To see how Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration help each other in the practice, we can look at the three stages of mindfulness practice given in the Foundations of Mindfulness Sutta.

Take the body as an example. The first stage is to keep focused on the body in and of itself, putting aside greed and dis­tress with reference to the world.

What this means is taking the body as a body, without thinking about it in terms of what it means or what it can do in the world. It could be either good or bad look­ing.

It could be strong or weak. It could be agile or clumsy—all the issues we tend to worry about when we think about the body.

The Buddha says to put those is­sues aside. Just be with the body in and of itself, sitting right here. You close your eyes—what do you have? Try to stay with it. Keep bringing the mind back to this sense of the body until it gets the message and begins to settle down.

In the beginning of the practice you find the mind going out to grasp this or that, so you note it enough to tell it to let go, re­turn to the body, and hold on there. Then it goes out to grasp something else, so you tell it to let go, come back, and latch onto the body again.

From that point on, what­ever else that happens to come into your awareness is like something coming up and brushing the back of your hand. You stay with the body as your basic frame of reference. This is when you really have established the body as a solid frame of reference.

As you do this, you develop three qualities of mind. One is mindfulness sati. The term mindfulness means be­ing able to remember, to keep something in mind. The second qual­ity, alertness sampajañña , means being aware of what is actually going on in the present.

Are you with the body? Are you with the breath? Is the breath comfort­able? The third quality, ardency ātappa , means two things. One, if you realize that the mind has wandered off, you bring it right back.

To do this, you have to learn about how things arise and pass away in the mind, not by simply watching them, but actually getting involved in their arising and passing away. In the first stage, he says to be aware of the hindrances as they come and go.

The same with the coming and going of sensual desire, ill will, etc. in the mind: You have to try to maintain a fixed reference point for the mind—like the breath—if you want to be really sen­sitive to when there are hindrances in the mind—getting in the way of your ref­erence point—and when there are not.

Suppose that anger is interfering with your concentration. You look at the anger as an event in and of itself—as it comes, as it goes. In the course of dealing with it, you have to get your hands dirty. And this requires that you improvise. The mind is so embarrassed about that, it tries to hide from you.

You gain a lot of understanding into the anger that way, and this can really weaken its power over you. So you try to fig­ure out how they come, how they go. You do this by consciously trying to main­tain that state of mindfulness and con­centration.

You do want to succeed, but you need a balanced attitude toward failure and success so that you can learn from them. To learn about eggs you have to put them in a pan and try to make some­thing out of them.

As you do this long enough you begin to understand that there are variations in eggs, and there are certain ways that they react to heat and ways that they react to oil or butter or whatever. And so by actually working with the egg and trying to make some­thing out of it, you really come to understand eggs.

There has to be a factor of actual participation in the process. That way you can under­stand it. We spend an enormous amount of time distracted or worried with the way we look — our hair and make-up, how we dress and so forth.

We get sick; the body ages. This incorrect mindfulness is what we need to get rid of. We have to let go of the idea that our hair is the most important thing ever, or that we always have to be completely color-coordinated, and this will bring us happiness.

Thinking too much about it just wastes my time and prevents me from concentrating on something more meaningful. Here we are talking about the feelings of unhappiness or happiness, which are ultimately connected to the source of suffering.

Similarly, when we have a bit of happiness, you really have a thirst for more. This is basically the source of problems. When we regard unhappiness as the worst thing in the world, it creates problems with concentration. This can happen when meditating and you start to feel really good, and you become distracted by how wonderful it is.

The fourth one is in terms of our mental factors, like intelligence, kindness, patience and so forth. Or with guilt, we get stuck on the mistake we made. Right mindfulness is to know that moods change, because they arise through causes and conditions, which themselves are always changing; nothing stays the same forever.

We have the ability to do that, otherwise half of us would never get up in the morning! In general, mindfulness is actually very important. It prevents us from forgetting things. If there are things we need to do, correct mindfulness helps us to concentrate on it. Mindfulness has to do with remembering, so you might remember that your favorite television program is on tonight.

But this is holding onto something that is not so important, which then makes you forget other stuff that is more important. If we are following some sort of training, there is the correct mindfulness to hold on to it. My older sister visited me for a week recently.

And we both get upset. So I had to remind myself that she was giving me that advice because she cares for me, not because she wants to make me angry.

