| Sometimes, even for veteran meditators, keeping | | | | everything I can about them - so now I set them |
| a stable sense of focused attention can be | | | | aside. |
| extremely difficult. No matter how hard you try | | | | All I have left is this last breath, and even that is |
| directing your attention, your focus just keeps | | | | about to leave me forever. Watching this breath, |
| jumping around. | | | | my ultimate act, suddenly becomes all that |
| One simple way of getting past this challenge to | | | | matters. Do I want to waste these final seconds |
| locus meditation involves something I mentioned in | | | | in aimless meander? NO! Nothing else is important, |
| my "Sensation, Storyline and Meditation" article: | | | | now; only watching one last lung full of air ease |
| using a different script. In that article I spoke of | | | | into my chest, before ghosting away in a final |
| using generative meditation to put storylines in | | | | exhalation. |
| place which will lead to more fulfilling lives. The | | | | And then... Refresh and watch the next "last |
| strategy I'm describing here isn't generative | | | | breath". If I am using mantra as my meditation |
| meditation, per se, but we can use the same idea | | | | method, I think in terms of my "last word". The |
| (using an intentionally constructed storyline) on a | | | | same applies to an image when focusing on visual |
| smaller scale to improve our practice of locus | | | | sensation. Again and again, until you find your mind |
| meditation. | | | | is firmly attentive to the object of your focus, or |
| In this case, the difficulty with locus meditation | | | | until the end of the session. |
| method arises because our mind resists the | | | | This storyline exercise is very effective at helping |
| storyline of "sitting and focusing". It's just not | | | | your attention focus on your breath (or whatever |
| interested. The mind wants a storyline which will | | | | other object you are attending to) without a ton |
| fascinate and stimulate. | | | | of strain. As you become comfortable with this |
| Luckily, our problem suggests its own solution: we | | | | idea and allow yourself to relax, meditation will |
| need to identify and follow a script which DOES | | | | begin to flow with little effort. At the same time, |
| compel our attention. The caveat is that this | | | | this is a 'training wheels' sort of exercise. Don't |
| compelling storylines must support our meditative | | | | become so attached that you NEED it. As with all |
| discipline, not derail it. | | | | meditation methods, this is a means to an end, |
| A generated storyline I have found very useful is | | | | not the end itself (discussing the ultimate goal of |
| to reflect upon my "last breath". When I catch | | | | meditation is a topic for another article). |
| my mind shuffling through the many topics it likes | | | | One note: don't use this exercise to get yourself |
| to distract me with during locus meditation, I | | | | worked up about death looming over you. Some |
| make it easier to set those stories aside by | | | | day you WILL be in the position of watching your |
| considering my current breath to be my last, | | | | last breath. Maybe next week, maybe in several |
| dying breath. I imagine myself knowing death is | | | | decades - you don't know when, so don't waste |
| upon me. My family and friends, much as we love | | | | NOW with worry about LATER. Regardless of |
| each other, can no longer keep me company. My | | | | how far in the future, lightly connecting with that |
| boss, and anything he might want to demand of | | | | moment now will buttress your locus meditation. |
| me, has become entirely moot. Cleaning up after | | | | Your experience with meditation will become |
| dinner, putting gas in the car, feeling guilty over | | | | much more comfortable, and consequently, so will |
| rash words, worrying about retirement savings... | | | | the rest of your life. Take advantage of it. |
| each are now someone else's concern. I've done | | | | Vigilate! |