa goes even further: laziness, he argues, is the joy of not doing something of the highest value. It implies a kind of self-righteousness and satisfaction with the fact that we are occupying ourselves with inferior things. To overcome laziness, we need to distinguish between what is worthy of attention and what is not worthy of it. This means that we need to think deeply about the consequences of attaining focused states of mind (dhyana): what it means to achieve dhyana and what it means not to achieve it. Zeal (chanda) is based on this and is strengthened in order to resist laziness.

Tsongkhapa's remarks about laziness are especially important, according to Yeshe Gyaltsen, for those who tend to dive so deeply into various discussions and controversies about Buddhist teachings that they miss the point. No matter how conscientiously we study the teachings, if we do not put them into practice, doing this is just another form of laziness. This is not to say that Dharma study and practice are necessarily different things. Study can be a method of practice, as can meditation. After all, study is an aspect of the first of the three wisdoms (listening, thinking and meditating). Laziness creeps in when we do not move on to reflecting and meditating on the teachings we have learned.

Increased interest that lingers on the object (adhimoksha)

"It means clinging to a certain thing just as it was defined, and the role of an increased interest is that it cannot be removed."

Here Gunther prefers to translate adhimoksha, which is sometimes rendered as "determination" or "aspiration", as "heightened interest that lingers on the object." In this context, it has to do with the object of meditation, but in fact this determination can be applied to everything. If the object is the Three Jewels of Buddhism - Buddha, which is the ideal of Enlightenment, the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, and the Sangha, the spiritual community of those who have realized the highest stages of the transcendent path - aspiration is equated with faith (shraddha). While chanda, a firm conviction about the quality and value of higher states of mind, manifests itself in some form at the elementary level of spiritual development, adhimoksha is felt only by those who are truly committed to spiritual life.

Concentration Is the ability to keep attention on the chosen object. concentration is the key to development.

In general, the ability to concentrate is the basis of the life and activity of any successful person, the basis of any achievement. Every person who has achieved something in business, in politics, in studies, in creativity, in sports, in spiritual practices, managed to do this thanks to his ability to concentrate.

Along with the ability to concentrate, the strength of mind and will of a person grows, character is formed. The power of intentions grows. The ability to set goals and achieve them is enhanced.

This article is devoted to the practical aspects of development, and in order to develop something, you first need to understand what it is.

What is concentration

Concentration - a term that is widely used. For practice in yoga or any other developmental system, you need to have a clear idea of \u200b\u200bwhat we mean by this term. A misconception about the subject matter is unlikely to lead to the expected result.

Patanjali in his "Aphorisms" writes (ch. 1, aphorism 9): oral delusion comes from words that have no (corresponding) reality.

Let's try to define the “corresponding reality”.

The story of understanding concentration

For a long time I did not attach importance to what concentration is. However, all the time there was one thought that was somewhat disturbing. Maybe she didn't bother, but somehow she caught on ...

In "Aphorisms of Patanjali" the first aphorism is: "This is the explanation of concentration."

And that's all, period. There is some kind of incompleteness. So it seemed to me.

For a better understanding, I will cite the second aphorism: “Yoga is the retention of the matter of thought (chitta) from exposure in various images (vrittis). (I covered this topic in the article)

Each author translates in his own way. And we must also take into account that the text is ancient. People then spoke and thought differently. More specific. Each word was associated with a specific concept. Accordingly, society and people were different.

Digression on the topic

Let us recall the not so distant eighteenth century, or even the nineteenth. Typical associations: honor, dignity, nobility, duels, honest merchant word, education, high moral and ethical standards, ...

The language was figurative and had a creative power. The words were meaningful and obliging.

The reform of the Russian language after the October Revolution replaced images with phonemes. By the way, this was one of the first laws of the new Soviet power !!! It was very necessary for people to lose the ability to think in images, specifically, creatively. To lose the ability to make decisions. Obedient performers were needed. These things are interconnected - imaginative thinking and the ability to make decisions and act.

As a result, now it is not so common to meet people who are responsible for their words. Understanding what honor or a sense of duty is.

Concentration practice

In the aphorism “this is the explanation of concentration” - each word means a specific concept. This is what explains everything in its place. The word "here" (or "now") means a specific concept, a specific state. And this state automatically arises in certain situations - when we observe something unusual.

Let me explain. Let's imagine, for example, that your pet cat suddenly spoke in a human voice. What will happen to you at this moment?

At least two things:

-You will be numb for a while, both literally (you won't be able to speak) and in your thoughts (thoughts will stop, they will freeze);

-You will be surprised.

To master concentration, it is necessary to learn to consciously enter the described state.

