Yesterday we spoke about the intellect and how important it is on the journey. We said that the intellect comes from the sixth centre or the brow centre. In awakening this centre you will find that the power of the intellect becomes greater, as the intellect is able to see in a more expanded space.

A multi-functional tool on the journey

The “Intellect” is a very important subject so I am going to spend some more time on it. The intellect is your most important instrument or tool on the journey because it allows you to reason, make decisions, and to plan. Coming from this sixth centre which is an energy centre, awareness centre, centre of action, is also the power of concentration, power of attention, centre of vision, creativity, intuition. It is also the centre of will that involves the mind, the greatest centre of the ego from where the ego gets most of its power. It is a very important centre to understand and to develop.

Energetically, when you begin to focus on this centre of the eyebrows, you can feel it as an energy field. You may see visions or colours there. You may feel an energy pull as though some force at the eyebrow centre is pulling inward to a focus. As you focus on that, you will find that the intensity of the pull becomes greater and it draws your mind into one place, into focus in a very natural way.

Projecting energy through the eyes

It is also a place from where you can project thought into the space. You can feel that when you say something or think something it is transmitted or projected. So you can focus on this point and also project energy into the space. You will feel that there is a projecting power there that is also associated with the eyes. You are able to feel a power in the eyes coming from this point between the eyebrows. You know well how we can communicate powerfully, energetically, subtly through the eyes. The eyes have been described as the “windows of the soul”. If you look deeply into the eyes of someone you can actually see into their being.

Concentration - an important skill on the path

Today, however, I will focus on the power of concentration, and the reason why I am doing this is because it is an important skill to develop on the spiritual path. We find ourselves with short attention span, restless or inattentive minds losing our power of concentration in certain environments. When we are drawn to be absorbed in something or to focus, concentration may come naturally. However, in challenging situations where we need it and we are not drawn to concentrate, like a difficult task we find it difficult to apply the power of concentration. It is a skill that has been developed by those who train the mind.

The way of concentration

It is extremely important on the path of total development to be able to concentrate properly, so much so that Patanjali, the one who is considered to be the father of the Science of Yoga, describes three steps that involve concentration. In Sanskrit this is called dharana meaning concentration.

Dharana

When you apply your attention to an object, it is called dharana. Patanjali went further on to say that dharana can be developed into dhyanam.

Dhyanam

This is an unbroken stream of focus. It is described as a flow of oil. If you were to pour oil or water, you will see a difference. The water may be scattered, but the oil pours in an unbroken stream. So concentration in an unbroken stream is called dhyanam.

Samadhi

When you become absorbed in the object of concentration; when there becomes an intimate relationship with the object of concentration, so that the object of concentration is achieved, we may describe this process as becoming one. This is when subject and object become one. You feel complete oneness with the subject. That is called samadhi.

There are dharana, dhyanam and samadhi. It is described in yoga as the way of concentration.

Applying the skills

Concentration belongs to the centre of the intellect – the sixth centre. It is something that you can develop, and you need it. In listening, for example, if a story is interesting it absorbs you and so you are listening intently. In a very natural way the listening happens and you are focused. But what about when the topic is not interesting but you need the information? This, of course, happens many times. The person is not able to grab our attention, but we need to be focused. It is then that we have to apply skills to stay there.

We need to know how to do this, and this comes as a matter of practice. In listening we need that focus. In healing if we want to heal our body of ailments, we need to use the power of attention and intention. We need to focus on that specific part of the body, and be able to influence the body through the power of intention: “I am healed. My body is healing.” If we create a vision for ourselves, which I think we all should do, we look into the future and say, “This is what I want to be. This is what I want to achieve.” We then need to have the focus to hold this vision so it becomes a part of our being; our entire being vibrates with this vision. That requires sustained focus, that we are able to hold a vision in our mind in a sustained way. That requires the power of attention and focus.

Meditation – the place to practice

I see in so many ways how people lose focus easily. When you sit for meditation, I see how you begin very nicely but after a while I see the body would slump; I see the head would drop. Some may even begin to nod away, and I wonder where the focus is? Yet with some I see the continuous awareness of staying in that place. With others you may see shifting. You know they are there and trying to sit properly, but the mind is moving and they have no control.

So meditation is the place where you begin to learn to focus. Throughout the meditation your goal should be: to be constantly focused. This is the place where you practice. Your goal should be “If I am meditating for ten minutes, I want to be completely focused.” I say it is a practice, which means that when you begin you are not expected to be perfect. Concentration will be interrupted; your attention span will be shorter; but each time you stray you need to be able to catch it. There must be a certain amount of alertness, and here is where the intellect comes in.

Become alert to distractions

You need to be alert when you sit to meditate or when you are focusing. You need to be aware of when you are distracted, and not accept distraction. As soon as you are distracted, pull yourself back and apply yourself again, in focus. That’s what practice is: coming back again and again to the point of focus. If you begin to do that you will see that you get better and better at it. And after a while you will be able to stay in focus for the full length of the meditation. That’s where you get the greatest benefit.

Experience the beauty of your practice
The intellect can help you to do that and to do it consistently, and after a while it will come naturally to you. When concentration becomes strong, powerful and unbroken, you will begin to experience the beauty of the contemplation of whatever you are focused on. If you are focused on an affirmation, you will feel the power of the affirmation. You will feel so happy that you have achieved the goal of the concentration. The affirmation is keeping you energized. If it is a prayer, you can actually feel you are in the heart of the prayer; that the prayer is so powerful it is recharging your entire being, and you feel so full of faith.

Enjoy the connectedness

If you listen to someone in a practical sense, when your focus is complete you will feel that you are a part of the person. You can see exactly what the person is saying and feel it completely. There is a oneness between you and the person; there seems to be no gap. When that focus really develops, even if you are in the midst of nature, you can feel a part of it. You feel connected to it. If you apply your focus or concentration to anything, you will immediately begin to feel that you can connect.

The Secret revealed

This is, therefore, an extremely important skill that we need to develop in life itself; not only in meditation and spirituality, but in life. Then you are able to feel that connectedness with whatever you are focused on. In a spiritual sense when you apply this focus inside and you are able to connect with your Higher Self, and to feel that rapturous connection, that joyous connection, that’s what we call samadhi: the inner ecstasy, the super -consciousness.

This teacher of yoga therefore thought it was very important to follow the steps of concentration and to identify the goal. Dharana the beginning, when it’s broken. Dhyanam when it’s unbroken; and samadhi when there is absorption, or unity with the object of concentration.

I leave you with this today but with: the importance of concentration, the ability to concentrate on the journey, the knowledge of practice and that practice makes perfect, and that the goal is absorption in the object of concentration. And of course, meditation being the place where you begin the practice. This allows you to hold the mind, the thoughts, in focus.