So before we meet family members, we can stay mindful of our motivation , which means:. The first step is to acknowledge this, and appreciate their concern.

That makes us very tense before the dinner! So we turn this around with correct mindfulness, thinking of it as an opportunity to see how they are, and a chance to respond in terms of the situation as it unfolds, without the preconceptions.

All of this is based on a caring attitude, where you care about the effect of your behavior on yourself and others. Why should we care? Your mother and father are human beings.

And we all want to be happy. No one wants to be unhappy. The way we behave and speak toward others affects their feelings, so we should care about how we act. We need to examine ourselves and our motivation. The best reason for being mindful and maintaining mindfulness is that we care about others, based on a caring attitude.

The third aspect from the eightfold path that we apply for concentration is called right concentration yes, concentration itself. Concentration is the actual mental placement upon an object.

But to first get the hold on the object is what concentration is all about. We use attention to bring concentration to something. We are now so used to things changing so quickly, and to looking at one thing after another, that we get bored very easily.

Having that type of concentration — just a few moments on this, a few moments on that — is an obstacle. One of the main obstacles is that we want to be entertained.

This goes back to wrong mindfulness, thinking that temporary pleasure will satisfy us, instead of create further thirst. Social scientists have found that the more possibilities there are of what we can do and look at — and the Internet offers this, unlimited possibilities — the more bored, tense and stressed we actually get.

If you do have good concentration, then you can concentrate on this, and then on that; but only one at a time, without being distracted. This is much better for concentration.

It is, however, very challenging. As for me, I deal with a huge amount of different tasks with the website and the different languages and so forth.

So many things are coming at the same time. Anyone who works in a complex business has the same thing. But concentration can be developed in stages. Ridding ourselves of obstacles to concentration is quite wide ranging.

We can and should also do this with ourselves, as it will help us to develop our concentration. In previous times, the main obstacles to concentration were our own mental states — mental wandering, daydreaming and so on.

Now there is so much more, and most of these come from external sources like cell phones, Facebook and email. It actually takes effort not to be overwhelmed by it all, and to be able to do this we actually need to recognize the detrimental features of these media.

The most obvious one that many people might have experience of is that attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

For example, instead of thinking that our emotions or thoughts need to be put into a category of right or wrong, practicing mindfulness allows us to accept how we feel in any given moment and allow ourselves a sense of freedom.

As I mentioned earlier, this can help with stabilizing our emotions, such as intense anger, fear, or sadness. Mindfulness helps us achieve growth of new neural networks in the brain.

By growing neural networks, you are essentially rewiring your brain to find better and new ways to handle tasks and cope with stress and emotions. You are also helping yourself increase your focus. Practicing mindfulness has been shown in research to increase gray matter in the brain.

Gray matter holds most of the actual brain cells compared the other structures of the brain. An increase in density may mean an increase in connectivity between the cells, and an increase in two areas known as the pons and raphe nucleus can improve our overall psychological well-being.

A recent study on mindfulness meditation showed that participants had less psychological stress from anxiety, depression, and pain. To me, this makes sense, because while we experience anxiety, we tend to give our thoughts too much power. Our thoughts run our lives, and if they are negative, that becomes overwhelming.

A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital was the first to report changes in density in the gray matter of the brain. In as few as 8 weeks, participants had increased density in the areas of the brain responsible for:. These areas of the brain are known as the posterior cingulate, the temporo-parietal lobe, the hippocampus, and the cerebellum.

As research continues, increases in gray matter density in different brain structures show promise for positive brain changes. These changes can help improve your focus and enable you to remember what you read more thoroughly. To a higher degree, practicing mindfulness may help you to take more control of what you think about, enabling more space for learning new things, remembering what you have just read, and increasing long-term memory.

Of the participants in the study referenced earlier, they were all new to meditation. That means that anyone can start feeling the benefits in several weeks. At first, you might think your practice is actually making you more distracted.

As you learn to concentrate and focus on your breath, you will notice more thoughts because you are aware of them. So it may seem as if a thousand things come to you during this time. But this means your attention is actually working better — you will notice brain wandering and how easily you can get distracted from just sitting and staring at the wall.

Imagine driving to work. You see the same trees, signs, roads, and highways. This is how the brain works. The more you think about something, the more it becomes ingrained into your brain, the more you know no other way. The more you are used to racing, uncontrolled thoughts, the more aware you will need to be in order to stop them.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness meditation: breathing techniques, visualizations, and more. You can find some in my article I wrote earlier this year — Why Mental Breaks Are Important — and here are a few more:.

