Let’s consider the word concentration, which is another distinct quality of Mind. In meditation, we think of concentration as meaning exclusive attention to one object… the way we hold our attention steady on the breath or on a flame during a candle meditation. But what if we consider the aspect of concentration that means densely packed and apply that to the nature of our thought stream? We can ask ourselves, “Are my recurring thoughts concentrated on a particular subject or on a particular line of thinking… maybe worry, maybe judgement?” “What are my thoughts focused upon?”
We don’t mean to default to the negative so quickly, but it is often the worrying mind or the critical mind that gets in the way of keeping the mind attentive to the present moment. When something is concentrated, it is gathered closely together. This is what happens to the brain when we think the same thoughts over and over; we can’t help but concentrate on them and that’s because our recurring focus on these thoughts has made well traveled neural pathways, or well-worn tracks in the mind.
Did you know that humans think 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day and that 90% of those are the same thoughts as the day before? We’ve packed the earth so densely beneath these tape-loop mental machinations that the brain automatically defaults there as it searches for thoughts to think. These thought streams are more than just a habit… they become fundamental in creating our perceived reality.
Today’s practice is a walking meditation. The first part lays down the basics of this exercise, then in the second half, we will pay deliberate attention to the path our mind takes when it wanders from the path our feet are taking. What’s the mind doing? Is it ruminating? Is it remembering? Is it fixing or planning? It’s so revealing. It’s also revealing that the more we practice focused attention (in this case, on the process of walking), the less power our thoughts have over conditioning our experience. That’s a step in the right direction!
Let’s go!