Patanjali, in his first aphorism, gave a clear idea of \u200b\u200bhow what is concentration... It is described by states HERE or NOW .And this is the skill everyone should start with. yoga practitioner(or another system of spiritual development, self-development, ...)

It is no coincidence that this aphorism comes first; it is the key. Login to the system.

Reach all those opportunitiesthat conscious development opens up to a person is possible only in one way - to develop in oneself ability to concentrate.

At the same time, it is important to learn disable uncontrolled internal dialogue. And be able to be surprised. Surprise makes the attention move. With the help of surprise, you can move your attention anywhere - to material objects and subtle, to external and internal. (Slight surprise is enough.)

Exercise to Develop Concentration

Exercise: Observing the hands. (First, preparatory level).

1 - Sit comfortably on the floor or on a chair, head forward, relax;

2-raise your left hand so that the palm is in front of you. Look carefully at the palm of your left hand. In this case, you need to be slightly surprised when examining the palm, and maintain this state of slight surprise during the exercise;

3 - close your eyes, and leave attention on the palm of your hand - try to feel it or see it mentally;

4 - slowly move your palm along an arbitrary trajectory: left, up - down, forward - back. Within reach. At the same time, attention is always on the palm of your hand, the head remains motionless. Try not to think about anything at this time.

If thoughts arise during the exercise, note what those thoughts are and where they come from, and return attention to the palm of your hand. Do not be particularly worried about the thoughts that come, do not pay special attention to them. Just mark them to yourself and keep your palm in the center of your attention.

Over time, your ability to concentrate will increase and thoughts will become less distracting.

The duration of the exercise is from 2 to 5 minutes. Gradually, you can bring up to 10 minutes.

Do the same with the right hand, only now the hand moves to the right.

Important notes:

Exercises to do for a certain time. You can use a timer;

During the exercise, do not strain, the body should remain relaxed, breathing - light, free;

If uncomfortable conditions arise, stop the exercise;

The place should be quiet, calm. Take care that no one distracts you during concentration;

It is enough to do the exercise once a day.

After mastering this exercise, after three to four weeks, you can start more complex exercises.

Mastering and regularly doing this one exercise alone can have a significant impact on your life and your activities.

P.S.A person's ability to focus is at the core of any successful activity.... The ability to focus forms the character of a person, his will and determination.

Write your review.

Concentration. Ernest Wood. Do you want to be successful in life? Do you want to take action to ensure that this success is yours? Do you want to make a choice and say to yourself: I want to be rich; I want to be famous; I want to be virtuous. Allow your imagination to revolve unhindered around your chosen thought and watch as this airy hope gradually turns into a real opportunity. Give a free swing to your imagination, because more beautiful than any picture drawn by the imagination will be the future to which a person with a strong will has the right. After drawing in your imagination what you have chosen, tell yourself: I want. And there is nothing on earth, nor in heaven, nor in the waters, nor under the earth that could prevent you for a long time, for you are immortal and the whole future is obedient to you.

Read the book Focusing Online

SUCCESS IN LIFE

Do you want to be successful in life? Do you want to take action to ensure that this success is yours? Do you want to make a choice and say to yourself: I want to be rich; I want to be famous; I want to be virtuous. Let your imagination run unhindered around your chosen thought and watch as this airy hope gradually turns into a real opportunity. Give a free swing to your imagination, because more beautiful than any picture drawn by the imagination will be the future to which a person with a strong will has the right. After drawing in your imagination what you have chosen, tell yourself: I want. And there is nothing, neither on earth, nor in heaven, nor in the waters, nor under the earth, that could prevent you for a long time, for you are immortal and the whole future is obedient to you.

Perhaps you will say that death will block your path? It will not happen. Would you say that poverty or illness or friends can become a hindrance to you? It will not happen. It is only necessary to make a choice and then never again desire anything. You must not desire, but say "I want," and really want, constantly, in thoughts and actions, and not in words alone. And from now on, you should never change your goal for a minute, directing along the way to it everything with which you will come in contact from now on. And then, if only the chosen goal is not harmful, it will be achieved by you in the near future.

Are you talking about the insignificance of a person lost in the bends of the huge mother earth, which itself, in turn, is only a speck of dust among infinite space? This is not true. You talk about weakness and fatigue, about insanity, about the pleasures and accidents of life - how they limit and press the little person. This is not true. The body is just clothes, and the feelings are just holes in the body cover, and when the body is calm, and the senses are obedient and the mind contemplates your immortal possibilities, then a window opens inside you and through it you see and know that you can become only what you yourself want to be, and nothing else.

Like a tiny grain buried in the ground, which bursting through, releases a delicate sprout that breaks through the ground to come out into the open air, just like it turns into a mighty oak that sows the ground with its offspring, or like a large banyan tree that comes from a small seed and spreading its branches into infinite space in order to give prosperity and shelter to thousands of beings - so you throw away from yourself from now on the first tender, but definite sprout of will and choose what exactly you want to be.

