FOCUS
and Meditation
Y
ou may have
lamp. A focus can also be auditory, such
derstanding and use of focus will improve
seen my arti-
as listening to ambient or white noise,
your meditation experience. And remem-
cle in the De-
nature sounds, or music. Worldwide, the
ber, the Awareness Factor in meditation
cember issue of Natural Triad on
most common focus is the use of the
is the other major aspect of the meditation
Meditation and the Awareness Factor. In
breath. The breath is very convenient
equation.
this issue I will address the role of Focus
since it is always with you. You can focus
One last note, keep in mind that all
in meditation. However, for clarity sake
on the movement of the breath, or count
meditations use these three compo-
and as a reminder, I would like to offer
the breath repeatedly up to 10 or 20, or
nents:
this definition of Awareness before cover-
use it in conjunction with other focuses,
1) Focus the mind.
ing Focus. Awareness, in regard to medi-
such as with a mantra or prayer. Your
2) Relax the body.
tation, is the ability to recognize where
focus could be just about anything you
3) Maintain heightened aware-
you are in the progression of conscious-
can readily fix your attention on and bring
ness.
ness. Another way of saying this is --
your attention back to if the mind begins
Awareness helps you monitor your pro-
to wander. Just be sure that what you are
Jacob Felder, RYT is a meditation trainer
gression from busy thinking to relaxation
focusing on does not promote thought or
in the Triad. He developed and teaches
to light meditation to the deeper states of
arousal of any kind.
“The Awareness Approach.” Classes are
meditation. With that said, the subject of
Of course, there is much more to
available in Winston-Salem, Greensboro
this article is Focus and its role in medita-
meditation than this. Therefore, keep in
and Asheboro beginning the week if Feb-
tion.
mind that this is only an explanation of
ruary 15. For more information call
Focus anchors your mind on some-
the aspect of “FOCUS” in regard to
336-407-8602 or e-mail: yogajacob@
thing simple and non-thought provoking
meditation. Beginning with a clear un-
hotmail.com. See ad on page 45.
for the purpose of keeping the mind away
from busy thinking mode. Breaking the
pattern of busy thought soothes and re-
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laxes the mind as well as the body. It is
important to note that focus is used for
short spot meditations lasting only a few
School
minutes, and for light meditations lasting
approximately five to fifteen minutes. Opening!
Focus is also used as a prelude to longer
deep meditations where the focus often
drifts into the background and the medi-
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tation itself becomes the object of your
focus. All focuses involve one or more of Therapy Diploma Program
the following: seeing, hearing, feeling,

observing the stream of consciousness
and observing the breath -- all very simple
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and very natural. Taste and smell can just Advanced Training Program
as well be used as focuses, but are not as
commonly used for the purpose of inten-

tional meditations.
Your focus could be verbal—repeat-
Kneaded Energy
®
ing a word or a short phrase such as a
mantra or prayer out loud or silently. Your
focus could be visual, i.e., gazing at an
School of Massage
object. It could be a still object like a
Enrolling NOW!
flower, or mandala, or a moving object
such as watching fish swim from one side
404 State Street www.kneadedenergyschool.com
of a fish tank to the other or even a lava
Greensboro, NC
336-273-1260
FEBRUARY 2010
29
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