Oakville Zen Meditation
HOW CONCENTRATION IMPACTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE KRIS
Research suggests that concentration—both its quality and focus—plays a significant role in our quality of life, alongside other important factors such as those taught in the Dharma, like liberation of suffering, daily application of the 8-Fold Path, meditation, mind control, etc.
Hungarian-born Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi spent over 40 years studying this subject of focus, and he calls it “being in flow”. He interviewed over 8,000 people, including monks, nuns, doctors, scientists, musicians, and others. He found that the average person can process about 126 bits of information/second, and if we can try to utilize this capacity to the maximum extent, we come to this Flow state where we are totally immersed. Great musicians, artists, scientists, and others can achieve this state regularly.
Mihaly in his book states that when "Concentration is so intense that there is no attention left over to think about anything irrelevant or to worry about problems. Our Ego disappears, Self-consciousness disappears, and the sense of time becomes distorted."
And we all have experienced this when we have completely lost track of time, and it's absolutely one of the best feelings in the world.
He found that two factors influence this Flow state: the challenge from the environment and your skill in addressing that challenge. If your skill is too superior to the challenge, then you get bored. However, if the challenge is greater than your skill, then you are stressed.
If you are watching TV all day, there’s no challenge involved, and there's no skill involved.
Thus, apathy and boredom develop. Or worrying will develop to fill the void.
The trick in life is to keep moving upwards, keeping your skills and the challenges in balance.
He gives the example of playing tennis. When you are a beginner, you are challenged just to return the ball. However, as your skill improves then you begin to enjoy the game. However, if you play against an advanced player, then you are stressed just to return the ball.
Flow is always in a dynamic equilibrium between the external challenge and your skill.
To be in the dynamic flow, you need to increase your skill to meet the challenge. However, sometimes this is not possible.
Another factor that scatters our concentration and flow is selfishness and self-interest. This is when we are asking, “What am I getting from this?” Then you are NOT relaxed anymore and open to frustration because of expectations.
An unselfish mind is relaxed and can focus better because there is no agenda. Thus, you can focus better on your skill development and handle the challenge.
Hindu scripture Gita states that our meditation should be steady and smooth like oil being poured. That is how our mind should be in this state of flow and focus when all sense of time is lost.
To summarize, we should be constantly aware of our thoughts and actions to be in the now. This awareness, strengthened by proper concentration, helps us recognize challenges and our ability to balance them. With regular meditation, our concentration and skills improve, leading to flow and peace. To begin this process, cultivate Awareness by regularly observing your breath." Thanks
