by The essence of mental concentration
This exercise naturally follows the two previous meditations. We can now focus on a single point after learning to observe the flow of thoughts and manage their use by applying them solely to the task at hand.
Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. Choose a thought related to an object, symbol, idea, or anything that comes to your mind at that moment. Focus solely on this choice and ignore any unrelated thoughts. For example, if you select an object, visualise its shape, colour, and how it is used. If you choose a symbol, explore the thoughts and connections it evokes, examining the various branches of meaning associated with it.
In contrast to the previous exercise, this one emphasises the sequence of ideas generated by the chosen thought. The first mental exercise taught us to maintain emotional detachment from the flow of thoughts. Now, we need to apply this same principle to the background noise that accompanies our attention as we focus on a specific theme.
The most common mistake is trying to eliminate parasitic thoughts forcefully. When we do this, we inadvertently focus on the obstacles rather than on our object of interest, causing the mind to become distracted by secondary pathways. If we think of our focus as a frequency increase, irrelevant thoughts can be likened to disturbances in lower frequencies; they are always present but do not interfere with our higher attunement. Gradually, this allows our centre of attention to remain unhindered by intrusive thoughts. When distractions arise, it is enough to gently redirect our attention back to our chosen thoughts by raising our frequency without worrying about isolating the background noise, which will fade away on its own.
According to Bardon, the ability to concentrate may initially last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Consider the exercise complete once you can focus for at least ten minutes. This should take no more than one to two weeks to achieve.
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