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness Creates New Connections in the Brain Mindfulness helps us achieve growth of new neural networks in the brain.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction A recent study on mindfulness meditation showed that participants had less psychological stress from anxiety, depression, and pain.

Increase Your Focus in 8 Weeks A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital was the first to report changes in density in the gray matter of the brain. In as few as 8 weeks, participants had increased density in the areas of the brain responsible for: learning and memory processes emotional salience top priority given to certain healthy emotions the ability to take on different perspectives emotional regulation These areas of the brain are known as the posterior cingulate, the temporo-parietal lobe, the hippocampus, and the cerebellum.

New to Meditation? How to Meditate There are many ways to practice mindfulness meditation: breathing techniques, visualizations, and more. The five levels of consciousness are conscious, preconscious, unconscious, non-conscious, and subconscious.

These different stages and levels of consciousness define how our minds and bodies behave and the degree of awareness we experience. Doctors, therapists, and other professionals typically recommend individuals who suffer from chronic pain, mental health illnesses, stress, and anxiety practice meditation as a way to cope and reduce the symptoms of their conditions.

Meditation techniques help patients focus on present moments and their consciousness to respond to their symptoms in a productive and less-critical way.

Not only can individuals feel more relaxed during a meditation session, but it also allows them to reflect more closely on their thoughts and feelings to understand the sensations they have. Consciousness and meditation are closely tied together.

When individuals practice meditation, they are often more attuned and focused on their consciousness in a calmer way. When it comes to meditation, there are different types that can help an individual regain their active consciousness and become more present at the moment.

For example, concentration and mindfulness meditation are two common types of meditations that individuals practice to mitigate the symptoms of stress. The definition of mindfulness meditation is the practice of self-awareness. When your mind and body are mindful of the thoughts and emotions you feel in the moment.

This could be feelings of sadness, fear, happiness, anger, or stress. People that practice mindful meditation also become aware of the things they see, hear, taste, and smell.

For example, the food in the kitchen or the cars on the street. This helps you mitigate some of the stress and anxious thoughts you have. During a concentration meditation session, your mind and body focus all your attention on one thing.

This usually involves focusing on your deep breathing as it enters and leaves your body. Some people also like to focus on a saying or mantra to help them concentrate on their meditation.

A mantra is a phrase that you silently repeat to yourself. When you repeat the mantra to yourself or focus on your deep breathing, you tend to focus less on other thoughts or feelings that could distract you.

These practices help increase the level of calmness and relaxation you feel. The main difference between mindfulness meditation and concentration is what your body and mind focuses on during the session.

The goal is to accept the feelings you have without judging or analyzing them. Concentration meditation focuses on a specific activity that you concentrate on during the meditation session, which helps you get rid of other thoughts. Concentration meditation is a type of meditation that focuses on your attention.

Most people think about meditation as concentrating on specific elements that help ground you and keep your mind in the present. For example, you might be encouraged to focus on your breathing, the pain you feel, the butterflies in your stomach, or a feeling of joy. These feelings remind you of what is happening in the present, which helps you calm your mind and thoughts instead of feeling stressed or worried about the future.

This one thing could be your deep breathing, a sound, or a mantra that you constantly repeat to yourself. Focusing on these single activities help you eliminate all other thoughts or feelings that could distract you during your meditation. Individuals that practice concentration meditation experience many benefits that help them cope with stress and alleviate the symptoms they feel.

Concentration meditation emphasizes attention and focuses on a single object. When your mind concentrates on one thing for a long period, you tend to get rid of any other thoughts or feelings. This helps you focus less on any negative thoughts or emotions you might feel, such as stress, anxiety, and pain.

Instead, your body focuses on an easy and calming activity to help your mind feel less worried. Concentration meditation also helps slow down your breathing. When you feel stressed or anxious, you might feel your heart rate and breathing rate increase. When your breathing and heart rate slows down, your body naturally starts to feel calmer and more relaxed.

This helps you with stress management. Worries are a common cause of stress and anxiety for many people. It can lead to overthinking and fears as the mind thinks ab out different scenarios and possibilities of things going wrong. This makes it harder for your mind to focus on the thoughts that make you feel more worried.