Which will you choose? Do you want power? In that case, let others have more freedom and more power, because you want that for yourself. Do you want knowledge? Then let others become wiser because you have chosen wisdom. Do you want love? Then let others enjoy love, since you yourself can give so much. Thus, your will will be in harmony with the Great Will and the Great Law, and your life will be one with the Great Life, without which lasting success is impossible. What will your funds be? Everything that gets in your way, both small and great; for there is nothing that cannot be applied to achieve your goal. But once again, may all people and all things that will serve you benefit from this service. In this way, your luck will become theirs and the Great Law will be observed.

But no matter what you choose, one thing is necessary everywhere and always - this is the concentration of intention, thought, feeling and action, so that, like a mighty magnet, this concentration could polarize everything that comes your way. In all the tasks of life, it is necessary for good luck. All people who succeeded in business, in public or political life, in art, in science and philosophy, in power and virtue - all of them were distinguished by a steady constancy of purpose and power over their thought, although many of them neglected the Great Law. Was it not always and before, is it not the same now, and will it not be the same in the future, that how much a person's progress depends on himself, it is achieved only by systematic and stable activity, control over desires and concentration of thought, without which progress is unattainable? Reread the biographies and philosophies of significant people of all types, and you will find the same fact in all of them. The Epicurean of ancient times focused his thought on the present and tried to live in harmony with natural laws. He did not allow his mind to dwell with regret in the past or fear for the future. The Stoic focused his attention on objects in his sphere of influence, refusing to distract himself with anything beyond his power and purpose and the gift of wasting his thoughts and feelings. The Platonist strove to focus his mind on the reverent exploration of the mysteries of life. Patanjali, the great teacher of Hindu Yoga, attests that one can attain his true state only through the successful exercise of complete mastery over his mind. The pious ascetic, filling his life and everything around him with rituals and symbols and constantly repeating the names of God in his mind, seeks to evoke ever stronger pious feelings in his soul. A person who succeeds in the sciences is so focused on his goal that he draws knowledge from the most insignificant objects that come his way. Such is the power of thought that with its help all things can be directed towards the intended goal, and such is the power of man that he can subordinate the very power of thought to his will.

Don't we know that indecision, excitement, restlessness, and fuss create physical suffering, weakness, indigestion, and insomnia? Even in these minor circumstances, regular exercise of mind control in its simplest form works like magical healing. This is the best way to get rid of envy, jealousy, frustration, discontent, delusion, self-deception, pride, anger and fear. Without the control of the mind, it is impossible to undertake character building; with it, success is assured. The successful study of anything depends on mental focus, and constant exercise in such concentration greatly increases the reproductive capacity of memory.

Ms A. Besant describes the great effort and successes achieved in concentrating thought in these words:

"The practitioner should begin with great abstinence in everything and strive to maintain an even and bright mood of the mind; his life should be pure and his thoughts chaste, his body should be in complete submission to the soul, and the mind should focus on noble and exalted objects; he should show compassion, sympathy, willingness to help others and at the same time be indifferent to personal troubles and difficulties, he must develop courage, resilience and reverence in himself. Having achieved through successive exercises some control over his mind, so that he can be guided for some time along a certain line of thinking, he must then begin to more rigorously train him by daily exercise in concentration on some difficult or abstract topic or sublime object of reverence.This concentration means unshakable aspiration of thought to one point, not allowing himself to be distracted by external objects neither feelings nor to the mind itself. The mind must be brought to unshakable stability and tranquility, until it gradually learns to distract its attention from the external world and from its body so that the senses are silent, and then the mind will be ready to direct with all the force of its energy, concentrated within, to a certain center of thought. , the highest to which he can rise. When the mind can thus be held relatively freely, then it is ready for the next step; with a strong and at the same time calm tension of will, he can rise above the highest thought accessible to the physical mind, and in this effort he can merge with the Higher Consciousness, freeing himself at the same time from the physical body. "

You can read more about this higher life outside the brain in Madame Besant's valuable Theosophical books. Thus, this life opens up before a person endless prospects of knowledge and power, completely unimaginable for the limited representations of the brain. If you pursue spiritual life through reverent love, you will again encounter the same need to focus on one goal. One ancient scripture says that a devout person should see God in everything and everything in God. Whatever you do, whether you eat, make a sacrifice, give something, or strive for something - do everything as an offering to Him. Only one who has attained concentration can do this. And then what else can he need, since he always contemplates the face of his Father? And for those who knock at the gates of the Holy Way, we find in the recently published book At the Feet of the Teacher an indication that the seeker must attain concentration and control over the mind.