| I was reading an article in an American Medical | | | | you are able count to one hundred without losing |
| Journal a few days ago that talked about how | | | | focus on the first go. Continue to practice this |
| keeping your mind active and improving your | | | | technique till you have mastered it. |
| concentration will help you as you get older. The | | | | Once you have mastered this technique and have |
| focus of the study was looking at how people | | | | control over your focus, the next step is to use |
| aged 70 plus could ensure their minds stay active | | | | the object visualization technique. |
| by improving their concentration. There are simple | | | | The Object Visualization Technique: |
| meditations techniques that you can use to | | | | The object visualization technique is designed to |
| improve your concentration that if you practice | | | | help you visualize an object. To start this |
| regularly will ensure your mind will maintain is | | | | technique, begin your meditation just as you |
| stature. | | | | would any other meditation session. |
| There are two meditation techniques for | | | | The first step is visualizing a common object that |
| improving concentration that are easy to use. The | | | | you know like a flower, a car or a cup. You will |
| first technique is using the number meditation | | | | find that when you first try the object |
| technique; the second technique is using the | | | | visualization technique that using a simple object |
| object visualization meditation technique. | | | | will make life easier to help maintain focus and |
| The Number Meditation Technique: | | | | concentration during the meditation session. |
| The first step in this meditation process is to find | | | | During your meditation session you need to |
| a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes. | | | | visualize the object by literally drawing it with your |
| The potential distractions are a big issue with this | | | | mind. Start with an outline, making sure it looks as |
| technique because you will be challenged by noise | | | | beautiful as possible. Visualize its shape of the |
| both internally and externally. With both of these | | | | object, the color of the object, any pictures or |
| techniques I recommend that you do NOT use | | | | colors on the object, the texture of the object |
| meditation music. | | | | such as whether it is smooth or rough. Whether |
| The next step in this meditation technique is to | | | | there are any words on the object and then |
| ensure that your back is straight, with good | | | | rotate the object on a 3D axis. As you are |
| posture. Start by breathing slowly and lightly. As | | | | visualizing the object, test to see if the object has |
| you are breathing on the exhaled breath visualize | | | | a distinct smell in your mind. Visualize that smell |
| the number one in your mind. When you see the | | | | clearly in your mind. |
| number then breathe in. Whilst you are focusing | | | | Now during the visualization meditation session, |
| on the number one, breathe out and then visualize | | | | should at any point you lose focus and visualize on |
| the number two. Continue breathing and visualizing | | | | anything else. Simply stop the visualization process |
| each number till you reach one hundred. Once you | | | | and start again by redrawing the object in your |
| reach one hundred then you may stop the | | | | mind. Continue this process for a period of ten |
| meditation session. | | | | minutes each day, till you are able to visualize the |
| Here is the catch, you cannot continue to the | | | | object without distraction. You should continue |
| next number until you only have focus to the | | | | using this technique till you can meditate up to |
| previous number. If at any time during your | | | | twenty minutes a day using this meditation |
| visualization that your mind wanders or starts | | | | technique. |
| thinking about something else, you must stop the | | | | The number meditation technique and object |
| counting process and start from the number one | | | | visualization meditation technique are designed to |
| again. | | | | help program your mind to concentrate. The |
| The objective of using this technique is to help | | | | more you practice this mediation technique the |
| maintain your concentration and ensure that you | | | | better your concentration will become and the |
| maintain the focus on the numbers you are | | | | easier it will be to attain focus during your |
| counting. You need to practice this technique till | | | | meditation sessions. |