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# Re: Mindfulness and concentration - article

#### Message 01786 of 3835

- To: BardonPraxis@yahoogroups.com
- Subject: Re: [BardonPraxis] Mindfulness and concentration - article
- From: Newbieonekenhobby <newbieonekenhobby@...>
- Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 11:35:38 -0800 (PST)
- In-reply-to: <20031117184007.66516.qmail@...>

    Hi

    *Mindfulness in Plain English*

    I made the research through Google. Found the pdf,
    added its URL to Praxis' links.
    Cheers
    NB

    --- Allen Kray <sourceport@...> wrote:
    > Hello,
    >
    > This book has quite a few applicable techniques. I
    > used some of the techniques for distractions to
    > deepen
    > my meditation exercises. The entire book is actually
    > legally available in .PDF format. If you can't find
    > it, I will post a link.
    >
    > Another useful and free book on the Internet is
    > called
    > "The Power of Concentration". Many of the exercises
    > in
    > this book are extremely similar to exercises in IIH.
    >
    > I'm not on my usual laptop and therefore I will need
    > to wait until tomorrow to post the links. A search
    > on
    > Google should find them though.
    >
    > Sincerely,
    > Allen Kray
    >
    > --- David Yeh <ldreamr@...> wrote:
    > > I found an interesting article on a Vipassana
    > > website contrasting
    > > mindfulness and concentration. Seems to be quite
    > > relevant, so I
    > > thought I'd share. The full article, actually
    > part
    > > of the book
    > > Mindfulness in Plain English, is at
    > >
    >
    http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english_16.ph
    > > p
    > >
    > >
    > > David
    > >
    > > <<<
    > > Concentration and mindfulness go hand-in-hand in
    > the
    > > job of
    > > meditation. Mindfulness directs the power of
    > > concentration.
    > > Mindfulness is the manager of the operation.
    > > Concentration furnishes
    > > the power by which mindfulness can penetrate into
    > > the deepest level
    > > of the mind. Their cooperation results in insight
    > > and understanding.
    > > These must be cultivated together in a balanced
    > > ratio. Just a bit
    > > more emphasis is given to mindfulness because
    > > mindfulness is the
    > > center of meditation. The deepest levels of
    > > concentration are not
    > > really needed to do the job of liberation. Still,
    > a
    > > balance is
    > > essential. Too much awareness without calm to
    > > balance it will result
    > > in a wildly over sensitized state similar to
    > abusing
    > > LSD. Too much
    > > concentration without a balancing ratio of
    > awareness
    > > will result in
    > > the 'Stone Buddha' syndrome. The meditator gets so
    > > tranquilized that
    > > he sits there like a rock. Both of these are to be
    > > avoided.
    > >
    > > The initial stages of mental cultivation are
    > > especially delicate. Too
    > > much emphasis on mindfulness at this point will
    > > actually retard the
    > > development of concentration. When getting started
    > > in meditation, one
    > > of the first things you will notice is how
    > > incredibly active the mind
    > > really is. The Theravada tradition calls this
    > > phenomenon 'monkey
    > > mind'. The Tibetan tradition likens it to a
    > > waterfall of thought. If
    > > you emphasize the awareness function at this
    > point,
    > > there will be so
    > > much to be aware of that concentration will be
    > > impossible. Don't get
    > > discouraged. This happens to everybody. And there
    > is
    > > a simple
    > > solution. Put most of your effort into
    > > one-pointedness at the
    > > beginning. Just keep calling the attention from
    > > wandering over and
    > > over again. Tough it out. Full instructions on how
    > > to do this are in
    > > Chapters 7 and 8. A couple of months down the
    > track
    > > and you will have
    > > developed concentration power. Then you can start
    > > pumping you energy
    > > into mindfulness. Do not, however, go so far with
    > > concentration that
    > > you find yourself going into a stupor.
    > >
    > > Mindfulness still is the more important of the two
    > > components. It
    > > should be built as soon as you comfortably can do
    > > so. Mindfulness
    > > provides the needed foundation for the subsequent
    > > development of
    > > deeper concentration. Most blunders in this area
    > of
    > > balance will
    > > correct themselves in time. Right concentration
    > > develops naturally in
    > > the wake of strong mindfulness. The more you
    > develop
    > > the noticing
    > > factor, the quicker you will notice the
    > distraction
    > > and the quicker
    > > you will pull out of it and return to the formal
    > > object of attention.
    > > The natural result is increased concentration. And
    > > as concentration
    > > develops, it assists the development of
    > mindfulness.
    > > The more
    > > concentration power you have, the less chance
    > there
    > > is of launching
    > > off on a long chain of analysis about the
    > > distraction. You simply
    > > note the distraction and return your attention to
    > > where it is
    > > supposed to be.
    > >
    > > Thus the two factors tend to balance and support
    > > each other's growth
    > > quite naturally. Just about the only rule you need
    > > to follow at this
    > > point is to put your effort on concentration at
    > the
    > > beginning, until
    > > the monkey mind phenomenon has cooled down a bit.
    > > After that,
    > > emphasize mindfulness. If you find yourself
    > getting
    > > frantic,
    > > emphasize concentration. If you find yourself
    > going
    > > into a stupor,
    > > emphasize mindfulness. Overall, mindfulness is the
    > > on to emphasize.
    > >
    > > Mindfulness guides your development in meditation
    > > because mindfulness
    > > has the ability to be aware of itself. it is
    > > mindfulness which will
    > > give you a perspective on your practice.
    > Mindfulness
    > > will let you
    > > know how you are doing. But don't worry too much
    > > about that. This is
    > > not a race. You are not in competition with
    > anybody,
    > > and there is no
    > > schedule.
    > > >>>
    > >
    > >
    >
    >
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    === message truncated ===

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- References:
  - Re: Mindfulness and concentration - article
    - From: Allen Kray <sourceport@...>

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