Focus is the ability to direct attention to a chosen area and maintain it for a selected amount of time. Meditation practice relies on this ability and simultaneously develops it. Below, we'll explore general recommendations on how to improve concentration, as well as the influence of meditation on this ability in the context of scientific research on the human brain.
Swami Sivananda: "To a certain extent, everyone has the capacity for concentration, but for the spiritual path, this ability must be brought to perfection."
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, concentration is called "dharana." This word comes fr om the root "dhar," which means 'to hold.' Dharana is the holding of attention on a single object.
After this stage, the following deeper states of consciousness are possible: dhyana, the state of meditation, and samadhi.
Concentration is the foundation of meditation, and meditation is the path of spiritual development.
In the teachings of the Buddha, concentration on a single object is the basis of "shamatha" meditation. This word signifies a serene, calm state of mind that arises from prolonged concentration. Shamatha is the foundation for vipassanā—insight into the nature of phenomena.
Below, you will learn about what contributes to concentration and the preliminary conditions for practice. Let's consider the components of lifestyle.
Sleep and Daily Routine
Adequate sleep is essential for the ability to concentrate. The hormone melatonin, which is an antidote to stress and fatigue, is produced primarily in the evening hours after sunset and at night during sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to slower thinking processes and reduced concentration.
To improve sleep, it is recommended to avoid using a computer or phone for three hours before bed. These devices emit light in the blue part of the spectrum. This light stimulates the retina and hinders the secretion of the melatonin. It's important to sleep in a sufficiently dark room at night.
The solution to this issue involves switching the display to a warm light mode and using a lamp with a similar light in the evening.
Various factors influence sleep quality. Your psychological and energetic state before bed is important. Engaging in any spiritual practice before sleep is highly beneficial. Regarding meditation before sleep and after waking up, please read here.
Nutrition
The human brain needs certain essential fatty acids, so a low-fat diet can impair concentration.
The following are beneficial for concentration:
- Nuts,
- Seeds (rich in trace elements),
- Olives,
- Berries (especially blueberries),
- Avocados,
- Coconut oil,
- B vitamins, especially B12,
- Clean water.
For nutrients to be absorbed, not only is a complete diet important, but also the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Keep in mind that the condition of a person's gut and their thinking are closely connected. Many people notice how much clearer their consciousness becomes after putting their bodies in order through healthy eating. To explore this issue further, it's beneficial to familiarize yourself with literature on the gut-brain connection.
Yoga
One ancient yoga method for developing concentration is trataka, or candle gazing. This method is excellent preparation for meditation.
The traditional posture for meditation promotes concentration. Therefore, if you want to learn to control your mind and develop concentration, it's worth freeing up the body through hatha yoga to maintain good physical condition and develop the ability to sit in a meditative posture with crossed legs. According to preserved knowledge about the subtle energetic physiology of humans, when the body is in this position, the flow of energy in the subtle channels changes its usual direction. Consciousness ceases to gravitate towards more mundane things related to maintaining the body, and as a result, the mind, freed from this level, can be more focused. Read more about meditation postures.
Reducing Distractions
To improve concentration, it's beneficial not to overload your inner world with information that is entertaining or unnecessary.
An abundance of information and frequent switching of attention from one area to another (for example, purposeful activity interspersed with periodically checking social media) are reasons for worsening concentration.
Gathering attention into a single beam directed at one object is significantly easier if the inner world is free from a large number of disordered impressions settled in the subconscious.
Therefore, the first thing to do to develop concentration is to reduce the intake of unnecessary information and become attentive to what the senses perceive—what one sees, hears, and observes. You could call this "mental hygiene."
During meditation, there is a possibility that accumulated impressions will surface in consciousness, creating distractions. With practice, concentration will become increasingly stable. Because practitioners of the past experienced a similar gradual development of attention stability, they documented stages of concentration. These stages are described in various ways; one surviving concept is the stages of shamatha. To develop concentration, it is also important to arrange information breaks: put your phone in airplane mode or simply not use it for a while, giving your attention the opportunity to be free from unforeseen distractions.
A Stanford University study concluded that when the brain frequently switches from one area to another, returning to the original task, its concentration decreases.
According to Clifford Nass, cognitive control allows us to focus on a chosen area and maintain it, resisting distractions. This ability is harmed by multitasking. However, when it comes to breaks in the work process, short meditations improve concentration immediately afterward.
In 1987, His Holiness the Dalai Lama founded the Mind & Life Institute, an organization whose goal is "to promote flourishing by integrating science with contemplative practice." The activities of this organization contribute to scientific research that documents the effects of meditation on the human nervous system. The results of this research help us understand how the brain responds to meditation. Since 2004, with the participation of hundreds of scientists, the Summer Research Institute meetings have been held. Thanks to the work of this institute, many scientists have shown interest in meditation and have published hundreds of articles on the topic.
Most studies (some of which will be mentioned below) indicate that regular meditation practice changes brain activity and psychological state for the better, improves concentration, and strengthens memory. Thanks to meditation, the brain is capable of change. The longer a person meditates, the more stable the positive changes become.
