Practice with the purpose of purifying and liberating the mind, not for personal achievement, pride, or unrealistic expectations. This prevents frustration and supports deep concentration, abandoning unwholesome states like anger, aversion, and selfishness.
Approach deepening concentration by working with and purifying the mind of any obstacles or hindrances, such as desire, aversion, anger, or self-criticism. This frees the mind, allowing concentration to arise naturally rather than through forced effort.
When hindrances (like desire, aversion, or self-criticism) arise, be mindful of them and how they manifest in your body and mind. This ‘deals with’ them by settling and dissolving them, preventing them from becoming distractions.
Cultivate a continuous stream of mindfulness to gradually wear away hindrances and distractions. This steady presence creates the conditions supportive of deep concentration.
Repeatedly ask yourself, ‘What’s the attitude in my mind right now?’ during meditation. This helps you become aware of underlying agendas, such as trying to force an outcome or seeking personal achievement, allowing them to dissipate over time.
Actively question any attachment to the concept of self by examining what you identify with or believe you possess or control (e.g., body, feelings, thoughts). This helps unravel the delusion of a solid, permanent self.
Strive for a balanced effort in your practice, avoiding both excessive forcefulness and excessive laxity. The goal is to be fully engaged yet relaxed, which supports sustained attention.
Base your concentration practice on virtue by considering how you act, speak, and think in daily life. Unskillful engagement with the world (lack of virtue) leads to mental restlessness and hinders concentration.
If you experience restless agitation during meditation, mindfully examine if it stems from unvirtuous actions, speech, or thoughts. Acknowledge these and work to cultivate more virtuous conditions to settle the mind.
In your daily meditation, predetermine a specific period (e.g., 15 minutes) to focus solely on a single object like the breath or a particular perception. This strengthens your ability to direct and sustain attention.
Understand the difference between various types of samadhi and distraction, then skillfully choose your meditation object and the way you attend to it (e.g., open awareness vs. fixed focus) to support your specific aim.
Engage in open awareness practices where you are mindful of whatever is dominantly arising in the present moment, allowing your attention to move between different perceptions (e.g., sounds, body sensations, thoughts). This develops a type of concentration (kanaka samadhi) where objects change but the mind remains undistracted.
To cultivate deeper absorption, narrow your field of attention to a single, fixed meditation object, such as the breath (as a mental concept, not changing sensations) or loving-kindness phrases. This opens the possibility for a different kind of samadhi (apana samadhi).
Develop a continuity of mindfulness to naturally cultivate and strengthen the five intensifying factors: directing attention, sustaining attention, joy, pleasure, and one-pointedness. These factors support deeper concentration without needing to consciously force them.
If pursuing jhana practice, understand its purpose is to sharpen and clarify the mind, making it ‘fit for insight,’ rather than merely for temporary pleasure or attachment to blissful states. This transforms the mind and provides energy for deeper wisdom.
Engage in jhana practice with a ‘right view’ and understanding, seeing it as a practice of letting go and purification, not for reinforcing self-identification or attachment to achievements. This prevents the pitfalls of craving or conceit.
Beginners should first develop strong skills in mindfulness and focusing their energy before attempting jhana practice. This foundational work helps balance effort and reduces hindrances, making deeper concentration more accessible.
Practice the path towards jhana for its inherent value in deepening samadhi and refining understanding of the mind, even if full jhana attainment isn’t immediately achieved. The journey itself is profoundly enriching, leading to deeper concentration.
If accustomed to open awareness, learn the specific skill of holding a meditation object steadily and without allowing attention to wander to changing experiences. This is crucial for allowing the mind to absorb into a fixed object, a prerequisite for jhana.
When lost in distracting thoughts (planning, ruminating, embellishing), first be mindful of them. Then, actively ’talk back’ by mentally stating ‘No, I’m not going to think that now’ or by questioning the truthfulness of the thoughts to disengage from the distraction.