You can find a detailed review of the research in the book Altered Traits by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson.
The authors are leading researchers on the effects of meditation on the brain. By "altered traits," they refer to the phenomenon of positive structural changes in the brains of long-term meditators.
Brain Structure
The brain is the crown of the human nervous system. Brain activity is related to cells called neurons. Like trees, these cells have a trunk and branches that are directed towards each other and "transmit messages" among themselves and other nerve cells located throughout the body.
Connections are formed upon contact between neurons. These connections are the material embodiment of the "habits of the mind" that are characteristic of a person. The ability to replace old neural connections with new ones is called neuroplasticity. This is an important property, thanks to which new positive experiences can create new neural connections, replacing old destructive habits. Regular meditation can be such an experience.
Meditation is a practice capable of changing a person's mental habits in a positive direction at the cellular level.
Three main groups of neurons can be distinguished by function.
- The first division: the brainstem (commonly called the reptilian brain)—this area is responsible for basic survival principles, for bodily functions such as breathing, circulation, heartbeat, and metabolism.
- The second division: the limbic system—associated with attachment and emotions. Two important structures are located here: the hippocampus (which plays a role in forming memories of lived experiences and emotional reactions based on them) and the amygdala.
- The third division: the cerebral cortex—balances the activity of the second. This area is associated with a rational view of reality, planning, and analysis. This section is responsible for attention, the ability to draw conclusions, and self-control.
The ability to communicate between different parts of the brain is responsible for concentration.
Meditation helps to strengthen this communication, increasing the interconnection between divisions.
When people engage in single-pointed concentration meditation, their ability to concentrate in life improves. This idea is supported by various studies in this field. One of the first was conducted by Professor Amishi Jha at the University of Miami.
The conclusion of her scientific work: mindfulness of breathing meditation has a beneficial effect on the brain's ability to abstract from distractions and maintain attention on a chosen object.
- Mindfulness of breathing is the practice of anapanasati meditation, transmitted by the Buddha. Learn more about anapanasati meditation.
Her research confirms that the neural connection responsible for concentration can be "trained."
Another study on meditation and the development of attention skills was carried out by Clifford Saron, Ph.D., and experienced practitioner and meditation teacher Alan Wallace.
A three-month retreat was organized for volunteers, which allowed researchers to study the state of the practitioners before, one month into, and five months after the event. Participants showed a sustained improvement in concentration.
One valuable conclusion of this study: "meditation improves inhibitory control," meaning a person gains the ability to be more aware of their behavior, can analyze arising desires and not follow them, and can manage themselves to a greater extent.
- It is no coincidence that concentration of thought is a practice of all the Saints of the past. Alan Wallace: "Christian contemplatives centuries ago knew that a wandering mind easily succumbs to temptations. And Buddhism recognizes that an unsteady mind easily falls prey to confused states that lead to harmful behavior. If a person manages to divert attention from harmful habits, they have the opportunity to transcend them."
One of the first studies on the topic of meditation's influence on the brain is a 2005 work by Sara Lazar.
According to Lazar's research, with prolonged meditation, certain areas of the brain begin to increase in volume. These are the insula, somatomotor areas, portions of the prefrontal cortex, and areas responsible for self-control: areas of the anterior cingulate cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. The degree of increase is directly related to the duration and regularity of the practice.
The prefrontal cortex is the area associated with concentration, so from this research, we can conclude that meditation contributes to its development.
According to research by Tania Singer at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, "Different meditations promote different anatomical effects. Brain changes occur only with prolonged practice of one chosen method of meditation."
According to the testimony of the participants in the three-month retreat, regular personal meditation practice after the retreat, one hour each day, contributed to positive changes.
If we turn to the cultural and spiritual heritage of humanity, we will see that people who reached certain heights in their field possessed the same ability—they were able to engage in their chosen work for significantly longer periods than is customary. These people were able to maintain quality concentration on their chosen field for an extended time.
It took the Italian sculptor and painter Michelangelo four years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the enormous cathedral, meaning engaging in the same task, requiring constant concentration and physical effort, for many hours day after day. How did he manage this?
While working on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo did not participate in social gatherings of the masters of his time, wore the same clothes, spoke little, and led an ascetic lifestyle. His focus, his concentration, was possible because he knew how to lim it himself in all other spheres of being. Abstraction from the external allows one to increase concentration and minimize time wasted on secondary matters.
The ability to concentrate relies on freedom from desires that divert attention from the chosen area. For concentration to be possible, the activity a person is engaged in must be prioritized over all other activities.
In yoga, there is the concept of "Ishvara pranidhana" — dedicating the fruits of one's actions to the Highest. When a person engages in any activity with the thought that this activity is an offering to the highest, it significantly contributes to the realization of this activity in the best possible way. Concentration is the "brush." It is important what the "painting" will be.
The perfection of the Spirit is everyone's main occupation. May you always can engage in self-improvement, to practice yoga and meditation, developing the ability to concentrate. This is the best gift to yourself and the world around you.
Light-filled practices!